Filmmaker . Lecturer
Maja Classen
STATEMENT
„I am driven by my curiosity and my interest in people. For me, filmmaking is like the essence of life. I have the opportunity to gain different perspectives and listen to people who are otherwise rarely heard. My films aim to give the viewer a sensory experience that touches them, shakes them and makes them reflect (re-)think..“
BIOGRAPHY
Maja Classen grew up in Hamburg, studied directing at the HFF „Konrad Wolf“ (Babelsberg Film University) and has lived and worked in Berlin ever since. She shoots documentaries, feature films, music videos and commercials and works as a lecturer and at various universities and advises filmmakers as a mentor and dramaturge in creative processes. Her films are dedicated to subcultures, social, political and personal themes, such as love, relationship, family, identity, gender and sexuality. The protagonists are united by their longing for love and recognition and belonging, the fight against loneliness and exclusion. Maja’s directorial approach emphasizes the subjective view, drawing on Cinéma Vérité, whereby each film finds its own artistic form. Majas Films were screened in numerous international Festivals, such as Berlinale, Hot Docs, BFI London LGTBQ+ Film Festival and won numerous awards.
FILMOGRAPHY
Truth or Dare – (in postproduction)
Production: Saralisa Volm, Poison Berlin
FAKE (in pre-production)
Production: Saralisa Volm, Poison Berlin
A BODY LIKE MINE, D 2023
Production: Saralisa Volm, Poison Berlin
Commissioned by ZDF/3sat
KÜSSE (2019)
Prod: Jucca Film,
Plötzlich Ist Die Welt Ganz Klein (2016)
Documentary about a Neonatology
Prod: HerrmannFilm
ZDF/3sat, HD Color, 80 min
24H Berlin (2009)
Prod.: zero one film
RBB/arte
Osdorf (2007)
Prod. HFF „Konrad Wolf“,
FEIERN / Don’T Foget to go home (2006)
Prod. HFF „Konrad Wolf“
FESTIVALS
57. Berliner Filmfestspiele . Perspektive Deutsches Kino
Achtung Berlin Festival . 2007
Sehsüchte Festival . 2007
31. Duisburger Filmwoche
FILMZ Festival des Deutschen Film . Mainz 2007
Festival des Osteuropäischen Films . Cottbus 2007
Polit-Film-Festival Innsbruck . 2007
Querulanten Festival Berlin – Deutsche Indies gegen den Strom . 2006
44. Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijón
Unerhört!1. Int. Musikfilmfest Hamburg . 2007
Alternativa Barcelona . 2007
Ethnographisches Filmfestival Göttingen . 2008
Crossing Europe Festival Linz . 2008
Achtung Berlin Festival . 2011
Berlin.Doc 2023 (A BODY LIKE MINE)
BFI Flare LGTBQI* London 2024 (A BODY LIKE MINE)
Hot Docs, Toronto 2024 (A BODY LIKE MINE)
Ghent Viewpoint Documentary Film Festival 2024 (A BODY LIKE MINE)
QueerCine International Film Festival 2024 (A BODY LIKE MINE)
AWARDS
Ghent Viewpont Documentary Film Festival:
Best LGTBQ+ Documentary Film Award 2024 for A BODY LIKE MINE
QueerCine International Film Festival:
Best Underground Film 2024 for A BODY LIKE MINE
Best German Documentary at Doc.Berlin 2023 for A BODY LIKE MINE
Babelsberger Medienpreis 2007 for OSDORF
Nominated for First Steps Award 2007 for OSDORF
Disctinction for OSDORF
Disctinction for FEIERN
DISTRIBUTION
Feiern im DVD Vertrieb von Intergroove, 2007
24h Berlin, Arte, RBB, DVD Vertrieb von Universal, 2009
Küsse, die man stiehlt im Dunkeln, Deutschlandfunk 2012
Plötzlich ist die Welt ganz klein (Audio Feature), Deutschlandfunk 2014
Plötzlich ist die Welt ganz klein (Film), ZDF/3Sat
A BODY LIKE MINE, (Film) 2024, ZDF/3Sat
FUNDING
Projektfonds Kulturelle Bildung for „Body*Love Rap Workshop” 2021 + 2022
Kurzfilmförderung des Bundesministerium für Kultur und Medien Universität der Künste
for „Truth or Dare“, 2021
Initial Scholarship by Universität der Künste via Neustart Kultur for „Truth or Dare“, 2021
Scholarship „Künstlerinnenprogramm“, Berlin Senat for „FAKE“, 2017
Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, Script Developement
für „Simon auf der Säule“, Komplizenfilm, 2009
Scholarship „Künstlerinnenprogramm“, Berlin Senat for „Weltverbesserer“, 2008
Defastiftung: Research Funding for „KÜSSE“, 2008