LAMAMIMET

Moritz de Hadeln, born in Exeter, England in 1940, was a prominent Swiss documentary filmmaker and festival director who became one of the most influential figures in international film festival programming. After studying physics and chemistry in Paris, he began his career in film as a photographer and researcher before directing his first documentary in 1963. In 1969, he co-founded the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival (later Visions du Réel) with his wife Erika, which he directed until 1979. He headed the Locarno International Film Festival from 1972 to 1977, where he introduced the iconic Piazza Grande outdoor screenings. From 1980 to 2001, he served as director of the Berlin International Film Festival, transforming it into one of the world's premier film events and co-founding the European Film Market. He briefly led the Venice International Film Festival in 2002 and 2003. De Hadeln also served on numerous international juries and was instrumental in promoting East-West cultural exchange through cinema. He was honored with several distinctions, including Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and the Bundesverdienstkreuz. He passed away in 2026 at the age of 85.