Klaus Thomas Steindl (born 20 June 1966 in Graz, Austria) is an author, scriptwriter & director, film producer and owner of the company KREATIVkraft e.U. His primary focus is on nature and investigative documentaries that deal with internationally relevant issues, particularly in the field of Outstanding Biographies. Most of his award-winning documentaries have been produced for the international prime-time market.
Career
Steindl studied directing and stage design at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. In 1987 his professor Wolfram Skalicki encouraged him to take on the role of assistant director to Lotfi Mansouri at Opéra de Nice (“Hérodiade”). He then worked as a freelance director for experimental theater performances before entering the field of film in 1991. After directing several award-winning commercials Steindl decided to focus on producing documentary films.
In 2017 the European art and culture broadcaster ARTE opened its one-week anniversary program "25 Years of ARTE" with the German/French premiere of Steindl's feature-film-length docu-drama "Venice and the Ghetto".
Promoting Fresh Talent
As well as producing and directing films, Klaus Steindl is involved with promoting and supporting young and new talents. He developed the educational concept and the first curriculum for the „Film und Medien Initiative“, a Graz-based film academy for children and adolescents. Furthermore, he was a member of the board of the Documentary Campus and a member of the commission for film funding in Styria, Austria, for several years. Over the years CINESTYRIA Film Commission has been successful in attracting large international film productions to the region. For example, several scenes from the James Bond film Spectre were shot at Styria's Altaussee lake.
Productions
In the course of his career Steindl has produced over 30 primetime documentaries. More than half of them were devised as international productions in several languages, produced with European and U.S. partners and broadcast around the globe. As well as producing high-quality wildlife and nature documentaries - like the successful Wild Venice, shown all over the world, Steindl focuses on investigative films that deal with internationally relevant historical themes. His research has frequently led to new scientific discoveries, most recently in The Nero Files - Uncovering an Ancient Conspiracy and Lost City of Gladiators - Carnuntum. For his film Vampire Princess he discovered the historical inspiration for Bram Stoker's legendary Dracula character:
"Picture a spectacular vampire attack at the tomb of an Austrian princess. A scene from Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series? No. It's the deleted opening to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," a horror classic that many experts believe was actually based on a woman. Archaeologists, historians, and forensic scientists revisit the days of vampire hysteria in the eighteenth-century Czech Republic and re-open the unholy grave of dark princess Eleonore von Schwarzenberg. They uncover her story, once buried and long forgotten, now raised from the dead." Official Info Smithsonian Channel
Steindl has also played a significant role in the development of the docudrama genre. The writer and director has recently begun to focus more on the field of Human interest. As a director, he is increasingly interested in genre-spanning narrative film direction.
Klaus T. Steindl works closely with internationally renowned research facilities while developing and producing his films. Partners have included Yale University and the University of Arizona for The Voynich Code, University of Oxford in the U.K. and ETH Zurich in Switzerland for The Mona Lisa Mysteries and the Washington and Lee University in Lexington for "The Nero Files". He was granted access to Cold War intelligence files stored in the KGB and FSB archives in Moscow for the film Margarethe Ottillinger. In his docu drama "Venus of Willendorf - The Naked Truth" the statuette of a naked woman provides a starting point for a ground-breaking scientific re-interpretation of the relationship between Stone Age men and woman (since Facebook banned the 29,500 years old artwork of the Stone Age for being "dangerously pornographic" the just 11 centimeteres tall statuette became an international celebrity).
Several of Steindl's works have been accepted into the libraries of European and U.S. universities. Many have been adapted for use in schools in a variety of forms and have received the European "Comenius EduMedia" Award for Educational Media.
The Miami Jewish Film Festival shows Steindl´s film "Rothschild Saga" in the "Official Selection 2023" (North America Premiere). Official film description: "This rich and nuanced portrait of the remarkable, elusive Rothschild family uncovers the story behind the family's phenomenal economic success. The film tells the dynasty’s incredible saga, from the confines of the Frankfurt ghetto to the halls of royal palaces, all the while emphasizing the importance they placed on family unity and the profound role Judaism played in their lives, later using their influence to assist oppressed Jews throughout Europe. A definitive work of documentary cinema with a thoroughly engaging narrative, The Rothschild Saga brings their mysterious and fascinating history to life."
Filmography (excerpt)
- 1994: From the "Etrich Taube" to the Mail Rocket - The history of Austrian aviation (with Niki Lauda)
- 1996: Signs of the Time - The history of writing
- 2000: The secrets of the gardens (with André Heller)
- 2000: Through the wild alps
- 2002: Tracking down composers
- 2006: Peter Rosegger - Forest farmer lad and revolutionary
- 2007: The Vampire Princess
- 2008: Let it snow!
- 2009: The Voynich-Code - The world's most mysterious manuscript
- 2012: The Secret of the Mona Lisa
- 2012: The Alps from above
- 2012: The Tulip Bubble
- 2013: The Mona Lisa Mystery
- 2014: Wild Venice
- 2014: Forest of Fantasies
- 2014: The Sword in the Stone
- 2014: Mysterious Schönbrunn
- 2015: Lake Constance - Wilderness on the Water
- 2015: Lost City of Gladiators - Carnuntum
- 2016: Margarethe Ottillinger - The woman who knew too much (with Ursula Strauss)
- 2016: Venice and the Ghetto
- 2017: The Nero Files - Uncovering an ancient conspiracy
- 2018: Mythos Hallstatt - Dawn of the Celts / Mystery of the Celtic Tomb
- 2021: Rothschild Saga. Rise – Riches – Repercussions (with Alina Fritsch)
- 2022: Venus of Willendorf - The Naked Truth
Awards & Festivals
"The Rothschild Saga" | "Miami Jewish Film Festival 2023"
"Vienna Jewish Film Festival 2022" | |
"Mystery of the Celtic Tomb" | ’‘US International Film & Video Festival’‘ Category: Documentary-History | |
"Wild Venice" | "White Dolphin" (Grand Prix) Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2015 | |
"The Lagoon of Venice" | Comenius Award for educational media | |
‘‘The Mona Lisa Mystery’‘ | ’‘New York Festivals’‘ Gold Medal Award
Category: Science & Technology | |
’‘US International Film & Video Festival’‘ Certificate for Creative Excellence | ||
’‘The Tulip Bubble’‘ | ’‘New York Festivals’‘ International TV & Film Awards
Bronze World Medal | |
’‘Prix Victoria’‘ in Gold
Category: TV/Economy - Internationale Wirtschaftsfilmtage | ||
’‘Cannes’‘ ‘‘Corporate Media & TV Awards’‘
Winner Category: Business & Economy | ||
‘‘Let it snow!’‘ | ’‘Cine’‘ ‘‘Golden Eagle Award’‘ | |
’‘Telenatura’‘ International Television Festival Pamplona | ||
’‘International Wildlife’‘ Film Festival Montana | ||
’‘Matsalu’‘ Nature Film Festival | ||
’‘Bergfilmfestival’‘ Tegernsee | ||
‘‘The Vampire Princess’‘ | ’‘Cine’‘ ‘‘Golden Eagle Award’‘ | |
’‘The Voynich Code"‘ | ’‘US International Film & Video Festival’‘ Certificate for Creative Excellence | |
’‘New York Festivals’‘ International TV & Film Awards
Silver World Medal | ||
‘‘The Secret of the Mona Lisa’‘ | ’‘Prix Victoria’‘ in Silver
Kategorie: Sponsoring, Non-Profit | |
‘‘Tracking down Composers’‘ | ’‘Comenius EduMedia’‘ Medal + Seal for educational media | |
’‘The European Parliament’‘ | ‘‘Comenius EduMedia’‘ Seal for educational media | |
‘‘The Austrian Parliament‘ | ‘‘Comenius EduMedia’‘ Seal for educational media |
References
- "German National Library".
- Steindl, Klaus (August 2018). "Matchpoint im Agentenspiel". Terra Mater Magazine. 05/2018: 118.
- "Results for 'au:Steindl, Klaus T.' [WorldCat.org]". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 2018-08-20.
- ^ Steindl, Klaus T.; Sulzer, Andreas (2009), Das Voynich-Rätsel: Die geheimnisvollste Handschrift der Welt / Buch und Regie: Klaus T. Steindl, Andreas Sulzer, retrieved 2018-08-20 - Closing Credits
- Steindl, Klaus T (2009), Die Vampir-Prinzessin La princesse vampire (in German), ORF, OCLC 699067844
- "Commercial register Austria". www.kreativkraft.com. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- Diploma issued on 24 June 1989 by the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz (“Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst Graz”)
- "Dr. Wolfram Skalicki verstorben". www.kug.ac.at (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "Hérodiade - Spectacle - 1987". data.bnf.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "Cinestyria Filmcommission and Fonds | Filmförderung und Filmservice | STEINDL Klaus T. - kreativKraft |". www.cinestyria.com (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "ARTE Presse". www.arte.tv (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "" Venise et son ghetto " par Klaus T. Steindl". www.veroniquechemla.info (in French). Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "Die fum @ fum Film und Medien Initiative Graz". www.filmundmedien.at (in German). Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- "detail". Green Screen Naturfilmfestival. 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- "SPECTRE IN AUSTRIA - Spectre". Spectre. 2015-01-07. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- "Wild Venice". Retrieved 2018-11-23.
- Funny Dwarf (2017-03-30), Город живущий двойной жизнью ДИКАЯ ВЕНЕЦИЯ Документальный фильм Wild Venice 2017 hd, retrieved 2018-11-23
- Smithsonian Channel Documentaries 2010x01 "The Vampire Princess", retrieved 2018-11-22
- "Facebook censors 30,000 year-old Venus of Willendorf as 'pornographic'". The Art Newspaper - International art news and events. 2018-02-27. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- The vampire princess., SBS, 2009, OCLC 512660910
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- "Detailansicht". archive.comenius-award.de. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- "Rothschild Saga". Miami Jewish Film Festival. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
- Steindl, Klaus T; Graben, Maxilmilian; Mackintosh, Steven (1999), The history of writing, Discovery Channel , OCLC 67863216
- Rekel, Gerhard J; Steindl, Klaus T (2000), Das Geheimnis der Gärten, ORF, OCLC 799083867
- Steindl, Klaus T (2008). Peter Rosegger: Waldbauernbub und Revolutionär (in German). OCLC 552189334.
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- The vampire princess, SBS, 2009, OCLC 512660910
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- Steindl, Klaus (2012). Die Alpen von oben - die Nordalpen (in German). München: Polyband Medien. OCLC 862808226.
- Der Tulpencrash - DOK (in German). Erscheinungsort nicht ermittelbar: Verlag nicht ermittelbar. 2014. OCLC 894860179.
- Steindl, Klaus T; Sanders, Jay O; Terra Mater Factual Studios GmbH (Firm); Thirteen Productions; Public Broadcasting Service (U.S.); PBS Distribution (Firm) (2014), Secrets of the dead, ISBN 9781627890724, OCLC 1043475038
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- lbi-admin (2015-12-11). ""Lost City of Gladiators – Carnuntum" premiered on Austrian TV in December 2015". archpro.lbg.ac.at. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
- Carnuntum - Lost City of the Gladiators (2015), retrieved 2018-08-14
- Hauptmann, Dieter (March 2016). "Zeitgeschichte". TELE das österreichische Fernsehmagazin. 9/2016: 8.
- Germany, programm.ARD.de - ARD Play-Out-Center Potsdam, Potsdam. "Venedig und das Ghetto". programm.ARD.de. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - German and French premiere of the 90 minute-TV Documentary: This film started the ARTE 25 years anniversary program at Saturday, 27 May 2017, 08:15 p.m.
- "ORF-Enterprise - Catalog - "The Nero Files - Uncovering an Ancient Conspiracy"". orf.staging.mediapeers.com. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- COMPANY. "Mystery of the Celtic Tomb". Terra Mater Factual Studios (in German). Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- Nolf, Markus. "Dokumentarfilm "Terra Mater: Mythos Hallstatt"". www.uibk.ac.at (in German). Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- Hallstatt-forschung (2018-11-08). "STIEGEN-BLOG Archäologische Forschung Hallstatt: Mythos Hallstatt - Eine Dokumentation von Terra Mater". STIEGEN-BLOG Archäologische Forschung Hallstatt. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- "MYTHOS HALLSTATT - kreativkraft.com". www.kreativkraft.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
- "The Rothschild Legacy. Rise – Riches – Repercussions | metafilm". 2021-10-12. Retrieved 2022-02-16.
- "JFW22 | DIE ROTHSCHILD - SAGA". JFW-2022 (in German). Retrieved 2022-05-17.
- "US International Film & Video Festival". www.filmfestawards.com. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ "Comenius Datenbank".
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- "New York Festivals - 2011 World's Best Television & Films™ Winners". 2012-03-09. Archived from the original on 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2018-08-13.
- Österreichischer Rundfunk, Austrian National Broadcast. "ORF Content Sales".
External links
- Klaus T. Steindl on IMDb
- www.kreativkraft.com – Official website
- Wild Venice (English) on youtube
- Lost City of Gladiators - Carnuntum (English) on youtube
- Venise et son ghetto (French) on youtube
- Vampire Princess (English) on youtube
- Let it Snow! (English) on youtube
- Wild Venice (Russian) on youtube