Philip Gröning was born in Duesseldorf in 1959 and was raised in Duesseldorf and the United States. He studied Medicine and Psychology before enrolling at the Munich Academy of Television & Film (HFF/M) in 1982. Groening developed a passion for screenwriting and began to work as an actor for Peter Keglevic and Nicolas Humbert. He also worked as a sound assistant, propmaster and assistant director. His film credits include award-winning and critically acclaimed films The Swimmer (1983), The Last Picture Taken (1983), Summer (1986, “Main Prize Bergamo” 1988), Stachoviak! (1988, Silver Hugo Chicago), The Terrorists! (1992, Bronze Leopard Locarno), Victims. Witnesses (1993), L’Amour, L’Argent, L’Amour (2000, Bronze Leopard Locarno), and Into Great Silence (“Die Grosse Stille”, 2005). —filmportal.de