Beyer, Frank

Beyer, Frank 

Born May 26,1932, in Nobitz. German film director (German Democratic Republic).

In 1955, Beyer completed bis studies at the film faculty of the Prague Academy of Arts and now works in the GDR. In 1957 he made his directing debut with the film Two Mothers. Beyer’s work is devoted to the important problems of contemporary reality, including the portrayal of the resistance movement during World War II. Among his films which have received prizes at international film festivals are The Royal Children (1962) and Naked Among Wolves (1963, after the book of the same name by B. Apitz). He also directed the films Five Cartridge Cases (1960, H. Greif Prize) about the perseverance of the soldiers of a detachment in the International Brigade fighting in Spain during the years 1936–39, the comedy Carbide and Sorrel (1964), and others. He was awarded the National Prize of the GDR (1963).