Manfred Durniok on AllMovie

A prolific producer/director/writer whose 45-year career spawned such features as the Oscar-winning Mephisto (1981) and Moments (1989), Manfred Durniok proved himself a versatile international filmmaker who also became a successful photographer and author. Born in Berlin, Germany, in May of 1934, Durniok frequently worked in China, Japan, Poland, and Hungary as he produced over 400 films. Developing a strong connection with China, Durniok's detailed writings regarding the country gave him success outside the world of film, as well as making him an honorary citizen of Beijing. Also instrumental in forming the sister-city relationship between Berlin and Beijing, later in life Durniok was awarded the Freedom Film award by the American Cinema Foundation. In early March of 2003, Manfred Durniok died of a heart attack in Berlin. He was 68.