Biography
After graduating from Munich Film School in 1987, Robert Sigl began preparations in Hungary for his debut feature film, Laurin (1989), which he also wrote. Laurin was filmed in English with Hungarian actors and earned the Bavarian Film Award for "Best Direction of a newcomer." At just 25, Sigl became one of the youngest directors to receive this honor. Over the following years, he worked on various projects and screenplays before relocating to Poland to direct the acclaimed miniseries Stella Stellaris (1994), a fairy-tale fantasy/comedy/adventure. He also directed the episode "Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei: Die verlorene Tochter" (1997) for the popular German action series Alarm für Cobra 11 - Die Autobahnpolizei (1996). Critics likened the episode's atmosphere to that of Twin Peaks (1990). Both Laurin and Stella Stellaris left a strong impression on Canadian producer Paul Donovan and executives at the American cable network Showtime. Consequently, Sigl was commissioned to direct one of the four pilot episodes, Giga Shadow, for the sci-fi mini-series Lexx (1996). Featuring Hollywood star Malcolm McDowell and extensive CGI effects, Lexx was sold in over one hundred countries. Sigl returned during the third season to direct the episode K-Town. He also directed the German horror-thriller School's Out (1999), which became one of the most successful TV movies of that year, gaining recognition in the U.S. where it was released on DVD and video by Fangoria/MTI. Its success led to Sigl directing the sequel, Dead Island: School's Out 2 (2001), filmed in Brittany, France.
Additionally, he directed multiple episodes of the acclaimed and award-winning German crime series Der Ermittler (2001), SOKO Donau (2008-2009), and Tatort (1970-). His Tatort episode Rache-Engel (2005) generated significant media attention.
Sigl's latest project is the thriller Hepzibah - Sie holt dich im Schlaf (2010), starring Eleanor Tomlinson, Finn Atkins, David Bamber, and Murray Melvin. Shot in Prague in English, it includes lavish scenes set in the Middle Ages.
He is currently preparing The Mandylion, a $15 million supernatural adventure/thriller to be filmed in Malta, Istanbul, and New York. Sigl has once again secured iconic actor Malcolm McDowell for a key role, with three-time Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore composing the soundtrack.
Sigl is also developing several other feature film projects, including The 13th Disciple (funded by Media 2), Medusa (funded by Media Development), Lazarus and Wurdilak (both funded by FFA Berlin), as well as The Blind Room, Golgatha, and the Holocaust drama Pink Triangle Jew.
For his work on the TV series Vienna Crime Squad (2005), Robert Sigl was nominated for the Metropolis German Director Award in 2012.
