Bettina Ehrhardt
bce films & more is the production company of documentary filmmaker, author and producer Bettina Ehrhardt. The company develops and produces documentary films with a focus on music and the arts, culture, society, religion, ecology and political themes.
Bettina studied French Literature, Linguistics and Semiotics, Philosophy, Art History and Film in Hamburg, Munich and Lyon. At the Université Lumière Lyon II she obtained a Maîtrise de Lettres Modernes, the French Master's degree, with a thesis on the poet and artist Henri Michaux, as well as a Licence in Linguistics and Semiotics and a Diplôme d’Etudes Cinématographiqes.
Since 1992 she has worked as a documentary filmmaker. Since 1996 she has also produced her films. Alongside her filmmaking work, she has written book and film reviews, as well as travel reportage for the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Her documentaries and television reports have been produced for or co-produced with broadcasters including ARTE, ZDF, WDR, SWR, BR, 3sat, ORF, SRF, SVT, Radio Canada, ARTV, RAI.
Bettina lives in Munich and in Berlin.
Filmography (selected)
Documentaries about music
- 2026 Open End – Michael Haefliger, Festival Maker 55 min., a bce films & more production for SRF, Swiss Television
- 2022 Ohren auf! 100 Jahre Donaueschinger Musiktage 90 min., produced by SWR, in collaboration with bce films. Commissioning editor: Karl Thumm.
- 2020 Starting all over again – New music in post-war Germany 56 min., in co-production with ZDF, in collaboration with ARTE, funded by FFF Bayern. Commissioning editor: Christopher Janssen.
- 2017 Markus Hinterhäuser – A Pianist is leading the Salzburg Festival 25 min., in co-production with WDR, in collaboration with ARTE and Unitel. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner.
- 2016 Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds – The Conductor Zubin Mehta 90 min., in co-production with ZDF, in collaboration with ARTE and Unitel. 53 min TV version: Zubin Mehta - Dirigent und Weltbürger. Commissioning editor: Christopher Janssen. Jury Prize at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.
- 2013 Monk and Dionysos – The Composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann 60 min., in co-production with WDR. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner.
- 2012 Klangmyriaden – Pierre Boulez’ „Pli selon pli,Portrait de Mallarmé" 60 min., in co-production with WDR. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner.
- 2011 I am Your Labyrinth – Wolfgang Rihm. Nietzsche. Dionysos 52 min., in co-production with WDR. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner
- 2010 Kent Nagano – Montreal Symphony 97 Min., in co-production with ZDF Theaterkanal, Ciné Qua Non Média, Montréal, National Film Board of Canada, in collaboration with Radio Canada, ARTV and Mezzo, funded by FFF Bayern, Téléfilm Canada, Office National du Film. Best Canadian Film at the Festival international du film sur l’art, Montréal 2010. Commissioning editor: Dieter Schneider.
- 2006 Wo ich noch nie war – Der Komponist Helmut Lachenmann 87 min., in co-production with WDR, SRF and Schwenkfilm, Stuttgart. Funded by MFG Filmstiftung Baden-Württemberg, Gema Fund and the Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner.
- 2004 Intolleranza 2004 – Luigi Nono’s Scenic Action Seen Today 58 min., in co-production with WDR and Cologne Triennale 2005. Commissioning editor: Lothar Mattner. Special Award by the Italian President for best film on Italian Music, Docfest Musica (Rome 2005). Premio Asolo as migliore film sull‘arte (Asolo 2004), best Essay film at the Festival international du film sur l’art, Montréal 2005. Prix SACEM by Louvre, Paris and Radio France Musique, Classique en Images 2006.
- 2004 We Play – Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin 60 min., in co-production with SWR und Loft Music, Gauting, in collaboration with ARTE. Commissioning editor: Dietrich Mack.
- 2001 A Trail on the Water – Abbado - Nono - Pollini 60 min., in co-production with WDR, in collaboration with ARTE and Carnegie Hall NYC. Co-author Wolfgang Schreiber. Ernst von Siemens Music foundation Promotion Award (2001), Jury Award at the Festival du film sur l’art, Montréal 2002.
- 1998 Tristan und Isolde - Ausstieg in die Utopie. Peter Konwitschny und Zubin Mehta deuten Wagners Musikdrama neu 35 min., Commissioning editor: Wolfgang Windgassen. Co-author Wolfgang Schreiber.
- 1995 Oslo Drumming – With Pulsation Lots of Space 45 min., With percussionist Robyn Schulkowsky and trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer at the Rainbow Studio, Oslo. In co-production with ECM, Manfred Eicher. Co-author Wolfgang Schreiber.
Recordings
- 2024 Richard Wagner, Tristan und Isolde, Staged by Stephan Märki 3h 51 min., Staatstheater Cottbus. Set design of the year
- 2023 Staatsopernorchester Cottbus, conducted by Alexander Merzyn
- 2022 Elaine Mitchener – On Being Human As Praxis 61 min., at the Donaueschinger Musiktage. MAM, Manufaktur für aktuelle Musik. Produced by SWR
- 2018 Georges Bizet, Carmen, Staged by Stephan Märki 2 h, Berner Symphonieorchester conducted by Mario Venzago
- 2017 Alphaville – Heartbreak City, Music video 4 min., bce films & more for Universal Music
- 2015 Nine Secrets – Ute Lemper singt Paulo Coelho 60 und 100 min., in co-production with ZDF, in collaboration with ARTE und ARTE Concert. Commissioning editor: Dieter Schneider.
- 2012 Pierre Boulez’ „Pli selon pli, Portrait de Mallarmé“ Klangfabrik Köln, conducted by Pascal Rophé
- 2011 Dionysos – Eine Opernphantasie, Wolfgang Rihm 2h 55 min., Libretto by Wolfgang Rihm after Friedrich Nietzsche’s Dionysos-Dithyramben. In co-production with WDR. Premiered at the Salzburg Festival 2010, Orchester der Staatsoper unter den Linden, conducted by Ingo Metzmacher
- 2004 Helmut Lachenmann, Ausklang Piano Concerto. Ensemble Modern Orchestra, conducted by Markus Stenz. Ueli Wiget, piano. Recorded at the Lucerne Festival.
- 2004 Helmut Lachenmann, Concertini Ensemble Modern. World premiere recorded at the Lucerne Festival.
- 2004 Helmut Lachenmann, Zwei Gefühle Ensemble Modern. With Helmut Lachenmann as speaker. Recorded at the Lucerne Festival.
- 2004 Bobby McFerrin and the Chick Corea New Trio – Live at the Verbier Festival 60 min., Co-produced with Loft Music, Gauting.
- 2000 Luigi Nono, Sofferte onde serene Performed by Maurizio Pollini at the Salzburg Festival.
- 2000 Luigi Nono, Prometeo suite Berliner Philharmoniker conducted by Claudio Abbado.
- 1996 Yukio Mishima’s Madame de Sade. Yoshi Oida‘s staging of Mishima’s theatre play at the Schaubühne Berlin 35 min., 3sat. With Tina Engel, Corinna Kirchhoff, Imogen Kogge, Jutta Lampe and Libgart Schwarz.
Fine Arts
- 2022 Sculpting the Space, Fred Sandbacks Sculptural Studies 12 min., Commissioned by the Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich.
- 2017 Helmut Klewan - Leidenschaften eines Sammlers 30 min.
Documentary Films about Nature & Society
- 2022 Mama Irene – Healer of the Andes 75 min., Co-directed with Elisabeth Möhlmann. Produced by Blaze a Path Productions, New York.
- 2020 Two films for the Global Health Protection Programme by the Federal Ministry of Health, Germany 28 min., On the training of specialists from African partner institutions and on a research project investigating the impact of genetic differences on the metabolism of medicines.
- 2018 Flying Rivers – No Forest, No Water 26 min. In co-production with GIZ and the BMZ, Premiered at the World Water Forum, Brasília 2018.
- 2012 We Wanted to Change the Republic – The Liberal Politician Gerhart Baum 90 min cinema and 45 min TV. In co-production with WDR. Funded by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. Commissioning editor: Adrian Lehnigk.
- 2011 Hildegard Hamm-Brücher im Gespräch 36 min.
- 2010 Voodoo – Der, dem das Meer gehört 90 min. In co-production with Novaprod OWL, Zadig Productions and ARTE France. Funded by CNC. Commissioning editor: Christian Cools. Public Award at the Filmfestival Quintessence in Ouidah, Bénin.
- 2008 Die Sklavenstraße von Ouidah. Voodoo und Versöhnung in West Afrika 30 min. BR Kompass report in co-production with BR. Media Award by the Conference of the Landesmedienanstalten 2009. Commissioning editor: Stefan Bergmann
- 2007 Hans-Dietrich Genscher im Gespräch 26 min.
- 2004 Electricity for the Sherpas, Modern Times at Everest 30 min. BR Kompass report in co-production with BR. Toura d’Or Award 2005.
- 2003 Gegen den Strom – Das St. Nikola Kloster in Passau 45 min. Part of the series Donauklöster. Produced by BR, ORF and Tellux. Commissioning editor: Martin Posselt.
- 2002 Wir werden immer wieder in die Wüste gehen - Die Tuaregs in der Sahara Südalgeriens 30 min. Kompass-Reportage. Commissioning editor: Stefan Bergmann.
- 2001 Charles de Foucauld und der Garten Gottes – Spurensuche in der Sahara 45 min. BR, Commissioning editor: Martin Posselt
- 1997 Cape Hoorn under Sail, Around Cape Hoorn on Board the Ucrainian Windjammers Khersones 60 min. bce films & more and Bustamante Producciones, Santiago de Chile.