TALKING TO… Fabian Gamper

The German film won the Jury Prize in Cannes in 2025 and is currently on the Oscar shortlist in both the International Feature as well as the Cinematography category. Fabian Gamper was honoured with the Silver Frog at the Festival Camerimage and is nominated as European Cinematographer 2026. Whether he will win the award will be decided in Berlin on January 17 at the European Film Awards. The Oscar nominations will be announced on January 22. 

How would you describe your personal style? 

I find it important to approach every project as openly as possible. I really like films that have a visual language specific to the film. When the secrets of the film – what happens between the lines – are captured on camera, or when the camera takes on a very distinct narrative perspective. I try not to be guided by preferences for certain filming techniques, but rather by the script, the director’s vision, the locations and the actors. 

What is most important to you when working in a film crew? 

I really like it when the crew is caught up in the fascination for the film they are shooting. Filming is such a strenuous process; it also takes up a lot of time that everyone involved is willing to invest in a project. When you share a vision and pursue a goal together, the work is fun and you can create shots that you would not have thought possible. Of course, this doesn’t always happen and so it can’t be a precondition. For me, this ideal was achieved during the filming of IN DIE SONNE SCHAUEN. We had a very small budget in relation to what we wanted to achieve. It only worked thanks to the crew’s incredible dedication. 

You first studied in Switzerland, then in Germany, where you now work primarily. Are there differences in the way people work in the two countries? 

In Switzerland, I worked as a second camera assistant and in other roles on set. After completing my second study programme in Germany, I really got started as a cinematographer. In that respect, it’s not so easy to make a direct comparison. Especially since there’s quite a bit of time in between. And back then, for example, we still shot more on analogue film; I still used film mags on my first shoots.  

But I now often experience coproductions where crews from different countries come together. I like to take on board approaches that are new to me and integrate them. I would be delighted to shoot more in Switzerland again soon! 

Are there any specific influences on your visual language – whether from film or other media? 

They are completely different for every film. For SOUND OF FALLING, it was mainly Francesca Woodman’s photographic work. There are also other films that resonate with me in some way. I am often inspired by the collaboration between director Steve McQueen and his cinematographer Sean Bobbitt. 

In «SOUND OF FALLING», you use different visual languages for the different time periods. How did you develop these? 

From the outset, director Mascha Schilinski had a vision of making a film with a narrative structure that works associatively, like memory. That was also our approach to the visual language – we wanted to find images that look similar to those in our heads when we are remembering something.  

During my research, I sometimes actually closed my eyes and tried to remember an event from long ago. It’s rarely completely clear, and not all the details are present.  Like the face of a person you haven’t seen in a long time, and you can’t quite remember what they looked like exactly. I tested all kinds of effects, and we assessed the material until we found a few approaches that felt right for us.  

Camera movement was also an important aspect for us. We knew we wanted to give the camera a certain degree of ‘physicality’ – as if the camera were a ghost that could move not only through space but also freely through time. When ‘operating’ the camera, I tried to move it as if it were a curious being rather than a conventional film camera. The actors were also incorporated into this idea and were partly aware of the camera’s presence as a character. We even worked with them gazing into the camera. 

How has the film’s success and awards effect your career? Have you received any international offers? 

Yes indeed. Unfortunately, I recently had to turn down a few projects so that I could continue travelling with the film, and especially, because Mascha Schilinski and I are now parents. We are a family business, you could say. But of course, I’m very excited to start filming again soon.