Tomy Wigand

Born 1952, Ludwigsburg (Germany). He studied at the Academy of Television & Film (HFF/M) in Munich from 1976 to 1979. He directed three short films (PANGRATZ, LOTTE and UNTER MÄNNERN) before making his TV film directorial debut in 1981 with EIN BISSCHEN WAS SCHÖNES. He served as the film editor on Roland Emmerich’s THE NOAH'S ARK PRINCIPLE (1983), JOEY (1985) and MOON 44 (1990), and wrote the screenplay for H.W. Geissendörfer's adaptation of Dürrenmatt's JUSTIZ. Since 1993, Wigand has directed episodes for daily soaps (GUTE ZEITEN, SCHLECHTE ZEITEN; VERBOTENE LIEBE) and TV action series (ALARM FÜR COBRA 11), as well as SOCCER RULES! (FUßBALL IST UNSER LEBEN, 2000), WINTER OF REGRET (NICHT HEULEN, HUSKY, TV movie, 2000), THE FLYING CLASSROOM (DAS FLIEGENDE KLASSENZIMMER, 2002).

Director’s statement

“Kids get kidnapped. But nobody calls for ransom. This scenario could be an every-day-event in our open society, in a world where personal safety and security have definitely gone out of date. Kids are held in pledge by a young scientist in order to come off well. […] Sciences have become more and more indispensable. And unlimited research may lead to complete disregard of the human being. Parents have to set up their kids for this media-possessed jungle of today and tomorrow. Eventually the kids themselves have to censor, if these influences may be good for them, or bad”.