As a director, Petra focused on mysteries and thrillers. Her feature film A DEMON IN MY VIEW with Anthony Perkins was based on the novel of renowned British Crime Writer Ruth Rendell. Petra embarked on a journey with another famous crime lady, Agatha Christie, as she was TRACKING AGATHA.
This astonishing film essay again won awards, as well as the Anthony Perkin’s Film. In Italy Uwe Bohm won the Best Supporting Actor award. In Japan Petra received the Special Jury Prize, presented to her by Robert Wise.
Specializing in suspense and action, Petra has directed more than 70 features, movies, television films, music videos and documentaries. Her love for documentaries is focusing more and more on travels and adventure.
Petra currently heads the documentary Department of the New York Film Academy - Los Angeles campus and has been continually teaching in film schools around the world, including the USC School for Cinematic Art and the DFFB Berlin.
In addition to her film work, she contributes articles as a travel writer for newspapers.
FEATURE FILMS:
1993 PER PEDES - Confessions of a Shoe Fetishist - Short Film - Writer/Director/Producer
1991 A DEMON IN MY VIEW - (based on the novel by RUTH RENDELL) - Writer/Director - Starring: ANTHONY PERKINS - Feature Release in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Japan and the United States.
1988 KISS OF THE TIGER - based the novel VOULEZ-VOUS MOURIR AVEC MOI? - by FRANCIS RYCK - Co-writer/Director - Starring: Stefane Ferrara u. Beate Jensen - Feature Release in Germany, France, England, Scandinavia, Switzerland, and Japan. Shown at AFI Film Festival, Los Angeles.
MOVIES FOR TELEVISION:
2005 THE EGYPTIAN BOOK OF THE DEAD - Director - History Channel
2001 COLOR OF THE NIGHT - Director - German Television, ZDF
1998 - 1999 THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (US American television, action/adventure). Director (4 episodes) "Body and Soul", "Date with Destiny", "The Time Machine", "The Return of the Giant" - Weintraub / Kuhn Prod. for Warner TV.
1997 CAUGHT IN THE ACT - (Primetime Crime Series, TATORT) - Director - European TV
1997 FIREANGEL (4 episodes - action) - Director - German TV, RTL
1996 CRASH KIDS - Writer/Director - European TV
1996 LETHAL TRANSFERENCE (Prime time Crime Series, TATORT) - Director - European TV
1995 GUILTY BY SUSPICION - Director - German TV, ZDF
1995 BABUSHKA - Director - German Television, ZDF
1994 AN HONORABLE HOUSE (Primetime Crime Series, TATORT) - Director - European TV, MDR
1994 SLOW FIRE (Primetime Crime Series, POLIZEIRUF 110) - Director - European TV
1994 THE KING OF DULSBERG - Director - German Television, NDR
1993 MIRACLE ON COMMAND (Primetime Crime Series) - Director - German TV, RTL
1993 FINAL RECKONING - Director - German TV, ZDF
1989 ONE FINE DAY - Director - German TV, SFB
1987 HERO & ANTI HERO - Adaptation of the Stage Plays "Egmont" and "Prince of Homburg" - Writer/Director - German TV, ZDF
1983 EXOTIC PLEASURES - (Based on the novel EXOTIC PLEASURES by PETER CAREY) - Writer/Director/Producer - German TV, ZDF
1979 MADNESS, THE WHOLE LIFE IS MADNESS - Co-writer/Director/Producer - German TV, ZDF - (shown in L.A. during 200th Birthday of L.A.)
DOCUMENTARIES:
2008 IN SEARCH OF AMERICA - Writer/Director - German/French television
2005 THE LEGACY SERIES - 2 Episodes - Eva Marie Saint & Marion Rosenberg - Director - Women in Film Foundation Fellowship
2003/4 TRACKING AGATHA - following in the footsteps of Agatha Christie through Europe and the Middle East - Writer / Director - 100 Minutes Essayfilm
2003 VOYAGES, VOYAGES: LOS ANGELES - Travel film ARTE/ Discovery - Writer / Director
2002 VOYAGES, VOYAGES: CALIFORNIA'S HIGHWAY ONE - Travel film ARTE/ Discovery - Writer / Director
2002 DIVE INTO LIFE - Portrait about the young Hungarian actress Erika Marozsan (GLOOMY SUNDAY) - Writer/ Director
1999 STEP OUT OF YOUR DREAM - The Gustaf Gründgens Enigma - European TV (full-length) - Writer/ Director
1993 MARTÀ MESZAROS - Portrait of the Hungarian Woman Director - Writer/Director
1993 MY HOME IS MY CASTLE - EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY - BREAD AND GAMES
1994 WHEN IT`S DARK EVERYTHING LOOKS THE SAME - Writer/Director
1989 WHY ALWAYS KU`DAMM? - Writer/Director
1987 WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE - Writer/Director/Producer
1986 FIRST LOVE - Writer/Director
1985 HAVING IT ALL - Co-writer/Director
1984 THANK GOD, SHE IS ALIVE - Writer/Director/Producer
1978 EVERYTHING HAS ITS PRICE - Writer/Director/Producer
1978 TOMORROW, THE JOURNEY STARTS - Co-director/Producer