Calin Peter Netzer was born on May 1st, 1975, in Petrosani, Romania, to a family of Transylvanian Saxons, a cultural minority of German descent who have resided in Romania for generations. His upbringing was mainly in Cluj, where his father, a dentist, practiced his profession.
In 1981, Netzer's father emigrated to West Germany, and in 1983, Netzer and his mother followed. Netzer attended school in Stuttgart before returning to Romania after the revolution in December 1989.
He pursued his higher education at the 'National University of Theatre and Film I.L. Caragiale (UNATC)' in Bucharest, graduating with a diploma in film direction in 1999. Prior to his feature film debut, Netzer directed multiple award-winning short films.
His debut feature, Maria (2003),won numerous accolades, including the 'Special Prize of the Jury', 'Best Actor', and 'Best Actress' at the 'Locarno International Film Festival' in 2003. His subsequent feature, Medalia de onoare (2009),received the Silver Alexander award, the FIPRESCI prize, and awards for 'Best Screenplay' and 'Best Actor' at the 'Thessaloniki International Film Festival' in 2009.
In 2013, Netzer's third feature, Child's Pose (2013),made its debut in the 'Official Competition' of the 'Berlin International Film Festival', where it won the 'Golden Bear' award and the FIPRESCI prize. Child's Pose was the first Romanian film to win the top award of the Berlinale and was internationally acclaimed as a new masterpiece of the Romanian New Wave.
Netzer directed, wrote, and produced Child's Pose, which was shot digitally on a low budget. The film's success solidified Netzer's position as a prominent figure in Romanian cinema.