Michael Alexander Verhoeven, a renowned German actor, screenwriter, film director, and producer, was born on July 13, 1938, and passed away on April 22, 2024. He gained international recognition with films like The White Rose (1982) and The Nasty Girl (1990).
Growing up in Berlin and later Munich, Verhoeven was nurtured in the creative arts from a young age, being the son of actress Doris Kiesow and actor-director Paul Verhoeven. He began his artistic career in theatre plays at the age of nine and later appeared in various films in the 1950s.
As a young adult, Verhoeven briefly deviated from his creative path and studied medicine, a decision his parents did not support, especially his father. However, he persevered and obtained his doctorate in 1969, working as a doctor for several years before returning to his passion for filmmaking.
Throughout his career, Verhoeven collaborated frequently with his wife, actress Senta Berger, whom he met at the Berlinale in 1960. They established Sentana Film in 1965 and were later joined by their sons, Simon and Luca Verhoeven, who are also filmmakers.
Verhoeven tackled various political subjects and confronted historical injustices in his work. His anti-Vietnam War film O.K. (1970) caused a major scandal at the 1970 Berlinale and led to the competition being canceled. The film went on to win the Gold Award for Best Feature Film at the German Film Awards.
Some of his notable films include The White Rose (1982),about the Scholl siblings, which won the Silver Award for Best Feature Film at the German Film Awards, and The Nasty Girl (1990),which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1991.
Verhoeven also directed My Mother's Courage (1995),about the deportation of 4000 Jews from Budapest to Auschwitz in July 1944, which won several awards, including the Silver Award for Best Feature Film at the German Film Awards.
In addition to his film work, Verhoeven was a professor at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy in Ludwigsburg and a founding member of the German Film Academy in 2003. He was honored with the Federal Cross of Merit in 1999 and the Bavarian Order of Merit in 2002.
Verhoeven's legacy extends beyond his films, as he was a mentor and role model for many young filmmakers. His dedication to combating the forgetting and relativization of Nazi crimes earned him the Marion Samuel Prize in 2005.
