About Vanessa

Vanessa Schlesier is a journalist and documentary filmmaker. On her films she directs and often operates the camera herself. She previously worked as an investigative reporter for WELT, focusing on Syria and the migration routes to Europe.

She has filmed in Afghanistan, Syria, Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, Congo, Pakistan, Myanmar, Thailand and the Philippines. Her work has appeared on ARD, ARTE, Deutsche Welle, Spiegel TV, Y-Kollektiv, ZDF, PBS Frontline and SBS Dateline.

She has investigated human and art trafficking from Syria to Europe and covered the destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines as well as the Gaza wars of 2012 and 2014. In 2014 Medium Magazin named her one of Germany’s top 30 journalists under 30.

Her approach is observational, in the tradition of direct cinema: nothing is staged, and she works in the middle of events without intervening.

Focus

Conflict, women’s rights, extremism

Education

Political Science, LMU Munich (MA) · Sciences Po Aix-en-Provence · Venice International University

Broadcasters & platforms

ARD · ARTE · DW · Spiegel TV · Y-Kollektiv · ZDF · PBS Frontline · SBS Dateline · NZZ Format / SRF

Locations

Afghanistan · Syria · Gaza · West Bank · Israel · Congo · Pakistan · Myanmar · Thailand · Philippines