The Directors: Wolfgang Petersen

Profiles of today's most acclaimed directors featuring extensive film clips and interviews with Hollywood's leading stars.

Trained as a stage director, Wolfgang Petersen began his film career making movies for German television. In 1981, he gained critical acclaim and international recognition for the World War II U-Boat drama Das Boot, which earned him Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Petersen has since established himself in Hollywood with such hit films as The Neverending Story, Enemy Mine, In the Line of Fire, Outbreak, Air Force One, and The Perfect Storm. Actors who share their admiration for Petersen's expert craftsmanship include Harrison Ford, Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Diane Lane, Tom Berenger, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.