Biography
Fabian Gamper was born on January 28, 1985, in Switzerland. After earning a bachelor's degree in film from the Zurich University of the Arts, he initially worked as a second cameraman on various feature and television films. He then continued his training in cinematography at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, where he deepened his passion for the visual design of films.
Fabian Gamper first gained recognition as a cinematographer with Mascha Schilinski's feature film "Die Tochter" ("Dark Blue Girl"), which premiered in the "Perspektive Deutsches Kino" section of the Berlinale in 2017. The film received widespread international attention, screened at over 40 festivals worldwide, and won multiple awards.
In 2018, Gamper won the German Cinematography Award for the elegantly black-and-white poetic short film "Freibadsinfonie" ("Blue Summer Symphony") by Sinje Köhler. He also shot Köhler's first full-length feature, the tragicomedy "Viva Forever", which premiered at the Munich Film Festival in 2021. That same year, Gamper collaborated with actor and director Robert Gwisdek on his much-noticed feature debut "Der Junge, dem die Welt gehört" ("The Boy Who Owns the World"), which won the Best Director award at the Hofer Filmtage in 2023.
With Mascha Schilinski's drama "In die Sonne schauen" ("Sound of Falling"), Gamper was invited to compete at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film, which follows the lives of four young women at different times on a farm in the Altmark, exploring themes such as domestic violence, suppressed desires, and inherited trauma, won the Jury Prize at Cannes and was shortlisted in December 2025 for the Academy Award for Best International Feature. Gamper himself was also simultaneously shortlisted for the Oscar in the category of cinematography. Additionally, his work on the multiple award-winning film earned him the Silver Frog at the 33rd EnergaCAMERIMAGE in Poland, one of the world’s most prestigious festivals dedicated exclusively to the art of cinematography.
Regarding his work on "In die Sonne schauen", Fabian Gamper explained that he and the team developed a visual concept aimed at creating the impression of a "hazy memory." This included extensive testing with lenses and effects, as well as the use of unconventional tools such as a pinhole camera to capture the diffuse quality of memories on film. Central to his approach are conceptual thinking combined with physical and intuitive camera work, as well as his high standards for teamwork and close collaboration with directors and actors.
Fabian Gamper is married to director Mascha Schilinski and lives in Berlin.