Biography
Lauro Cress was born in Munich in 1983 into a family deeply rooted in the arts. His father is Curt Cress, a highly acclaimed and award-winning German drummer known for his work across rock, pop, and film music, while his older brother, Maximilian Ferreira Cress, is a journalist and author. Lauro Cress began playing drums while still at school and, from 1997 to 1999, performed as the drummer in the band of Gil Ofarim - then an emerging singer who would later become a prominent figure in the German pop scene. In the years that followed, Cress played with various formations and was the drummer of the German-French band Phonoboy from 2005 to 2009.
Alongside his musical career, Cress initially studied architecture, but after completing his preliminary degree he shifted his focus to photography and film. He went on to study Experimental Media at Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), one of Germany's leading art schools, where he realized several experimental short films. He subsequently enrolled in directing at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb). During his studies there, he wrote and directed a number of short films.
His seven-minute short film "Diebe" ("Thieves," 2013), about two brothers who operate as seasoned jeans thieves in department stores, screened at major international festivals including the Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival – Germany's key platform for emerging German-language filmmakers - and the Guanajuato International Film Festival in Mexico. The film was also named Short Film of the Month by the German Film and Media Rating (FBW), a public body that recognizes outstanding cinematic works. In addition, Cress has directed music videos and a wide range of commercial films, including campaigns for brands such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and L'Oréal.
Lauro Cress made his feature-length debut with "Ungeduld des Herzens" ("Impatience of the Heart," 2025), his graduation film at the dffb, adapted from the novel of the same name by Austrian writer Stefan Zweig. The drama centers on a young soldier in the German Armed Forces (the Bundeswehr) who becomes romantically involved, out of compassion, with the paraplegic daughter of a wealthy construction magnate. The film won the award for Best Feature Film at the Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival, as well as the award for Best Emerging Actor for Ladina von Frisching and Giulio Brizzi. It was also honored as Best Feature Film at both the Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the Neiße Film Festival. "Ungeduld des Herzens" was released theatrically in Germany in February 2026.