Elmar Hügler is a Swiss film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for his work on critically acclaimed films such as The Reader (2008) and The Book Thief (2013).
Hügler was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1962. He attended the University of Zurich and graduated with a degree in film and television. After university he began working in the film industry, primarily in editing and cinematography. He worked on several Swiss films, including the award-winning The Reader.
In the mid-2000s, Hügler began directing his own films. His first feature film was the 2006 drama The Stranger, which was praised for its realism and subtle performances. The film was a success in Switzerland and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
Hügler followed up this success with the critically acclaimed The Reader (2008), which earned him numerous awards and accolades. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won the Oscar for Best Actress.
In 2013, Hügler released his third feature film, The Book Thief. The film, based on the bestselling novel of the same name, was a critical and commercial success. It was nominated for multiple awards, including the Academy Award for Best Picture. The film won numerous awards, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film.
Hügler has since directed two more feature films, The Danish Girl (2015) and The Last Man (2017), both of which were critically acclaimed. He is currently in production on his sixth feature film, an adaptation of the novel The Glass Castle.
Hügler has been praised for his ability to capture subtle emotions and evoke powerful performances from his actors. His films have been praised for their realism and emotional depth, and he has been recognized as one of the most talented directors working today.
