Born 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri, Matt Sweetwood began making 8mm animation and video films from elementary through high school, doing his undergraduate studies at California State University San Diego, Television and Film Department. in 1990, Matt developed professional skills with an emphasis in writing and directing. Between San Diego and L.A. worked as production manager, writer, and assistant director on various independent projects. Moving to Berlin, Germany, in 1995 he started a career as a writer with the agency Verlag der Autoren, Frankfurt, working on both fiction narrative and documentary film productions. His documentaries include "Homemade Hillbilly Jam" [co-writer and editor] which has toured theaters and festivals, now in international DVD distribution. The documentary as co-director for ZDF das Kleine Fernsehspiel “Forgetting Dad” [co-director and editor] received the Prädikat besonders wertvoll award, and Special Jury Award at IDFA. Selected as the winner of 2009 Dokuwettbewerb with BR, Telepool was his film "Beerland" which he wrote and directed. The film toured in the festivals, German cinemas 2013, and plays frequently on television. Matt Sweetwood also a vocal artist and is currently developing film projects freelance and from his company Sweetwood Films in Potsdam, Germany.
AWARDS
Gierson Trust Award, 'Best Historical Documentary' UK 2012
Short List German Film Award 'Lola' 2011 (German Oscar)
Dokuwettbewerb, BR-Telepool, 2009 Cinema Development Award, 1st Place
Honorable Mention Achtung Berlin, New Berlin Film Award
Audience Award Ippokrates International Health Film Festival, Kos (Greece)
William Dieterle Filmpreis (Special Prize), Germany
Grand Jury Prize, GZDOC, Guangzhou (China)
Special Jury Award Joris Ivens Competition - IDFA, Documentary Festival Amsterdam
Prize of the State Film Service Rheinland-Pfalz, 22nd Video/Filmtage Koblenz (Germany)
Berlin Independent Film Festival
Kreativ-Wettbewerbs 2021/22
Berlin Independent Film Festiva
HS Diploma Liberty High School, MO. '90
Television & Film Department SDSU, California State University, San Diego 90-94
B.A. Communication Studies, Deans List, University of Missouri, Kansas City 04'
WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS
(as Teacher/Dozent)
Orange County Children's Therapeutic Arts Center (OCCTAC), Sources 2: Script Mentoring Lectures, Drehbuch Workshops
JIM Jugendfilmfestival, FÖN.ev Film Camp, Medianwerkstadtt Potsdam, Film Seminar-Evangelische Gymnasium Hermannswerder.