Susanne Brandstaetter was born in Los Angeles. She studied art and French literature in L.A. and also in Paris, where she lived and worked for six years as an art agent and English teacher. In 1975 she moved to Carinthia, Austria and began teaching French and English there. From 1983 to 2002 she worked as a steady freelancer for the Austrian Broadcasting Company (ORF). In 1983, she presented a concept for a children's program to ORF: she then created, produced and narrated the weekly „live“ children's program „Krims Krams“ in the ORF Studio in Carinthia for seven years. In addition, Brandstaetter made many radio and TV shorts. From 1987 on, she made numerous television documentaries for the ORF Central Station in Vienna, traveling throughout Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.
At the same time, she was involved in event-management for over seven years, creating, directing and organizing large open-air theatrical/musical festivals for ORF. Furthermore, she worked on exhibitions, for example, creating and curating the multimedia interactive exhibition „Project Wilderness“ at Halbturn Castle in Burgenland, with exhibits from the national museums: Natural History Museum Vienna, Museum of Art History Vienna, the Austrian Gallery Belvedere and the Museum of Ethnology Vienna. In addition, she wrote and published short stories and poetry.
In 2002 Susanne Brandstaetter became a freelance filmmaker and producer and founded her company Susanne Brandstätter Filmproduktion / Envision Film. She attended numerous further education programs, among them: „Eurodoc“ (international training program for producers) in 2002/03, in 2004 the renowned University of Southern California, School of Film and Televison and in 2005 the training program „Discovery Campus Masterschool“ now „Documentary Masterschool“, as well as screenplay seminars with Syd Field, Robert McKee and Thomas Pluch.
Susanne Brandstaetter's films have been well received by film critics and are also award-winning: for example, her film „Checkmate – Strategy of a Revolution“ about the revolution in Romania, was awarded a „Romy Academy Award“ and had its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (in competition). For her documentary „Rule of Law“, which had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Locarno, she received the prestigious „Vienna Film Award“ 2007 (Viennale International Film Festival) for the best Austrian film of the year. Her shoots have repeatedly taken her abroad: to many different European countries, as well as to the USA, the Middle East, South America, Africa and Asia - where she often worked under extremely difficult conditions in the remotest regions of India, China and Cambodia.
In 2006 Brandstaetter moved to Vienna, where she studied PR and Integrated Communication at the Danube University Krems from 2006 to 2008. She is a member of dok.at (professional association for documentary film) and the Director’s Association Austria (Regieverband Österreich), and a former chairperson of dok.at and the Director’s Association, as well as a board member of the Organization of Austrian Filmmakers. Since 2014, she’s been teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna („Directing the Documentary“). As part of her teaching activities, she also holds courses, workshops and lectures. Besides writing, directing and producing her own films, she translates screenplays. She has edited many of her own films (uncredited and credited), and edits trailers as well. Susanne Brandstaetter lives and works in Vienna.
At the same time, she was involved in event-management for over seven years, creating, directing and organizing large open-air theatrical/musical festivals for ORF. Furthermore, she worked on exhibitions, for example, creating and curating the multimedia interactive exhibition „Project Wilderness“ at Halbturn Castle in Burgenland, with exhibits from the national museums: Natural History Museum Vienna, Museum of Art History Vienna, the Austrian Gallery Belvedere and the Museum of Ethnology Vienna. In addition, she wrote and published short stories and poetry.
In 2002 Susanne Brandstaetter became a freelance filmmaker and producer and founded her company Susanne Brandstätter Filmproduktion / Envision Film. She attended numerous further education programs, among them: „Eurodoc“ (international training program for producers) in 2002/03, in 2004 the renowned University of Southern California, School of Film and Televison and in 2005 the training program „Discovery Campus Masterschool“ now „Documentary Masterschool“, as well as screenplay seminars with Syd Field, Robert McKee and Thomas Pluch.
Susanne Brandstaetter's films have been well received by film critics and are also award-winning: for example, her film „Checkmate – Strategy of a Revolution“ about the revolution in Romania, was awarded a „Romy Academy Award“ and had its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (in competition). For her documentary „Rule of Law“, which had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Locarno, she received the prestigious „Vienna Film Award“ 2007 (Viennale International Film Festival) for the best Austrian film of the year. Her shoots have repeatedly taken her abroad: to many different European countries, as well as to the USA, the Middle East, South America, Africa and Asia - where she often worked under extremely difficult conditions in the remotest regions of India, China and Cambodia.
In 2006 Brandstaetter moved to Vienna, where she studied PR and Integrated Communication at the Danube University Krems from 2006 to 2008. She is a member of dok.at (professional association for documentary film) and the Director’s Association Austria (Regieverband Österreich), and a former chairperson of dok.at and the Director’s Association, as well as a board member of the Organization of Austrian Filmmakers. Since 2014, she’s been teaching at the University of Music and Performing Arts, Vienna („Directing the Documentary“). As part of her teaching activities, she also holds courses, workshops and lectures. Besides writing, directing and producing her own films, she translates screenplays. She has edited many of her own films (uncredited and credited), and edits trailers as well. Susanne Brandstaetter lives and works in Vienna.