Joachim Kreck was one of the defining figures of German film culture. He has now passed away at the age of 91, as his family announced. “We in Wiesbaden owe Joachim Kreck a great deal,” says Dr. Patricia Becher, head of the cultural affairs department, “he was an institution in our city. His passing has deeply affected us.” 

Joachim Kreck is best known in Wiesbaden as the founder of the “Filme im Schloss” film series, established in 1984, which he organized together with his wife, Detelina Grigorova-Kreck. In 2010, the long-standing series, which took place at Biebrich Castle, was honored with the Cultural Award of the State Capital of Wiesbaden. This was followed by a total of six additional awards from the Hessian Cinema Culture Prize. In 1999, Kreck founded the International Animation Film Festival, which remains a fixture in Wiesbaden and beyond to this day. 

Kreck’s film career spans more than 60 years; he was a director and film producer, festival director, and journalist. From 1960 to 1964, Kreck headed the “Information and Documentation” department at the German Institute for Film Studies. He then went into business for himself and devoted himself with great passion to the production and promotion of film art. He received numerous awards for his films, including the German Short Film Award in 1984 for “A Coal Mine in South Wales,” followed in 1998 by the same award for “Ziganska musica.” 

Joachim Kreck’s films have been screened at countless film festivals, including Berlin, San Sebastián, Chicago, London, Melbourne, Annecy, and Oberhausen. His collaboration with the Wiesbaden-based musician and illustrator Volker Kriegel resulted in the award-winning short film “Der Falschspieler” in 1980. His love of soccer is also reflected in his cinematic work. Kreck had been a member of Eintracht Frankfurt for over 50 years. His short films “No. 1”—a portrait of Frankfurt goalkeeper Dr. Peter Kunter—and “Einsatz aus besonderem Anlass,” about police work at the Waldstadion, as well as “Der Mann an der Seitenlinie,” have also been screened at the Caligari. In 1993, he created “Larry,” a cinematic tribute to the legendary harmonica player Larry Adler, and three years later, “Die Hochzeitsmusiker” (The Wedding Musicians), an award-winning music and dance film featuring a rousing mix of Romani songs, Balkan folk, jazz, and rock ’n’ roll from northern Bulgaria.