From 1982 until 1991 camera assistant for Thomas Mauch, Gernot Roll, Raoul Coutard, Nurith Aviv, Heinz Pehlke, Jürgen Jürgen i.a., operator for Axel Block.
Since 1991 director of photography for feature films and documentaries.
Judith Kaufmann
Director of Photography bvk
© Jim Rakete
Cinema & TV (selection)
2025
Gentle Monster
Director: Marie Kreutzer
Kinospielfilm
Frank & Louis
Director: Petra Volpe
Sundance Film Festival 2026 (wp)
Zodiac Pictures
Kinospielfilm
2024
Cicadas
Director: Ina Weisse
75th Berlin Intl. Film Festival 2025 Panorama
Lupa Film
Kinospielfilm
Yellow Letters
Director: Ilker Çatak
76th International Berlin Film Festival 2026, Competition (WP)
if... Productions/Haut & Court/Liman Film with ZDF/alamode Filmverleih/arte
Kinospielfilm
Late Shift
Director: Petra Volpe
Special Gala at 75th International Film Festival Berlin 2025 (WP)
Golden Frog Award Camerimage 2025
German Cinematography Award 2025
German Cinematography Award 2025
Zodiac Pictures/MMC Zodiac
Kinospielfilm
2023
The Glory of Life based on the novel by Michael Kumpfmüller
Bildgestaltung and Co-Director
Director: Georg Maas
Tempest Film/Lotus Film
Kinospielfilm
2022
Pandora Film
Kinospielfilm
Poison based on the play by Lot Vekemans
Director: Désirée Nosbusch
41st International Film Festival Munich 2024 (WP)
36th Galway Film Fleadh 2024
36th Galway Film Fleadh 2024
Deal Productions/Phanta Film/Studio Hamburg UK
Kinospielfilm
2021
Director: Ilker Çatak
Nomination Best non-english-language feature film, Academy Awards 2024
German Film Award in Gold 2024
LUX Audience Award 2024
German Film Award in Gold 2024
LUX Audience Award 2024
Award for Best Cinematography by Festival of German Film 2023, Ludwigshafen
Nomination for German Film Award 2023 for Best Cinematography
Nomination for German Film Award 2023 for Best Cinematography
if... Productions
Kinospielfilm
Director: Marie Kreutzer
75th Intl. Film Festival Cannes 2022, Un Certain Regard
Diagonale Award 2023 for Best Cinematography Feature Film
Film AG/Komplizenfilm/Samsa Film/Kazak Productions with ORF/ZDF/arte
Kinospielfilm
2020
Tatort – Borowski and the Good Person
Director: Ilker Çatak
Nordfilm for NDR
Fernsehfilm
2019
Wanda, My Miracle
Director: Bettina Oberli
16th Zürich Film Festival 2020 (Opening Film)
Zodiac Pictures
Kinospielfilm
Director: Ilker Çatak
Flare Film
Kinospielfilm
The Interrogation
Director: Matti Geschonneck
Network Movie for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2018
A Regular Woman
Director: Sherry Hormann
Tribeca Film Festival 2019
Nomination German Film Award 2019 for Best Cinematography
Vincent TV with ARD Degeto
Kinospielfilm
Director: Ina Weisse
Idéale Audience/Lupa Film with ZDF/arte
Kinospielfilm
2017
Outside in My Head
Director: Eibe Maleen Krebs
39th Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2018
Juna Film with ZDF/arte
Kinospielfilm
Director: Caroline Link
Nomination German Film Award 2019 for Best Cinematography
Austrian Film Award ROMY 2019 - Best Cinematography
Austrian Film Award ROMY 2019 - Best Cinematography
UFA Fiction/Feine Filme
Kinospielfilm
2016
Tatort – Amour fou
Director: Vanessa Jopp
Real Film Berlin for rbb
Fernsehfilm
The Divine Order
Director: Petra Volpe
Zodiac Pictures
Kinospielfilm
The Other - A Familiy Story
Director: Feo Aladag
Independent Artists for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2015
Simon Says Goodbye to His Foreskin
Director: Viviane Andereggen
Element E Filmproduktion
Kinospielfilm
The New National Gallery
Director: Ina Weisse
Lupa Film
TV Dokumentarfilm
The Same Sky
Special Gala, 67th Berlin Film Festival 2017
UFA Fiction/Rainmark Film/Beta Film for ZDF/BBC
Fernsehserie
2014
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
65th Berlin Film Festival 2015, Competition
23th Film Festival Camerimage 2015
23th Film Festival Camerimage 2015
Nomination German Film Award 2015 for Best Cinematography
Nomination German Cinematography Award 2015
Nomination German Cinematography Award 2015
Lucky Bird Pictures
Kinospielfilm
The Witness House
Director: Matti Geschonneck
Moovie GmbH for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2013
Director: Feo Aladag
64th Intl. Film Festival Berlin 2014, Competition
38th Mostra Internacional de Cinema, Brasilien 2014
38th Mostra Internacional de Cinema, Brasilien 2014
Best Cinematography, 3rd Mallorca Intl.Film Festival, Spain 2014
Independent Artists
Kinospielfilm
Freistatt
Director: Marc Brummund
36th Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2015, Competition
Creative Energy Award 2015 Intl. Film Festival Emden
Das Goldene Lamm Filmproduktion
Kinospielfilm
2012
Director: Georg Maas
Gothenburg International Film Festival 2013
Intl. Filmfest Emden-Norderney 2013
Biberach Film Festival 2012
Intl. Filmfest Emden-Norderney 2013
Biberach Film Festival 2012
B&T Films/Zinnober Film
Kinospielfilm
Back on Track
Director: Kilian Riedhof
Neue Schönhauser Filmproduktion
Kinospielfilm
2011
The Look. Charlotte Rampling Chapter "Exposure" with Peter Lindbergh
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Prounen Film/Tag/Traum Filmproduktion
TV Dokumentarfilm
Murder in Ludwigslust
Director: Kai Wessel
Teamworx for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
The End of a Night
Director: Matti Geschonneck
Network Movie for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2010
zero one film
Kinospielfilm
2009
The End is My Beginning
Director: Jo Baier
Collina Film
Kinospielfilm
All the Best
Director: Kai Wessel
28. Intl. Filmfest München 2010
Allmedia Pictures for ARD Degeto/BR
Fernsehfilm
2008
Outta Control
Director: Nicole Weegmann
26th Intl. Film Festival Munich 2008
Cologne Film for ARD
Fernsehfilm
Director: Feo Aladag
60th Berlin Flm Festival 2010, Panorama
Deutscher Kamerapreis 2010
Independent Artists
Kinospielfilm
2007
Tatort – Where Credit Is Due
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Studio Hamburg for ARD
Fernsehfilm
Heart of Fire
Director: Luigi Falorni
58th Berlin Film Festival 2008, Competition
TV 60 Filmproduktion/Burkert/Bareiss Development
Kinospielfilm
Bella Block - Voyage to China
Director: Chris Kraus
41st Intl. Hofer Filmtage 2007
UFA Fernsehproduktion for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2006
To Live
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Elsani Film
Kinospielfilm
I Didn't Mean to Kill
Director: Dagmar Hirtz
TV 60 Filmproduktion/Burkert/Bareiss Development for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
The Last Piece of Heaven
Director: Jo Baier
Sperl + Schott for ARD
Fernsehspiel
2005
Director: Chris Kraus
Shanghai Intl. Film Festival 2006 (Premiere)
Toronto Intl. Film Festival 2006
40th International Hofer Filmtage 2006
Toronto Intl. Film Festival 2006
40th International Hofer Filmtage 2006
Nominierung Beste Kameraleistung CAMERIMAGE 2006, Lodz/Polen
Kordes & Kordes Film
Kinospielfilm
2004
Unveiled
Bildgestaltung and Co-Drehbuch
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Intl. Film Festival Karlovy Vary 2005
Intl. Film Festival Kopenhagen 2005
Haifa Film Festival 2005
Filmfest Hamburg 2005
Intl. Film Festival Kopenhagen 2005
Haifa Film Festival 2005
Filmfest Hamburg 2005
MMM Filmproduktion
Kinospielfilm
Bella Block - The Carpet Layer's Wife
Director: Kai Wessel
German Televosion Award 2006 for Best Cinematograpghy
Objectiv Film for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
2003
Jena Paradies
Director: Marco Mittelstaedt
38th International Hofer Filmtage 2004
Equinox Filmproduktion with ZDF
Kinospielfilm
Peas at 5:30
Director: Lars Büchel
Senator Film Produktion
Kinospielfilm
2002
Tatort – The Black Troll
Director: Vanessa Jopp
Nomination German Cinematography Award 2003
Radio Bremen for Radio Bremen
Fernsehfilm
Elephant Heart
Director: Züli Aladag
Bavarian Film Award 2002 for Best Cinematography
Nomination German Cinematographer Award 2003
Best Cinematography, International Film Festival Istanbul 2003
Nomination German Cinematographer Award 2003
Best Cinematography, International Film Festival Istanbul 2003
Cameo Film with WDR
Kinospielfilm
2001
Shattered Glass
Director: Chris Kraus
20th Film Festival Munich 2002
Intl. Film Festival San Sebastian 2002
Intl. Film Festival San Sebastian 2002
Deutscher Kamerapreis 2003 für Beste Kamera Spielfilm
AV Communication with BR/SWR/arte
Kinospielfilm
2000
Now or Never
Director: Lars Büchel
Lichtblick Film/Mr. Brown Entertainment
Kinospielfilm
Angel and Joe
Director: Vanessa Jopp
Neue Impuls Film
Kinospielfilm
1999
Forget America
Director: Vanessa Jopp
Avista Film
Kinospielfilm
Swetlana
Director: Tamara Staudt
Tag/Traum Filmproduktion for WDR
Fernsehfilm
Mother-in-Law
Director: Dagmar Hirtz
Multimedia Filmproduktion for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
1998
Dragonland
Director: Florian Gärtner
49th Berlin Film Festival 1999 Perspective New German Cinema
Silver Plaque Chicago Intl. Television Competition 1999
Interfilm-Prize, Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2000
Silver Plaque Chicago Intl. Television Competition 1999
Interfilm-Prize, Film Festival Max Ophüls Prize 2000
Schramm Film for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
1997
An Angel Strikes Back
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Akzente Film for NDR
Fernsehfilm
Everything will be Fine
Director: Angelina Maccarone
Nominierung Deutscher Kamerapreis 1998
Multimedia Filmproduktion for NDR
Fernsehfilm
1995
No One But Me
Director: Florian Gärtner
Schramm Film
Fernsehfilm
The Helmsman
Director: Stefan Schneider
Beste Kamera “Europäischer Kurzfilmwettbewerb” 1997
Freunde des bewegten Bildes
Kurzfilm
1994
The Sunset Boys
Operator/2nd Unit Kamera
Bildgestaltung: Axel Block
Director: Leidulv Risan
Tag/Traum Filmproduktion/Yellow Cottage/Crone Filmproduction
Kinospielfilm
1993
Nico-Icon
Director: Susanne Ofteringer
Ciak Film
TV Dokumentarfilm
Dogs Like Us
Director: Pia Frankenberg
Next Filmproduktion for arte
TV Dokumentarfilm
Extraterrestrial
Director: Florian Gärtner
Florian Gärtner Filmproduktion for ZDF
Fernsehfilm
1992
Faraway, So Close
Operator / 2nd Unit Kamera
Bildgestaltung: Jürgen Jürges
Director: Wim Wenders
Road Movies
Kinospielfilm
1991
Never Sleep Again
Director: Pia Frankenberg
Vega Film/Pia Frankenberg Filmproduktion
Kinospielfilm
In Love, Hilde
(2022)
Teachers' Lounge
(2021)
Corsage
(2021)
Stambul Garden
(2019)
The Audition
(2018)
All About Me
(2017)
13 Minutes
(2014)
Inbetween Worlds
(2013)
Two Lives
(2012)
If Not Us, Who?
(2010)
When We Leave
(2008)
Four Minutes
(2005)
Yellow Letters, the forth collaboration of director Ilker Çatak and DoP Judith Kaufmann, premieres in the Competition section of the 76th International Film Festival Berlin 2026.
The historical adventure film The Weight (dir.: Padraic McKinley) with a production design by Cora Pratz and prison drama Frank & Louis (dir.: Petra Volpe) lensed by Judith Kaufmann will celebrate their world premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2026.
For lensing Petra Volpe’s hospital drama Late Shift DoP Judith Kaufmann has been nominated for the German Cinematography Award 2025.
DoP Judith Kaufmann was awarded the Bavarian Film Award 2024 for lensing The Glory of Life a period film produced by Tempest Film that she also directed together with Georg Maas.
from 05.03.2026
in cinemas
in cinemas
Yellow Letters
Director: Ilker Çatak
Director: Ilker Çatak
alamode Filmverleih