The film and television producer Regina Ziegler was honoured on 1 November 2026 in Berlin died at the age of 82. rbb24 and the Tagesschau reported the news unanimously. No information on the cause of death was initially available.
Ziegler was one of the defining figures in German cinema for more than five decades. In 1973, she founded the production company in Berlin Ziegler Film and developed it into one of the country’s longest-running independent production houses. According to the company, more than 500 cinema and television productions were made under her leadership, from auteur films and multi-part dramas to series for major broadcasters. Several of her productions won awards in Germany and internationally.
Her career began at the Berlin broadcasting organisation Sender Freies Berlin. Ziegler established herself as an independent producer at a time when few women in Germany worked in the role. Those who worked with her repeatedly praised her as a tenacious organiser and networker who brought together directors, screenwriters, broadcasters and funding bodies.
Ziegler remained in the public eye in recent years. According to media reports, she attended premieres and industry events in Berlin until shortly before her death. Her daughter Tanja Ziegler has long been involved in the management of Ziegler Film and worked on projects alongside the company’s founder. The company’s future was not addressed in the initial announcements on Sunday.
Numerous reactions came from the film industry that same day. Colleagues and institutions highlighted in statements her influence on the development of diverse, independent film production in Germany. Ziegler’s death was also seen as a sign of a generational change: for decades, her network, production methods and experience had represented continuity between auteur cinema, television drama and series production.
Regina Ziegler was born in Berlin in 1944. Her work is closely tied to the city where she lived and worked. Key milestones in her career—the founding of Ziegler Film, early collaborations with public-service broadcasters and the development of long-standing creative partnerships—shaped the German production landscape well beyond Berlin. Further details about the circumstances of her death and planned memorial services were not initially known.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).