DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY - Jasper Heinrichs, Jan Schuenke

Jasper Heinrichs is a German filmmaker, screenwriter, and cinematographer, born in Cologne in 1999. He began making films at an early age, creating his first short film while still at school. After graduating, he gained practical experience in the film and media industry, including work at a production company in Cologne. In 2022, he began studying film at the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. His work spans fiction and documentary filmmaking, with a strong focus on visual storytelling and contemporary social themes. During his studies, he also developed projects internationally, including a period in Barcelona through the Erasmus programme. His documentary Always Ready, co-directed with Jan Schuenke, was completed in 2026. Jan Schuenke is a German photographer and visual artist, born in Starnberg in 1978 and based in Munich. He discovered photography at the age of 14 and has developed a career working across fine-art and commercial photography. His visual practice focuses particularly on architecture, landscapes, interiors, and the relationship between people and their surroundings. His photographs have been exhibited in Germany and internationally, while his commercial work has appeared in projects for various international clients and institutions. Through his photographic practice, Schuenke brings a strong interest in place, atmosphere, and visual observation to his collaboration with filmmaker Jasper Heinrichs. Together, they created the documentary Always Ready (2026), exploring Albania’s Cold War-era bunkers and their place in the country’s contemporary landscape and collective memory.