Robert Schwentke

Robert Schwentke was already an award-winning director in his native Germany when he made his American film debut with the 2005 thriller "Flightplan." The film starred Jodie Foster as a woman whose desperate search for her missing daughter on a jumbo jetliner uncovers a far more sinister plot.

Schwentke had made his feature debut in 2002 with the dark, moody thriller "Tattoo," which won the International Fantasy Film Award at Fantosporto, and the Grand Prize European Fantasy Film Award at the Sweden Fantastic Film Festival.

The following year, he wrote and directed "The Family Jewels," a semi-autobiographical dark comedy. The film won the Audience Award at the 2003 Biberach Film Festival and the Best Drama and Best Overall Awards at the Deep Ellum Festival.

Born and raised in Germany, Schwentke studied comparative literature and philosophy before attending the directing program at AFI. After graduation, he began writing for television. His thriller "Bildersturm" was nominated for Germany's Adolf Grimme Award in 1998.

Warner Bros.