Edgar Hagen studied philosophy and German literature in Basel and at Freie University of Berlin, graduating with an MA in 1987. Since 1989 author and director of independent documentaries. Film policy work on the board of balimage (2008-2010), the Swiss Directors and Screenwriters Association ARF/FDS (2010-2018) and from 2013-2022 Head of Directing Documentary Film at Focal, foundation for professional training in cinema and audiovisual media.
His last film Who Are We? (2019) premiered at IDFA (worldsales Film Republic) and received several awards. Journey to the Safest Place on Earth (2013) premiered at Dok Leipzig and is distributed worldwide by Autlook Filmsales. Other films (selection), Markus Jura Suisse – The Prodigal Son (1997), Zeit der Titanen – Time of the Titans (2001), Someone Beside You – If You Have a Mind You Can Lose It (2007). The current project The Roots of Madness (completion May 2025) goes to the roots of the displacement of millions of people through the failure of Western policies.
Since 2016 managing director and producer of Vollbild Film GmbH, since 2018 together with Mathias Hefel.
