Petra's Biography

Petra Haffter is an award winning filmmaker and president of 7 MILES MEDIA.

In additon, since 2015 she is an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.

Petra has traveled the world to shoot travel series for ARTE/ZDF. “CALIFORNIA DREAMING” – One Step Ahead of the Future “ROCKS OF AGES,” “THE COLORS OF THE DESERTS” and “IN SEARCH OF AMERICA.”

The Bolivian episode, entitled "THE WHITE UYUNI," from "THE COLORS OF THE DESERTS" was awarded "BEST CAMERA" prize at the 2012 NATURVISION FILM FESTIVAL in Ludwigsburg, Germany.

For her contribution to human cultural understanding and collaboration, she was awarded the 2013 Special Artist Award by the Chengzhong Culture and Education Focus Foundation, NY,NY for the same series.

If she isn’t shooting she works as a photographer and contributes to newspapers and magazines.

Or, Petra is teaching and guest speaking all around the world (Africa, Mexico, Korea, Germany and in the US. (“Teaching aspiring filmmakers and young professionals has always been part of my professional life “, P.H.”).

THE ABSOLUTE BEGINNING

Petra studied Communication, Drama and Political Science in Berlin, Germany. She began her career as photographer. After working for the ZDF, she decided to embark as an Independent Producer.

Her focus was European Co-productions. Her movies earned multiple awards:

"RED KISS" (with France) won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

"KARNABAL" (with Spain) received multiple film and art awards.

After that Petra decided to concentrate on writing and directing.

Her breakthrough came with "EXOTIC PLEASURES" (TV), an apocalyptic love story between a woman and a big black raven, based on a short story by the Australian writer Peter Carey. It was followed by the highly regarded "KISS OF THE TIGER" (movie), an erotic thriller based on Francys Rieck’s "Voulez-Vous Mourir Avec Moi" ("the darkest novel I’ve ever written" F.R.).

"A DEMON IN MY VIEW" (movie), based on the thriller by renowned English writer RUTH RENDELL and starring ANTHONY PERKINS, received the SPECIAL JURY PRIZE at the 1992 International Fantastic Adventure Film Festival in Yubari, Japan, with ROBERT WISE serving as Jury President. In Cattolica, Italy, cast member UWE BOHM was awarded the BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR award.

PETRA’S PASSIONS: TRAVEL, SOLES & SUSPENSE

In 2014 and 2003 she received Certificates of Appreciation'from the City of Los Angeles for two of her documentaries.

In 2004 Petra received an award for her outstanding documentary TRACKING AGATHA, where she followed in the footprints of Agatha Christie from London to Iraq. ("I finally combined my two loves: crime and travel" P.H.)

In her personal and artistic short film "PER PEDES" - Confessions of a Shoe Fetishist, she reveals her secret passion for shoes.

Specializing in suspense and action, Petra Haffter directed numerous movies of the week for European Television (such as "Tatort") and worked with German stars such as Til Schweiger, Goetz George, Hannelore Elsner and Anna Thalbach. For Warner International she directed multiple episodes for the action adventure series “THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD”.

Petra Haffter has made more than 100 films, documentaries and music videos.  She has served as a member of Film and Theatre Juries, Festival Boards and Committees for Film Funding.

She produces and co-produces with her companies 7 Miles Media (US) and Petra Haffter Filmproduktion GmbH (Germany).