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Peer Review: Nathalie Lamb
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Known for her bold storytelling across advertising, feature films and stop motion, Emerald Pictures director Nathalie Lamb talks about arthouse classics, modern masterpieces, and missing female role models.
Who are three contemporaries that you admire?
There are so many films and filmmakers I admire that I chose to pick the ones I often refer to and whose films I wish I'd made.
I’ve always been enchanted by the worlds of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, above all, Amélie. Dreamlike, strange, wonderful, fantastical scenes created around quirky characters. Crafted with love for details and fine observation.
The living paintings from Roy Andersson are an artistic masterpiece in composition, absurdity, surrealism, and human interaction.
Speaking of detail, watching a Wes Anderson movie is pure eye candy: the astonishing art direction, mastery of colour, precise timing in cinematography, and the editing rhythm.
When I first saw System Crasher by Nora Fingscheidt, I was just blown away by its power. Same with her latest feature, The Outrun. Her films feel so intense, authentic, and poetic. I have great respect for her directing, especially her way of working with children.
Above: Official trailer for Amélie, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
Please share 3-4 pieces of work that exemplify great direction.
A movie that deeply moved me was Hamnet. A bold direction by Chloé Zhao from the very first to the very last frame. Every element of this drama is told through film: the profound images, the build-up of suspense and relief, the actors' performances, the use of colour in costume, the score, and the play between the characters.
I enjoy it most when magic is happening: in collaboration with my team, on set with the actors, or in the cinema...
In The Grand Budapest Hotel, every department works together like clockwork. The blocking and staging, the visual comedy framing, the precise movements of the camera, the colour harmony, and the actors’ timing – all come down to a unique vision and preparation.
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence asks philosophical questions instead of delivering explanations. The living paintings from Roy Andersson are an artistic masterpiece in composition, absurdity, surrealism, and human interaction.
Above: Official trailer for Hamnet, 2025, directed by Chloé Zhao.
What do you like most about the work that you do?
I enjoy it most when magic is happening: in collaboration with my team, on set with the actors, or in the cinema, when I feel the film is having an impact, sharing a universal emotion with the audience.
As a director, you need a good balance between a clear vision—you have to know what you want and be able to communicate i
What has your career journey been like so far?
I started making films very young. I won my first film award at 15, and later studied directing at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.
During that time, I wanted to learn as much as possible. I directed various formats, including stop-motion animation, fictional short films, commercials for social brands, and a long-form documentary titled Silence is a Beautiful Sound, about the deaf community and the decision to get or remove cochlear implants.
After film school, I got the chance to direct a new series for German television called Bad People. Currently, I’m writing my first feature film.
Above: Official trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel.
What is one thing every director needs?
As a director, you need a good balance between a clear vision—you have to know what you want and be able to communicate it—and the ability to let go and stay open to impulses from your team. Be prepared in advance and trust your intuition in the moment.
Without human intention, AI just generates beautiful, yet random images drawn from existing material.
Did you have a mentor? Who was it?
To be honest, I’ve always wanted a mentor. I’ve had good teachers, but I missed having female role models along the way. I wish there had been more encouragement for the female voice in directing.
Instead, my mentors are Ann-Kathrin Matthes, my editor, and Christoph Kühnisch, my director of photography, whose work I look up to and who are both a decade more experienced in filmmaking than I am. From the earliest development stages of any project, they have always been incredibly supportive, and I know I can trust them.
Above: Official trailer for A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, 2014.
Who is the greatest director of all time?
When I watched the final scene in The Terminal, I thought, "Wow, I have to know who directed this," as if I’d just uncovered a new talent. I had a similar reaction within the first seconds of Minority Report, The Color Purple, Saving Private Ryan, and Schindler’s List.
Every time I read ‘Spielberg’ in the opening or closing credits, I was surprised, because his films are so different. But they’re all masterfully crafted. The timing, mise-en-scène, and efficient storytelling – nothing is left to chance; everything serves the story itself, nothing is told just for the sake of effect.
Good filmmaking has something to tell and is the opposite of arbitrariness.
What’s changing in the industry that all directors need to keep up with?
While we need to keep up with impactful tools such as generative AI, we must not forget what filmmaking is really about: Which stories have the urge to be told? Without human intention, AI just generates beautiful, yet random images drawn from existing material. But good filmmaking has something to tell and is the opposite of arbitrariness.
