Susanne Bier

Susanne Bier (also credited as 수잔 비에르 and سوزان بيير) is a Danish director born on April 15, 1960, in Copenhagen. Celebrated for emotionally charged storytelling and sharp character work, she has become one of Scandinavia’s most internationally recognized filmmakers, moving fluidly between Danish cinema and major English-language productions.

Bier made her feature debut with Freud’s Leaving Home (1991) and soon built momentum with acclaimed films such as Open Hearts (2002), Brothers (2004), After the Wedding (2006) and In a Better World (2010). The latter brought her a rare sweep of top honors, including the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, alongside major European and Hollywood recognition.

Her global profile expanded through English-language projects including Things We Lost in the Fire, Love Is All You Need, Serena and the Netflix phenomenon Bird Box. On television, she earned a Primetime Emmy for directing the BBC/AMC limited series The Night Manager, and later helmed high-profile series such as HBO’s The Undoing and Showtime’s The First Lady.

Beyond directing, Bier has appeared as herself in programs and specials including Skavlan, The Guldbagge Awards and Hvem vil være millionær? Classic, reflecting her stature as a public voice in contemporary film culture.