KINO favorites: 10 best German actresses

As a high-ranking terrorist, a patient in a psychiatric ward, a country bumpkin, or even the pope, Johanna Wokalek's spectrum is broad. She was born in Freiburg in 1975 and started her career in the theater, where she continues to act. Her most recent big-screen success was in the title role in Sönke Wortmann's church drama, "Pope Joan."

Hannelore Elsner's debut dates back many years: In 1959, she co-starred with Freddy Quinn in the musical film "Freddy unter fremden Sternen." But then the offers got better and she worked with famous directors like Edgar Reitz and István Szabó. In 2000, Elsner took on the role of her life as the psychologically instable writer Hanna Flanders in "No Place to Go."

Before German reunification, Corinna Harfouch was a celebrated stage actress in East Germany. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, she expanded her work to the screen. Harfouch played Magda Goebbels in "Downfall," Madame Arnulfi in "Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" and a mourning mother in "A Year Ago in Winter." She recently appeared as a depressed wife in the 2012 drama, "Home for the Weekend."

"Perfume" and "A Year Ago in Winter" are among Caroline Herfurth's major career successes. The young actress was born in Berlin in 1984 and has already become one of Germany's most in-demand stars. Herfurth is convincing in both dramas and comedies - including the two recent "Fack ju Göthe" films.

Katharina Schüttler is a very busy actress for television and cinema, as well as stage productions. The slender, petite native of Cologne often surprises audiences with her powerful performances - but is just as convincing in roles that portray nervous, unsure characters. Her recent successes include "Age of Cannibals" and "13 Minutes."

The charismatic Julia Jentsch was discovered after appearing in "The Edukators" in 2004 and followed it up with a celebrated performance in "Sophie Scholl - The Final Days." The Berlin-based actress is also in-demand abroad. In 2008, she worked with Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska in "33 Scenes from Life." Most recently, she appeared in "24 Weeks," a trying drama about abortion.

Nina Hoss divides her time between the stage and the cinema and has the privilege of choosing her projects selectively. She shines in the theater just as she does on the silver screen. The critically acclaimed actress has worked closely with director Christian Petzold, with whom she's made four films: "Yella", "Jericho", "Barbara" and "Phoenix."

Three icons of German film, three fascinating actresses from three generations, share the third place. Marlene Dietrich (*1901), Hildegard Knef (*1925) and Romy Schneider (*1938) stand for three cinematic eras. Dietrich was a world star, while Knef was the face of post-war film and Schneider won the hearts of the neighboring French, in particular.

Barbara Sukowa can't be mentioned without bringing up two great directors she's worked with: Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Margarethe von Trotta. With Fassbinder, Sukowa starred in "Berlin Alexanderplatz" and played the title role in "Lola." Sukowa tended to take on heroines with Trotta, playing Hildegard von Bingen, Rosa Luxemburg and Hannah Arendt.

Our favorite German actress is Martina Gedeck. The Munich native is a versatile and well liked. She began her career in the 1990s and films like "Rossini," "Bella Martha" and "Atomised" are among her greatest successes. She's also worked with internationally respected directors like Robert De Niro, István Szabó and Bille August.