Jesse Bücken grew up in Cologne, Germany. After graduating from high school in 2016, he initially trained as an actor, during which he developed and directed his first independent stage works. In 2019, he shifted his focus behind the camera and began studying Film/Directing and Photography at Ruhr-Akademie in Dortmund, graduating successfully in 2023. During his studies, he co-founded his own production company with a cinematographer and directed music videos for both local and international artists. As a filmmaker who grew up in Cologne, Jesse Bücken maintains close ties to the film and cultural scene of North Rhine-Westphalia. Alongside his own directing work, he has gained extensive practical experience on film sets throughout Cologne and NRW. Among other roles, he has worked as an Assistant Production Manager and Second Assistant Director, including on productions for ZDF as well as the feature film Bloody Tennis, produced by Augenschein Filmproduktion in Cologne. He continues to work with ZDF on a project basis in these capacities. His work focuses in particular on themes such as identity, memory, interpersonal alienation, and the emotional power of art and music.
