About Roland Emmerich Roland Emmerich (born November 10, 1955 in Stuttgart) is a German film director, screenwriter, producer who works mostly in the disaster and action genres. He is the 18th highest grossing director of all time, with his films generating over $945 million in the United States, however some film critics have called his films over-reliant on special effects. He began his work in the film industry by directing the short film, The Noah's Ark Principle as part of his university thesis and also co-founded Centropolis Film Productions in 1985 with his sister. He is a collector of art and an active campaigner for the lesbian and gay community, with Emmerich himself being openly gay. He is also a campaigner for an awareness of global warming and equal rights.