WINNER OF FIRST STEPS AWARD – BIG AUDIENCE AWARD

CLASHING DIFFERENCES

WINNER OF BEST SCREENPLAY – GERMAN CINEMA NEW TALENT AWARD

CLASHING DIFFERENCES

 AT 40TH MUNICH INT. FILM FESTIVAL

WINNER OF THE AUDIENCE AWARD – BEST FEATURE FILM

CLASHING DIFFERENCES

AFRIKA FILM FESTIVAL KÖLN

WINNER OF THE DON-QUIJOTE PREIS – BEST FEATURE FILM

CLASHING DIFFERENCES

QUEER FILM FESTIVAL WEITERSTADT

JURY-AWARD-WINNER OF THE LEGACY STUDY FILM COMPETITION 

WINNER OF THE STARTER PREIS

ASSOCIATION CONNECTED DIFFERENCES E.V.

STUDIENSTIFTUNG DES DEUTSCHEN VOLKES

WINNER OF STARTSOCIAL SCHOLARSHIP  (WITH CONNECTED DIFFERENCES E.V.)

GERMAN ENAGEMENT PRIZE 2021

 NOMINEE

SPEAKER AT THE Z2X PROGRAM – ZEIT ONLINE

YOUNG VISIONARIES 

FORMER SCHOLARSHIP HOLDER 

STUDIENSTIFTUNG DES DEUTSCHEN VOLKES

FORMER SELECTED STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE OF HFF MUNICH

FORMER SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AND RESEARCHER

WOMEN'S REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE

HFF MUNICH, 5 YEARS

MERLE GRIMME

is a German screenwriter, director and producer.

She is a graduate of the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF Munich) and additionally holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hildesheim.

As a screenwriter, director and executive producer, she completed her diploma studies at the HFF Munich with the feature film and the mini-series of the same name 'Clashing Differences'. The two formats are a co-production between a.little film production, Sperl Film- und Fernsehproduktion and HFF Munich, in collaboration with ZDF - Das kleine Fernsehspiel and ARTE.

As executive producer, she developed an anti-discriminatory and inclusive production concept especially for 'Clashing Differences', which was tested on various levels and implemented in essential parts.

The feature film 'Clashing Differences' celebrated its shared world premiere at the International Film Festival Munich (New German Cinema) and the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco. The feature film was nominated in all categories of the 'New German Cinema' award at the International Film Festival Munich (Best Director, Best Production, Best Screenplay, Best Acting Performance). As a screenwriter, Merle Grimme won the award for 'Best Screenplay'. As a director, Merle Grimme won the 'Big Audience Award' of the 'First Steps Awards 2023' with the series of the same name and became a Junior Member of the German Film Academy. Further awards for 'Clashing Differences' followed, as well as a nomination for the 'Bunte New Faces Award 2024' for Best Debut Film.

During her studies at the HFF, Merle Grimme attended various writers' labs with industry greats such as Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Memoire of a Geisha), Taç Romey, Robert Krause and Florian Puchert.

Additional directorial work by Merle Grimme includes the documentary film 'Regretting Motherhood', which was invited to several national/international film festivals and panel discussions. Her social spot 'The German desire of having children?' won the 'Jury Prize for the ZEIT Legacy Study', was honored as 'ZEIT Online best of 2017' and achieved over 500,000 views online.

With her interdisciplinary work and political commitment, she confronts social taboos, questions social structures and initiates current discourses in the media and public. In 2021, she was honored with the 'Engagement Award of the German National Academic Foundation' and was also nominated for the 'German Engagement Award'.