Quick Facts
Biography
Christoph Silber (often referred to as Chris Silber) is a British-German film producer, screenwriter and director based in Los Angeles. Rated among "Europe's hottest new screenwriters" by Screen International, he frequently collaborates on projects in the United States.
Early life
Silber studied English and French history and literature in London and Berlin. His mother is a philosopher and award-winning literary translator, his foster father is a well-known Shakespeare scholar and dramaturge. Writing runs in Silber's family. Apart from his parents, several relatives and ancestors of his were journalists or published authors.
Career
Silber worked as an actor, translator and journalist prior to his professional writing career. Taking advantage of his bilingual upbringing, he translated film-related books and screenplays for German book publishers, including Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The book became a bestseller and led to Silber's first assignment as a playwright. In 1995 the acclaimed Vienna Burgtheater asked him to adapt Puccini's Tosca for a stage production. This led to further theater work and connections in the film industry.
Silber's screenwriting career began in the mid 90's with contributions to several European TV shows. A genre traveller, Silber worked as a head writer of sitcoms as well as crime series. Silber has collaborated on numerous films, including the award-winning Goodbye Lenin, North Face and Arranged. He also established himself on the family entertainment market with his feature film scripts for the highly successful Enid Blyton-based Hanni & Nanni franchise.
For many years, Silber collaborated with his New York writing partner Stefan Schaefer and Berlin associate Thorsten Wettcke on numerous projects respectively. With Schaefer, he wrote and produced the multiple award-winning 2011 film My Last Day Without You starring Nicole Beharie. Teamed with Wettcke, Silber created a new concept for the German crime show Tatort, which was hailed as "a triumph for German quality television" by Der Spiegel in 2008. The duo received an Grimme Award in 2009 and a Romy Award in 2012. In 2013 their film A Day For A Miracle won the International Emmy in the Best TV movie or miniseries category. In 2015, their feature length crime episode "Tatort: Schwanensee" became Germany's most watched TV program of the year, breaking a 25-year-old ratings record with 13.6 million viewers.
Based in Los Angeles since 2012, Silber has been honored by the Vilcek Foundation as "an immigrant filmmaker...whose creative spirit enlivens and inspires American cinema."
In 2015 Silber wrote and directed his first Hollywood-based film, Azure. The period short starring Jan Josef Liefers and Misee Harris is part of a pitch for a mini series slated for production in the US, France and Germany in 2018.
Personal life
Silber married Joleita Reed, whom he had met in New York, in 2000. The story of their chance encounter inspired his film My Last Day Without You. He lost her to cancer in 2013. This experience, and his desire to encourage others experiencing similar journeys, inspired Silber to his project The Year 13, which he is currently working on.
From 2014-2016 Silber was in a relationship with media personality Dr. Misee Harris. The two continue to collaborate as business partners.
Filmography
Theatrical
- 2015: I'm Off Then (writer)
- 2015: The Trapp Family - A Life Of Music (writer)
- 2015: Azure (short; director, producer)
- 2013: Banklady (writer)
- 2013: Hanni & Nanni 3 (writer)
- 2012: Hanni & Nanni 2 (writer)
- 2011: My Last Day Without You (writer, producer)
- 2010: Devil's Kickers (writer)
- 2010: The Albanian (writer)
- 2010: Young Goethe In Love (script consultant)
- 2008: Die Tränen meiner Mutter (writer)
- 2008: North Face (writer)
- 2007: Arranged (script consultant)
- 2007: Mrs. Ratcliffe's Revolution (script consultant)
- 2006: Ice Wind (short; writer, director, actor)
- 2004: The Ring Thing (writer, producer)
- 2003: Good Bye, Lenin! (collaborator on screenplay)
- 2001: Julietta (writer)
- 2001: Brooklyn Bridge (short; writer)
Television
- 2016: Rivals Forever (mini series, co-creator & writer)
- 2015: The New Girl (writer)
- 2014: Dresden Homicide (crime series; creator & head writer)
- 2012: A Day for a Miracle (writer)
- 2011: Girl On The Ocean Floor (writer)
- 2010: Love Is Just A Word (writer)
- 2006-today: Tatort (crime series; writer & head writer)
- 2006-2010: Der Kriminalist (crime series; writer & head writer)
- 2004: My Best Years (series; head writer)
- 2000: Trivial Pursuit (writer)
Awards and nominations
Wins
- 2016 Munich Film Festival: Best TV Film or Miniseries Rivals Forever
- 2016 Romy Award: Best TV Film Berlin One
- 2013 International Emmy: Best TV Film or Miniseries A Day for a Miracle
- 2012 Romy Award: Best Screenplay A Day for a Miracle
- 2012 Black Reel Awards: Best Independent Film My Last Day Without You
- 2012 Golden Sparrow Award: Best Children's Film Hanni & Nanni 2
- 2011 Brooklyn Film Festival: Best Producer My Last Day Without You
- 2011 Max Ophüls Award: Best Film The Albanian
- 2011 Hawaii International Film Festival: AIFP honoree, sponsored by the Vilcek Foundation
- 2009 German Film Critics Award: Best Screenplay North Face
- 2009 Grimme Award: Audience Award Tatort: Auf der Sonnenseite
- 2007 Brooklyn Film Festival: Best Film Arranged
- 2001 Brooklyn Film Festival: Best Film Julietta
Nominations
- 2016 Civis media prize: Best TV Film The New Girl
- 2013 Grimme Award: Best TV Film A Day for a Miracle
- 2013 Montblanc Screenplay Award: Banklady
- 2012 Black Reel Awards: Best Original Song My Last Day Without You
- 2009 Golden Camera: Best TV Film Tatort: Auf der Sonnenseite