Merle Grimme Writer/Director

Merle Grimme is a screenwriter, director, and producer. She is a graduate of the University of Television and Film Munich (HFF Munich), holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Hildesheim, and is a member of the German Film Academy. While studying directing, she participated in several renowned writers’ labs, including Robin Swicord’s Women’s Writing Lab, Taç Romey’s Drama Series seminar, and Robert Krause and Florian Puchert’s Rewrite Lab – Drama.

In 2023, she completed her studies with the satirical feature film and miniseries Clashing Differences, which was produced in collaboration with ZDF – Das kleine Fernsehspiel and ARTE. She has received numerous awards for the project, including the First Steps Award (Big Audience Award), the New German Cinema Award for best screenplay at the Int. Munich Film Festival, and the New Stars Award  for best debut film/director at the German Film Ball.

She works in both fiction and documentary and recently directed the documentary film Regretting Motherhood. Her most recent work as a director includes three episodes of the successful ZDF series Doppelhaushälfte. Merle Grimme is currently developing her new feature film Don’t worry. Be Happy. I’m gone as well as two series projects as head writer in collaboration with UFA Fiction and Colorful Pictures.

Merle Grimme lives in Berlin.

Film & TV   Selection

2027
Don't worry - be happy. I'm gone
2026
untitled ZDF series
2026
untitled UFA series
2026
untitled Gaumont series
2025
Doppelhaushälfte - Staffel 4
2023
Clashing Differences
2017
Der deutsche Kinderwunsch (EN The German Desire For Having Children)
2017
Regretting Motherhood
2015
Mal Zeit (EN: Taking Time)
2013
Neugier
2013
Warten auf X - Experiment. Kunstprojekt. Dokumentation
2011
Hortensien Hotel

Awards   Selection

2025

New Stars Award

2024

New Faces Award

2024

Juliane Bartel Medienpreis

2023

Jupiter Award

2023

First Steps Award

2023

German Cinema New Talent Award – Film Festival Munich

2023

Afrika Film Festival Köln

2023

Queer Film Festival Weiterstadt

2018

DOK.fest München

2018

Int. Fünf Seen Filmfestival

2017

Zeit Legacy Study Film Competition