ALIVE AND THEN SOME -- APR/MAY 2013

It's happening! Springtime marks the birth of Chris Silber's new LA based company, SILBER SCREEN PRODUCTIONS. First endeavors:

- A yet untitled period thriller inspired by the heroic life of Chris' step grandmother Ursula Ruth Kuczynski, "the most influential female spy in world history" according to British historians (see pic).
- THAT MELISSA, an original comedy series created by actress, fashion host and model Melissa Grimmond, which Chris is co-developing and looking to produce with Melissa.

On a more European note, Chris has a new premiere to celebrate. HANNI & NANNI 3, a family entertainment movie based on Enid Blyton's immensely popular St Claire book series, will be in theaters in Germany and Austria in May.

GAME ON ! -- JAN/FEB 2013

Talk about bringing it on. After six months in LA, Chris has had a spec picked up by a major producer and two other scripts with his name on the title page are going around town. The spec is "X.A.O.Z.", a transatlantic action drama with Bill Teitler (JUMANJI, POLAR EXPRESS) attached to produce. In February, Chris and Teitler will be in Berlin to meet potential European co-producers. The two other scripts are Stefan Schaefer's Shirley MacLaine vehicle "The Shareholder", which Chris rewrote, and "Time After Time", a collaboration with acclaimed author Annie Reiner.
Also, Chris has agreed to join the brand new film program at La Sierra University (see pic) as an Adjunct Professor for Film and Television Screenwriting.
Over in Europe, Chris has been hired for the screen adaptation of ICH BIN DANN MAL WEG (I'M OFF THEN), the international bestseller by comedy heavyweight Hape Kerkeling.

CITIUS, ALTIUS, FORTIUS -- NOV/DEC 2012

This rather ephemeral classical masterpiece sketched by Chris during a recent visit at the Getty Villa says it all: Things have been busy. Extremely busy. With several exciting projects in development in the US and Europe, and Chris tirelessly making the rounds in his new LA hunting grounds, 2013 should leave nothing to be desired from the avid workaholic's point of view. Not to mention the laurels awaiting...
Be blessed and well during the Holidays, and check back for more detailed updates soon.

ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS -- SEP 2012

Amid the hullabaloo of relocating to Los Angeles over the summer, Chris has been working nonstop on a period miniseries commissioned by Rowboat Entertainment and a rewrite for a Shirley MacLaine feature. Meanwhile over in Europe, two German language features penned by Chris are in the process of wrapping: BANKLADY (see junket shot above) and HANNI & NANNI 3, the latest installment to the buoyant Enid Blyton based franchise. Also in Germany, the awards miracle continues for TV movie A DAY FOR A MIRACLE - more on that soon...

HANDS UP... PLEASE -- JUN 2012

BANKLADY, a film based on Europe's first female bank robber, has started shooting over in Germany. Co-written by Chris, pic helmed by Christian Alvart (ANTIBODIES, PANDORUM) will release in 2013. Meanwhile the laurels bestowed on MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU and A DAY FOR A MIRACLE, and the excellent box-office run for HANNI & NANNI 2 have hauled in some dream deals for Chris. Current projects include an international period miniseries, a large German studio comedy and a rewrite for an American indie with an Oscar-winning star attached.

ONE FOR THE GIRLS -- MAY 2012

May has Chris traveling to Germany, where Enid Blyton-based family entertainment pic HANNI & NANNI 2 opens in wide release May 17th. Co-written by Chris, the film boasts an all-star cast and took home three Golden Sparrow Awards including Best Picture at Europe's number one festival for young viewers. A third installment is already in development, written by...you guessed who.

On a stopover in New York, Chris will attend a screening and Q&A of MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU, which kicks off the Vilcek Foundation's New American Filmmaker Tour. See the film and several cast and crew members on May 18 at the Visual Arts Theater in Manhattan. The film is now available on DVD in Europe at Amazon. Stateside TV and DVD deals will be announced shortly.

BREAKING NEWS

Chris has won Best Screenplay at Austria's Romy Awards for A DAY FOR A MIRACLE alongside co-writer Thorsten Wettcke. Pic's producers Sam Davis and Klaus Graf took home Best Producer.
Chris with producers Klaus Graf, Sam Davis and co-writer Thorsten Wettcke in Vienna, April 21. (Photo: People Pictures/W.Schneider)

APRIL'S CHARMS -- APR 2012

While MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU continues its great festival run with screenings in Atlanta (see pic with leading lady Nicole Beharie) and Seattle, Chris is in Los Angeles to meet with creative brother Stefan Schaefer. The duo's latest German language script LETTING GO is currently in production in Switzerland and Germany.

Toward the end of April, Chris will head to Vienna, where two of his films are nominated in several major categories for the ROMY, Austria's foremost film and TV award. Honored in GIRL ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, real life hero and Oscar winner Hans Hass and his wife Lotte (see above with Chris last year) receive a lifetime award. Adding to the excitement after rhapsodic reviews and record ratings, A DAY FOR A MIRACLE has won Chris and co-writer Thorsten Wettcke a Best Screenplay nomination.

ON REELS -- FEB/MAR 2012

MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU has won the 2012 Black Reel Award for Best Independent Film. Chris and writing/producing partner, pic's director Stefan Schaefer, will be at Berlinale in February to prepare German DVD release and set up new projects.
Also, the film has been selected for the Atlanta Film Festival and will screen there March 25.

On March 5, Chris' Austrian/German film A DAY FOR A MIRACLE will air on German TV. Its Austrian premiere earlier this year scored a record market share of 33 percent, with reviews calling it "a masterpiece" and "a nail-biter from start to finish".

AT LAST... -- JAN 2012

...our title track MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU is now available for download on iTunes.

A Black Reels nominee for "Best Song" opposite the likes of Mary J. Blige and Jamie Foxx, the song performed by leading lady Nicole Beharie was co-written by Chris alongside Scott Jacoby and Stefan Schaefer.

Check out the music video on youtube.

MEANWHILE, TOP REVIEWS IN EUROPE...

...for A DAY FOR MIRACLE. An official selection at last year's Hamburg Film Festival, Chris wrote the truth-based thriller with Berlin collaborator Thorsten Wettcke for Austrian helmer Andreas Prochaska (DEAD IN 3 DAYS).
Austria's leading newspaper KURIER gave it 5 stars out of 5, praising the screenplay as "terrific".
ORF January 18, 8:15 pm / ARD March 5, 8:15 pm

TWO FOR THE ROAD -- DEC 2011

The year ends with two European premieres of films written by Chris:
GIRL ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, a period film about how diving pioneer and Oscar winning filmmaker Hans Hass met his wife and diving companion Lotte, airs on December 8 on ZDF (Germany) and ORF (Austria), followed by a documentary on their life and work.

Under its German title NIE MEHR OHNE DICH, the New York one-day lovestory MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU, which Chris also produced with Diane Crespo and co-writer Stefan Schaefer, will open in select theaters there December 15.
Stateside release will soon be announced. In the meantime, check out our stellar leading lady Nicole Beharie in SHAME opposite Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, in select US theaters December 2.

THAT EXTRA BOW -- NOV 2011

With lead actress Nicole Beharie and director Stefan Schaefer at HIFF, Honolulu Oct. 2011

After much Aloha from audiences at Hawaii and Heartland Film Festivals, MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU is ready for some cowboy love at Lone Star Film Festival in Texas Nov 13. Right before that, Chris will be in LA with Stefan Schaefer to finalize multiple sales deals for the film and discuss future projects during the AFM.
If you can't make it to Texas, don't despair. We'll soon announce the US release for the film. Also, don't miss our stellar lead actress Nicole Beharie in her new recurring role on CBS' THE GOOD WIFE.

"YOUNG GOETHE IN LOVE" NOW IN THEATERS

After the award-winning international hits GOOD BYE LENIN and NORTH FACE, another German language film Chris collaborated on is making its way to US audiences.

A surprise box-office success in Germany and Austria, this gorgeous period drama by NORTH FACE director Philipp Stoelzl is coming to arthouse screens across the United States on Nov 4.

SURF'S UP -- OCT 2011

The Hawaii Int'l Film Festival will screen MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU Oct. 14 and 16 as an Official Selection with director Stefan Schaefer, star Nicole Beharie and Chris attending. A special program hosted by the Vilcek Foundation will honor Chris as "an immigrant filmmaker...whose creative spirit enlivens and inspires American cinema."


Also in October, DAS WUNDER VON KAERNTEN (The Carinthia Miracle), a truth-based thriller written by Chris and Thorsten Wettcke and again starring Ken Duken, will premiere at Germany's Hamburg Film Festival.

IT'S SHOWTIME -- AUG/SEP 2011

At the NYC premiere with Reg E Cathey, Laith Nakli, Francis Benhamou, Diane Crespo, Ken Duken, Dan Hersey, Stefan Schaefer, Lance Cain, Scott Jacoby.

NEWS ON MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU:

After winning the Best Producer award at its Brooklyn Film Festival premiere, the film has been selected for the Oldenburg International Film Festival. Held in September, Oldenburg has been dubbed the "German Sundance" by Variety. Watch out for the film's release under its German title NIE MEHR OHNE DICH in Germany, Austria and Switzerland soon.

ON SCREENS NOW IN GERMANY: DER ALBANER, Ophuls festival winner, co-written by Chris.

ON TV IN GERMANY:
TATORT MUENSTER - ZWISCHEN DEN OHREN, 90 min TV special written by Chris and Thorsten Wettcke, ARD Sep 18, 8:15 pm.

FIRST DAY FOR 'LAST DAY' -- MAY/JUN 2011

MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU will have its official US premiere at the Brooklyn International Film Festival on June 11. Our stars Nicole Beharie and Ken Duken will be attending.

In addition LA-based Mission Pictures International, who are handling international sales, will hold a market screening for potential buyers at Cannes on May 14.

SPRING IN MY STEP -- MAR/APR 2011

MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU -- Sales and distribution negotiations underway, festival premiere will soon be announced.
GOETHE -- Period film I consulted on is nominated for 4 Lolas (German Academy Awards), including Best Film and Best Actor.
THE ALBANIAN -- Debut film I co-wrote won the Max Ophuls, one of Europe's top newcomer awards, for Best Film.
IN PRODUCTION: Two TV movies in Germany and Austria, helmed by Franziska Meletzky and Andreas Prochaska.
IN DEVELOPMENT: Silver Shepherd & Cicala have been able to win a heavy-hitting European partner for our new project based on a book by Shira Nayman. More on that soon.

BERLIN BOUND -- FEB 2011

It's that time of the year again... meetings, screenings, more meetings. See you at Berlinale!
Also this month, NACHTANGELN is going into production. Helmed by the wonderful Franziska Meletzky, the new TATORT film written by Silber-Wettcke stars two of my favorite German actors, J.J. Liefers and Axel Prahl.

AS NEW AS IT GETS -- JAN 2011

What better way to start the New Year than with the first trailer for MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU - online now. Enjoy!

LA CALLING -- NOV/DEC 2010

Silver Shepherd's annual November trip to Los Angeles brought plenty of good news. Our film MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU got great feedback from several key players in sales and distribution at AFM. Watch out for the trailer on the website.
On other fronts, there were several development offers for Silver Shepherd and for me individually, thanks to the enthusiastic response to the screenplay for my upcoming directing debut DEVIL'S BANE. I've been able to get some top-notch creative collaborators on board, plus land a pitch for a new high-level writing deal. More on that soon.
The AFM also saw great deals for Warner Bros German release GOETHE, which I collaborated on as a script and editing consultant. The period piece by helmer Philipp Stölzl, who's currently preparing his first English language film, will see a theatrical release in the US and Canada next year.

ALL OVER THE PLACE -- OCT 2010

Heading to Orlando, then New York and Los Angeles to finalize sales deals for MY LAST DAY WITHOUT YOU, plus discuss several projects on both sides of the Atlantic. One of those is Finnish-German co-pro RUE DE LY, a development of mine that recently won a coveted FFA funding award.
Speaking of Germany, October will see two premieres of films I collaborated on there. One is Warner Bro's release GOETHE! (see picture), helmed by my good friend Philipp Stölzl (NORTH FACE), in theaters Oct 14. The other, a TATORT film co-starring two-time Lola winner Sibel Kekilli, airs on Oct 24.