The producer of the feature film “Talk to me” (German original title: “Sprich mit mir“), Clara Gerst, was awarded the producer prize “No Fear Award” on Sunday, 8 October 2023, at the presentation of the German Film Young Talent Awards, First Steps Awards 2023.
“First Steps – Der deutsche Nachwuchspreis” is an annual competition that has been taking place since 2000. It is aimed at graduating films by students of German-language film schools and presents the “First Steps Awards” in various categories. The prize was established in 1999 on the initiative of producers Bernd Eichinger and Nico Hofmann and has since been regarded as one of the most important German prizes for up-and-coming filmmakers.
Born in Cologne in 1987, Clara Gerst has already had an impressive career in the film industry, both as an actress and in various production activities.
The film “Talk to Me“, (director: Janin Halisch) premiered at the 2023 Max Ophüls Preis Film Festival, where it has already been awarded the prize for Best Young Actress (Alina Stiegler). It is Gerst’s graduation film at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (DFFB).
The touching mother-daughter story also has an eventful production history: The production, which Clara Gerst was responsible for from 2019 to 2023, was marked by the challenges of the Corona pandemic and its consequences. The First Steps jury now honoured the producer’s commitment and consistent advocacy for the film’s vision with the No Fear Award.
Jury statement No Fear Award 2023
“Good producers have to have many very different qualities. They have to convince and motivate, they have to balance and negotiate, they have to keep calm and persevere, they have to keep an overview and at the same time have a feeling for details. The winner of this year’s No Fear Award has all of this. Clara Gerst has supported and helped shape a creative vision from the very beginning, ensured fair and sustainable conditions despite the greatest budget challenges, assembled a predominantly female core team and created a trusting working atmosphere. And when the Corona pandemic came and made it impossible to shoot abroad, which had been planned and prepared with so much passion and circumspection, she did not let the film fail, but redesigned it with the team so that it could be realised in lockdown in Germany instead. The result is a very touching film.”
SOURCE: https://www.firststeps.de/wettbewerb/preistraegerinnen-2023
Congratulations to Clara Gerst and the entire “Talk to me” team!
More information about the label: Darling Berlin
