Berlin 1990… a place of endless possibilities
As the Wall crumbled, the young, the strayers, the lovers and creators descended upon the abandoned East to build a new life.
We invite you on a journey to this extraordinary place and time where love, trust, and freedom changed the world.
A pop-rock musical inspired by true events
Months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Rachel a sheltered American songwriter, escapes her domineering Holocaust-survivor mother to find purpose and passion among a group of artists at the infamous Berlin art house, Tacheles. But when neo-Nazis threaten their lives and the police turn against them, she must choose to either fight for her newfound freedom or return to the oppression of her previous life.
Story
It’s 1990, a few months after the fall of the Wall, and East Berlin is a crumbling, abandoned mess. Young dreamers from around the world squat in the deserted buildings, bringing art, music and life to the ruins.
Rachel, an aspiring songwriter, escapes her fearful Holocaust-survivor’s home in New York to find freedom, excitement and romance in Berlin. When she stumbles into a crime scene and becomes the target of a gang of skinheads, she finds shelter among the eccentric artists squatting in the infamous arthouse Tacheles. Challenged to overcome her fears and pull her weight, Rachel begins to blossom into the artist she always dreamed of becoming.
When the skinheads attempt to destroy Tacheles and her mother arrives to drive wedges between Rachel, her friends, and her lover, Rachel must choose whether to stay and defend her newfound freedom, or return to the suffocating safety of her mother’s home.
Read more
Set against the backdrop of a changing world, Let’s Talk Tacheles is a personal journey inspired by true events. Immediately after the fall of East Germany, the dark alleys and crumbling edifices of East Berlin pulsed with life as young artists and dreamers took over the abandoned buildings. Creativity bloomed as nightclubs, art galleries, cafe’s and alternative communities sprouted from the rubble. One place in particular epitomized this newfound freedom: the arthouse Tacheles. This half-demolished department store in the old Jewish quarter was inhabited by a group of artists who transformed the building and its back garden into a world-renowned center for avant-garde sculpture, performance, music and mind-blowing parties. For a brief period of time, people were free to shape their own destiny, however in Berlin, shadows of the past lurk behind every corner.
Despite her desire to live in the present, Rachel soon learns she cannot escape the past as the sinister forces of hatred that murdered her grandparents threaten her existence. With love and compassion, Rachel brings her community and family back together in the climactic conflict between fascist policemen, the skinheads, and the artists. Fear and mistrust must be conquered to save the day.
This heartfelt drama is a cinematic journey through shadow and light that deftly balances serious topics with humor, color and music to delve into the character’s inner emotions. With a soundtrack of eighteen original, radio-ready pop songs, Let’s Talk Tacheles is a musical set in gritty reality with fantastical music video elements. As forces of hatred and antisemitism continue to plague our modern world, it is a timely reminder of the importance of standing together with love and hope against the forces of oppression.
Music
The radio friendly songs written by Nadja Danciger (music) and Tracy Scharf (lyrics) serve the narrative and reflect on the era’s signature pop sounds and styles. We also plan to collaborate with a legendary German DJ from that time—such as DJ Motte or Sven Dohse—to weave an authentic techno pulse into both the club scenes and the film’s score.
Videos
Characters
Our casting strategy will be to combine known stars with up-and-coming American and European talent from the film, music and theater world. A well publicized talent search will ensure early buzz and help find tomorrow’s stars.
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Rachel (26)
An idealistic dreamer determined to make a difference in the world through her music. Her contagious passion inspires and brings color to the world around her.
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Markus (28)
An East German policeman haunted by the mistakes of his youth.
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Rita (60)
Rachel's fearful Holocaust-survivor mother, forced to make peace with her past.
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Smiley (35)
An American veteran, club bouncer, narrator and protector of Tacheles.
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Karl (30)
Leader of a skinhead gang and childhood friend of Markus.
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Katja (30)
The punk leader of the artists of Tacheles, Markus' sister.
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Soeren (63)
An anxious East-German police chief with good intentions and a shameful past.
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Musti (25)
A sassy gay, muslim Turk who becomes Rachel's bestie and advisor.
Moodboard
Reviews
“An intriguing and wonder filled script that feels fresh, exciting, and impactful.”
-Bluecat Screenplay Competition
“A fascinating and timely premise… a vibrant and ambitious screenplay that effectively captures a unique moment in history.”
-Scriptapalooza
“Colorful characters, well written songs, forbidden love and neo-nazis allow for an intriguing and gratifying story.”
-Finish Line Script Competition
“An ambitious and richly detailed musical that tackles important themes through a compelling personal story.”
-Optimus Script Competition
Executive Summary
Format
Feature film
Genre
Historical Fiction/Musical
Budget
$3 million
Shoot
Fall 2027
Creative Team
Matt ‘Loki’ Danciger
Writer/Director
Matt Danciger is a director, editor, writer, and artist best known for his suspenseful Academy Award-winning short film Outside and the dynamic mutant vehicle the GiantCockCar which was featured on the “Best of Burningman” list by Forbes magazine. He has received numerous accolades including the Director’s Guild Award and was named a Leopard of Tomorrow at Locarno. As founder of Switch Studios and Construction Cinema, Matt has decades of experience in independent features, post-production, corporate and music video production and commercials.
Raised among creative spirits, Loki recognized the artists of Tacheles as fellow dreamers out to change the world. With his “outsider” perspective, rebellious soul, and indy filmmaker experience, Loki is the perfect shepherd to share this amazing story with the world.
Nadja Danciger
Story, Composer, Producer
Nadja has been composing, producing and placing commercial music worldwide in television, radio and film since 1997. Co-Founder of 101 Original Music, music supervisor at SAT.1 Television, and piano instructor to the stars, her students include Benedict Cumberbatch & Reese Whitherspoon. Tacheles is based upon her personal experiences as the daughter of a holocaust survivor living in East Berlin after the fall of the Wall.
Tracy Scharf
Lyrics
Tracy is an award-winning songwriter and lyricist whose songs have been placed in multiple television series on MTV, the Oxygen Network, and VH1’s Couple’s Therapy. Her “profound pop” songs were chosen for Songs of Peace in a Time of War, Rock Can Roll, and the March for our Lives Action Fund to end gun violence.
Tone
In trust there’s freedom…
Just as the Wall divided Berlin, the anguish of the holocaust divides nations, families, and friends. Through the lens of Rachel’s journey, our film delves into the lasting impact of trauma and the power of trust and forgiveness to heal and move forward. When Rachel’s heartfelt but naïve desire to leave her mother’s suffering behind meets the reality of antisemitism, it forces her to take a stand for freedom that inspires her friends and family to overcome their fears and prejudices. By following the music in her heart and bringing her community together, she is able to defeat the forces of darkness and change the world.
An evolutionary look that mirrors the protagonist’s journey
As Rachel grows from fearful to confident, the film’s visual language transforms from a cold, dark noir palette to one filled with color and light. To emphasize the gritty reality of the artists’ world, a hand-held documentary style will predominate the early scenes. Visual breaks into more cinematic, fluid camera work will occur during musical sequences. By the film’s conclusion, the styles will merge reflecting the synthesis of Rachel’s world and the world around her.
Berlin, a city where the past meets the future
Berlin’s cobblestone streets, bullet hole-riddled monuments, and coal-blackened facades contrast with hidden back gardens, vibrant nightclubs, and verdant forests teeming with life. Timeless landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, the red brick Oberbaumbrücke bridge, and the soaring Ferhensehr tower are juxtaposed with the gritty urban streets, smokey nightclubs and found art environment of the squatters. The iconic Tacheles and its sculpture garden will be recreated on stage in Eastern Europe with help of digital set extensions.
Comparables
“Once” (2006)
Budget $150,000
Gross $22,312,089
“Dirty Dancing” (1987)
Budget $6,000,000
Gross $214,577,242
“LA LA Land” (2016)
Budget $30,000,000
Gross $509,183,536
“A Star is Born” (2018)
Budget $36,000,000
Gross $434,888,866
Live Stage Version
The screenplay of Let’s Talk Tacheles has been adapted into a live theatrical production. A recent workshop in Berlin was enthusiastically received and favorably reviewed. A Broadway production is in development.
“A perfect show… as musical as it is political. Everyone sitting here on this late summer evening hearing that piano intro, the rising melancholy when Rachel, the young freedom seeker, seems to touch heaven and hell at the same time, feels only one thing: goosebumps.”
– Petra Koruhn, Berliner Morgenpost
Artists’ Statement
“As the creators of Let’s Talk Tacheles, we want to take viewers on a journey from darkness to light, leaving them tapping their toes with memorable songs, hope and inspiration. It is our deepest desire to wake people up, and change the world through art and music. Now more than ever, with authoritarianism, intolerance and antisemitism on the rise, we must stand together against oppression or the freedoms we have taken for granted will be lost.”
Matt & Nadja Danciger