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Natalie Scharf was born to a psychiatrist and neurologist. Her mother illustrated books, and her grandfather was a professor of physics and mathematics. The family lived on the grounds of a psychiatric hospital run by her father. As a result, Natalie spent her childhood and teenage years around people who were considered "different." This experience deeply influenced her and honed her keen psychological insight, which she continues to use to develop characters in her films and shows. In first grade, when asked by her teacher what she knew about Jesus, seven-year-old Natalie replied without hesitation, "Jesus is best friends with Napoleon and Catherine the Great, and he lives in ward 9 in my dad's hospital!" At 21, Natalie Scharf married, and she cites her family life as her steady support. By age 23, she had written a youth novel nominated for the German Youth Literature Award, followed by two more novels. Although she received lucrative offers from the literary world, her true passion was film. Scharf never attended film school; she is entirely self-taught.
As a producer and writer, she has resisted being confined to a single genre. Her work spans psychological thrillers, comedies, teen horror, romantic comedies, period dramas, general drama, and dark-humor shows with social commentary. Her production company operates under the belief that she should oversee not only scriptwriting and financing but also the entire creative vision of her projects. Natalie Scharf’s films and shows consistently rank among the most successful German TV productions. Her biggest success to date is "Dear Vivi" (original title "Gestern waren wir noch Kinder"), which premiered in January 2023. Garnering nearly 21 million views on ZDF’s online streaming platform, it became the most-watched show in ZDF’s history, achieving an unprecedented streaming audience. ZDF, one of Germany’s two major public broadcasters, also saw the show draw 5.6 million viewers on national television, capturing a 20% market share. To date, Natalie Scharf has contributed to over 120 films, establishing her as one of Germany’s leading writers and producers. Her three adult children are currently attending university.
