FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Munich) – The 2016 Berlin International Film Festival, or Berlinale, has proved a successful event for ARRI, with more than half of all feature films in the main competition having been shot with ARRI cameras and many utilizing ARRI lenses and lights.
In four showrooms and at seven presentations, ARRI promoted its uniquely wide range of filmmaking services and products, including the industry-leading ALEXA 65, ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini and AMIRA camera systems, and diverse cine lenses. Also on show were SkyPanel LED soft lights, L-Series LED Fresnels and M-Series daylight fixtures, with ARRI Media additionally showcasing its comprehensive postproduction offerings and ARRI Webgate cloud service.
The Berlinale presents an opportunity for ARRI to get in touch with filmmakers and strengthen its ties with the film industry. At ARRI’s Opening Night event, Franz Kraus of the ARRI AG Executive Board commented, “The Berlinale is a very important event for ARRI. It’s an ‘A’ list festival and a meeting point for seeing the great variety and diversity of international films. And, of course, all the international filmmakers are here and we can communicate with them.”
Dr. Jörg Pohlman, also of ARRI AG’s Executive Board, noted, “Berlinale is certainly one of the highlights of our year. It’s a great opportunity for us to talk to filmmakers and to have really intense conversations, as well as to see the direction in which the market is headed.”
Monika Grütters, Federal Government Commissioner of Culture and the Media, visited ARRI Media World Sales’ booth at the European Film Market. “ARRI has brought an unmatched number of 18 Oscars to Germany and we are incredibly proud of the way this company represents us,” she said. “Equally important is the symbiotic relationship between creative people, distribution and the audience; ARRI plays an important role in that whole chain.”
The ARRI Lounge, hosted by ARRI Rental and ARRI Media on the Sony Center’s roof terrace, proved to be a popular meeting point for film industry professionals. Naturally, ARRI paid special attention to cinematographers and directors, and filmed many interviews with them. One of the festival highlights in ARRI’s lounge was an interview with German director Tom Tykwer about his move to digital and his relationship with ARRI. “The cooperation with ARRI Media’s postproduction opened my eyes to the possibilities of creating my desired look,” he said. “Their patience with the young, opinionated filmmaker that I used to be and their genuine interest in the images that I wanted to create, gave me confidence. The outstanding thing about ARRI is that they really love their products and they adore making films. They are like a family to me.”
Equally special was a screening of the 2015 movie EVERY THING WILL BE FINE, followed by a Q&A session with director Wim Wenders – who used ALEXA M cameras to shoot this, his first 3D fiction film – and his 3D producer Erwin Schmidt. ARRI Media was responsible for postproduction on the movie.
Wenders spoke of 3D’s amazing storytelling language: “What else but 3D? It opens up a whole new way of telling stories,” he said. “It is an immersive medium, especially for fiction. 3D has the potential to let you look into people’s souls. The audience sees more of the actor’s flaws and their aura; the actors’ souls become clearer than ever before.”
About ARRI:
With headquarters located in Munich, Germany, ARRI was founded in 1917 and is the world's leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of motion picture camera, digital intermediate (DI) and lighting equipment. The ARRI group comprises a global network of subsidiaries and partners covering every facet of the film industry, including worldwide camera, grip and lighting equipment rental through ARRI Rental; turnkey lighting solutions through the ARRI System Group; and film production, postproduction, lab services, visual effects and distribution through ARRI Media. In 2013 ARRI Medical was founded to utilize ARRI’s core imaging technology and know-how for medical applications.
Manufactured products include the ALEXA 65, ALEXA SXT, ALEXA Mini and AMIRA cameras; Master Anamorphic lenses; SkyPanel, L-Series and M-Series lights; Pro Camera Accessories and the Electronic Control System; the ARRILASER recorder and ARRISCAN archive technologies; and the ARRISCOPE 3D digital surgical microscope. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized ARRI’s engineers and their technical contributions with 18 Scientific and Engineering Awards.
For locations and more information please visit www.arri.com