Glashütte Original & Berlin International Film Festival “Berlinale”. The Saxon watchmaker becomes a protagonist. View five short films and then be my juror.

Since five years the Saxon watchmaker is official partner of the Berlinale. With five short films Glashütte Original this year changed its passive role to become also a protagonist.

To be a partner, a sponsor of a film festival is like sitting in the cinema and watching lots of good movies. To be a protagonist means to present owns works. And this is what Glashütte Original did right on time for the 65^th Berlinale

I asked the team in Glashütte: What’s the purpose of doing this?

“The result of this exceptional project is five films narrated in five different languages from seven authors who all present short films that speak of very personal ties to Glashütte Original while focusing on the particular features of the manufactory. The concept called for the presentation of new, unusual and above all personal points of view of the brand, and with this in mind, in August 2014 we turned to friends, partners and persons familiar with the industry with a very particular request: to develop a concept for a film that would present their own individual perspective on Glashütte Original. The response was more than positive: a difficult decision-making process led to the selection of five of the seventeen very successful submissions from around the world, each with its own very different approaches to style and content.”

Last week, during the 65^th Berlinale, the five films, in the presence of the protagonists, had their world premiere.

I do now invite YOU to see the short films and then I ask YOU to be a juror.

Give me your opinion and please name your favourite.

Lean back and enjoy the five films!

Film 1:

Living the Mechanical Dream

In this short film Joacim Olsson and Tony Axelzon give us a look at their passion for all things mechanical and for the German art of engineering, and reveal the special character of their personal relationship to Glashütte Original. The two watch-lovers from Norrköping in Sweden are bound by close friendship and by their strong connection to the brand. In their film they tell us not only how their fascination for mechanical things began in childhood and has now become a part of their everyday life, but also how their love for craftsmanship and mechanical details led them to Glashütte Original. The film is an affectionate portrait of two true fans of precision mechanics and a wonderfully authentic point of view from two owners of Glashütte Original watches.

Film 2:

Phoenix rising

Brice Goulard is a journalist who runs the internationally influential watch blog “Monochrome”. In his film he takes up the facetted history of watchmaking in Glashütte and presents it as a backdrop to the present and future of Glashütte Original in particular. His film presents the point of view of a journalist motivated by his research interests. In a factual yet personal manner he tells of his fascination for the rich heritage of watchmaking in Glashütte and for the knowledge that this carries, knowledge which has been handed down from one generation to the next and maintained, despite crises and wars, from 1845 to the present, a living history.

Film 3:

The Sound of the Original

This unique composition of sounds and images of Glashütte Original, which presents a very special approach to the Saxon manufactory, is the result of a cooperative effort between the journalist Joern Kengelbach and the composer Sven Helbig. It became clear right away that Kengelbach’s concept, which called for the sound of the manufactory to be captured in order to make the brand audible, would require professional musical support. An ideal player for this role was found in the person of Sven Helbig, an established artist with a wide-ranging portfolio. The focal point of the idea was to capture the sounds of the watch production process – from the heavy machines at the outset to the quiet, refined sounds of watch assembly – and to unite them in an unmistakable sound, the “Sound of the Original”.

Film 4:

My Journey with Glashütte Original

Dr. Zhiming Xu has followed the story of Glashütte Original for many years and since the brand’s return to haute horlogerie has been one of its greatest admirers. His film reveals the point of view of a passionate watch collector. With great dedication and a love of detail the Hong Kong-based financial expert describes his journey with Glashütte Original from the beginnings of his passion for collecting in the mid 1990s up to the present day. In the process he presents highlights of his extensive collection of Glashütte Original watches, which consists primarily of masterpieces and limited editions and shows us what he finds so fascinating about the Saxon firm’s watches. An informative film, it is also a story that tells of a great passion, the point of view of a true connoisseur of the brand.

Film 5:

Time Traveller

In her short film the Canadian watch and lifestyle journalist Rhonda Riche tells the story of a personal experience that presents at the same time a deeply felt perspective on the brand. With great affection Riche tells of a very special discovery, which led to an unusual journey and underscores the importance of home and family. At the heart of the film is an old GUB ladies watch from the 1970s, which she purchased at a flea market in Toronto. To take this watch “home” to Glashütte, to trace its heritage and to undertake research to discover how the history of the company inspires the current collection — this is the plot that drives the film, and is, at the same time, Riche’s own very personal connection to Glashütte Original.

So, did you like them?

What´s your favorite?

What do think in general of the idea to present short films to promote fine watchmaking?

Which film I like the most?

Film number 3!