Glashutte Original - A Look Back on the 64th Berlinale
Berlin's most important cultural event came to a glamorous end last Saturday with the announcement that the Chinese film "Black Coal, Thin Ice", had won the "Golden Bear". The 64th Berlinale gave expression to the creative strength and diversity of the cinema today and celebrated the world's best films and filmmakers.
This year the Berlinale hosted a record number of visitors, with the sale of 330,000 tickets.
From February 7-15, the Glashutte Original Lounge (located on the 24th floor of the Kollhoff Tower on Potsdamer Platz) offered visitors an impressive view on the red carpet below. Along with representatives of the press and media, business partners and watch connoisseurs, the Saxon watchmaker welcomed more than 700 guests from agencies and film crews, who took advantage of the exceptional location high above Berlin's rooftops to hold special receptions and events.
Among those present were the actors Dieter Hallervorden and Ilja Richter as well as the film crew for the Swiss production "The Circle", which was presented recently. Writer and producer Katja Eichinger, who also served this year as one of the three members of the jury for the „Made in Germany - Perspektive Fellowship" award, made a point of visiting the lounge.
Since 2012, Glashutte Original and the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section of the festival have awarded the fellowship, funded entirely by the Saxon watch manufactory, to talented young German directors. On February 7, 2014 Katja Eichinger presented the award trophy, which is built each year in the manufactory's own Alfred Helwig School of Watchmaking, to the "Perspektive" section head Linda Söffker. She accepted the prize on behalf of the two winners in 2014, Sandra Kaudelka and Sebastian Mez.
A very special honorary guest visited Glashutte Original on February 12: British director Ken Loach, who was awarded this year an honorary Golden Bear in recognition of his life's work, celebrated his award together with numerous friends, guests and industry colleagues in the watchmaker's lounge.
Along with the spectacular views and enchanting atmosphere, guests were impressed by the fascinating exhibition "Him & Her", developed in cooperation with Deutsche Kinemathek.
Unforgettable silver-screen couples from different eras were presented together with
exquisite timepieces for him and her. Memorable quotes from a number of classic movies
brought to life such perennial themes as devotion, love and passion.
Following the successful cooperation and reinforcement of its commitment this year, the Saxon watch manufactory is already looking forward to the 65th Berlin International Film Festival next year. Since 2011 Glashutte Original has been an official partner of the Berlin International Film Festival. With its support of the "Perspektive Deutsches Kino" section of the festival, and, beginning this year, of the "Retrospective" section as well, the German watchmaker is proud to play an important role in the festival and the art of filmmaking.
The Retrospective, entitled ''Aesthetics of Shadow'', is the second film programme curated together with the Museum of Modern Art. Thanks to the cooperation between the Berlinale and the Museum of Modern Art the series of films will also be shown in New York in April 2014.