Why BMW Films Has Come Roaring Back with a Silent Car Chase
Back in 2001, well before YouTube, streaming services and high speed internet, BMW revolutionised marketing with an octet of online films. Kickstarting a new wave of branded entertainment and digital ambition, these high octane short films were directed by movie legends like Wong Kar-Wai, Ang Lee, Tony Scott, Guy Ritchie and Alejandro González Iñárritu. They starred a veritable galaxy of stars, from Madonna and Mickey Rourke to Clive Owen and Forest Whitaker.
Those films sparked a connection between BMW and the movie world that’s never gone away. Back in 2022, the brand announced a partnership with the Cannes Film Festival and this year they’ve brought back BMW Films.
This newest outing, ‘The Calm’, starring Marvel actor Pom Klementieff and icon Uma Thurman, has been produced by ‘Top Gun: Maverick director’ Joseph Kosinski and directed by Sam Hargrave. And they've got none other than legendary composer Hans Zimmer to create a dramatic soundstrack that plays with silence.
There’s a twist, however. This year’s film features BMW’s fully electric i7 M70 - so instead of the usual roaring engines and screeching handbrake turns that you might expect in a standard movie car chase, The Calm stands out with a silent chase, which the director leverages to chilling effect.
To find out more about reviving the ground-breaking movie series Stefan Ponikva, vice president of brand experience BMW Group, talks to LBB’s Laura Swinton about the exciting return.
LBB> Is BMW Films back? What is the new film about?
Stefan> BMW FILMS is back. Definitely. We are amplifying our tremendous treasure of having the cineastic legacy of BMW films Hollywood based short movie productions with Triple A talents. This year we present ‘The Calm’, featuring our fully electric i7 M70, the first ever silent car chase.
LBB> Why was now the right time to bring back the BMW Films Franchise?
Stefan> It felt like we had all the right ingredients from a brand perspective. The product; The i7 M 70 is the new flagship of the electric age and with its 31-inch, 8K cinema screen for the rear seat row, it is a perfect stage. The location and time: We have been official partners of the Cannes Film Festival since 2022 and are happy and proud to be back again this year. So, there couldn’t be a better stage for a BMW Films comeback.
LBB> What was the starting point for developing The Calm?
Stefan> In 2001, we launched BMW FILMS with eight action-packed Hollywood based short movies with top talents. It was truly visionary because in 2001 we didn’t have any high speed Internet, social channels, smartphones and even YouTube did not exist yet.
Since then, we have had good contacts in the film industry and, as already mentioned, the Cannes Film Festival partnership, which has existed since 2022, inspired us to build on the legacy of BMW Films.
In addition, we already have a history with Joseph Kosinski, whom we were able to win over to produce The Calm. In 2014 he had already made a fantastic film for the then BMW 5 Series. For the new film, it was especially important for us, not to give a detailed briefing. We just talked to Joseph about the first silent chase and an innovative way of storytelling to overcome industry advertising standards. Joseph got hooked on this idea and came up with a great storyboard.
LBB> What were the key strategic elements or messages that the film had to hit?
Stefan> First and foremost, we wanted to express that electric vehicles meet the highest standards and that there are no losses, whether in terms of product substance or driving pleasure – quite the contrary! The BMW i7 M70 is THE new all electric flagship in the luxury segment and has a lot to offer. Facts like from zero to 100 to 3.7 seconds, 1100 Newton meters and 660 horsepower are simply impressive. Tech magic meets human centricity: the task of this film is to show this new in-car experience to the world without being promotional.
It is also a perfect moment to celebrate and showcase the transformation of our company and brand.
Step by step, we are shifting the ultimate electric driving machine and the sheer electric driving pleasure. That's the future DNA of the brand BMW.
LBB> I'm curious as to whether casting two big female leads was also a strategic choice to broaden the appeal to female drivers? Or was it all led by the story?
Stefan> It's 2023 and diversity should of course be integrated into the overall image of a brand. But first and foremost, a strong story needs strong characters and with Uma Thurman and Pom Klementieff we undoubtedly have them. In addition, Hans Zimmer composed the sounds for us. This mixture makes a contemporary appearance and delivers the highest quality.
BMW Films The Calm cast and filmmakers at the 76th Annual Cannes International Film Festival (L to R Hans Zimmer, Pom Klementieff, Uma Thurman, Joseph Kosinski) . Photo: Victor Boyko
LBB> Why were Joseph Kosinski and Sam Sam Hargrave the right people for the job - what did they bring to it?
Stefan> We’ve worked with Joseph Kosinski previously and love his vision. From the first second, he caught our thoughts and the storyline came together naturally.
Since we wanted action-packed scenes away from classic advertising, Sam Hargrave was the perfect talent for us. The fight scenes in the back seat of the vehicle make up a large part of the film and Sam is the man to do it. He knows every move and every camera angle to make it feel as action-packed and authentic as possible.
LBB> The film very cleverly manages to highlight BMW's EV offering with a silent car chase - which is a really clever way to show off the brand but do something unexpected. When working on something like this, what's your view on how to balance the need to platform the brand or showcase the product and the need to create an entertaining, blockbuster experience for the viewers? Was it a tricky tightrope to walk or did you all have a sense of where that line was?
Stefan> At BMW we are masters of classic product communication. In times when the market is flooded with new electric vehicles and so many parameters are changing, it needs more innovative and surprising moments to attract people's attention.
We want to tell stories and break new ground. Of course, there are also unknown parameters in such projects. But that is exactly what makes the result in the end.
LBB> What is it about the story of The Calm that made it the perfect narrative for the BMW Films franchise?
Stefan> BMW Films was way ahead of its time when it launched in 2001, creating short movies for download without high-speed internet or social media. Creating branded content without being too commercial was really unique back then, and it still is – it's a branded approach where we are entering an era of storytelling that’s different to traditional advertising to push cars into our sales funnel. But we do it in a way that appeals to movie fans and happens to spotlight the car in a unique way that makes sense in the film.
I think The Calm offers the action and suspense that fans of the BMW Films franchise have come to expect over the years.
LBB> Hans Zimmer composed the score, which is such a huge name! How does Hans' score elevate the movie
Stefan> Whatever Hans touches is completed in an impressive way! Hans is such a visionary, as we all know, and scoring the first-ever silent car chase felt like a unique challenge he would certainly be up to task for. He also did the sound design for the i7 vehicle, which is a nice tie-in.
LBB> What were some of the most interesting challenges you faced bringing the movie to life?
Stefan> The biggest challenge was, to get our desired cast together for a very specific small time window.
Still from the movie, featuring Uma Thurman
LBB> From a brand perspective, what has BMW Films done for the BMW brand?
Stefan> Creating Hollywood level films with A-list talent in front of and behind the camera definitely elevated BMW beyond just brand fans or car enthusiasts. It offered BMWs legacy in film and pop culture.
LBB> As a marketer, what have you learned from working with the real greats of Hollywood?
Stefan> That creativity has no limits!
LBB> The film premieres at Cannes, appropriately! How do you feel about showcasing the film at the world's biggest movie festival?
Stefan> Honoured, because there is a very special atmosphere in Cannes and we are proud to be a small part of it.
LBB> Where do you think BMW Films could go next?
Stefan> The final scene of The Calm leaves us with some questions, so it allows for more exciting things to come – we'll have to wait and see! But stay excited.
Photo credit from Cannes premiere: Victor Boyko
