Great cinema and moving moments

BMW main partner of the 62nd Berlinale

Munich/Berlin. The BMW Group is the main partner of the Berlin International Film Festival, which opened today, for the third consecutive year. Around a hundred BMW Group vehicles will ensure that stars arrive at the red carpet in style. Besides current models, such as the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, BMW 7 Series sedans and the brand-new BMW 6 Series Gran Coupé, classic cars that have appeared in films themselves will also be on show. These will include the BMW 326 Convertible, seen in films like “The Tin Drum” made in 1936; the BMW 501 “Isar 12” car from “Funkstreife Isar 12” from 1960; and the BMW Z8 from “The World is Not Enough” released in 1999.

Throughout the film festival, ten up-and-coming European actors will be driven to events in MINIs they configured themselves as part of the “EFP SHOOTING STARS - Europe's best young actors” initiative. The MINI cars will be embellished with thought-provoking quotations and personalised logos to highlight the young actors’ creative potential.

With a view of the red carpet outside the Berlinale Palace, the BMW Golden Bear Lounge will once again be the place for filmmakers, stars and media from around the world to meet this year. The lounge inside the Grand Hyatt Berlin – which will also host events and film talks – features a specially-equipped “TV corner” for interviews and commentary. Accreditation, scheduling and further information are available from press@bmw-lounge.de.

Services: TV footage and media information

Copyright-free footage for your editorial reporting will be available for download free-of-charge from 9 Feb. 2012 via the following link:

http://kunden.bylauterbach.com ( User name: Berlinale2012 / Password: BMW)

The latest press releases and photo material can be found in the BMW PressClub at

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/pressclub/p/pcgl/startpage.html

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI, Husqvarna Motorcycles  and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2011, the BMW Group sold about1.67 million cars and more than 113,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. At 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

 The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

 For more than four decades, the BMW Group has been consistently committed to cinema and TV within the creative and cultural landscape. Product placement is an important element here that has played an essential role in our long-term image and product communication from the very beginning. However, this commitment is not limited just to television and film productions; the BMW Group also supports the industry's teaching facilities and countless industry events – from major, top-class film festivals through to small but ambitious cinema days.

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If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Almut Stollberg, Business Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-38770, Fax: +49 89 382-24418,

almut.stollberg@bmw.de

Alexander Bilgeri, head of Business, Finance and Sustainability Communications

Telephone: +49 89 382-24544, Fax: +49 89 382-24418, alexander.bilgeri@bmw.de

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com

Email: presse@bmw.de