BMW Films returns with “The Escape”. Tribute film with Clive Owen and Dakota Fanning premieres on BMWFilms.com on 23 October.

Munich / Woodcliff Lake. The new short film “The Escape”, featuring Clive Owen, Dakota Fanning, Jon Bernthal and Vera Farmiga, will premiere on BMWFilms.com on 23 October. The film continues in the tradition of “The Hire”, a series of unique short films released between 2001 and 2002 that created a stir on the international marketing scene and beyond: The eight films, aired in two seasons, realised a totally new approach.

David Fincher, who was already well-known as the director of films such as “The Game” with Michael Douglas and “Fight Club” with Brad Pitt, executive produced the first series. Renowned authors, directors and actors brought gripping stories to life. In each film, British actor Clive Owen played the lead role alongside a BMW. The supposedly most popular film of the first season titled “Star” featured Madonna as Clive Owen’s “passenger” in a BMW M5. The second series, which was released in 2002, was executive produced by cult Hollywood producers Ridley and Tony Scott.

15 years on, BMWFilms.com returns with a tribute film, once again featuring Clive Owen behind the wheel and also starring Dakota Fanning (“War of the Worlds,” “I am Sam”), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,” “Daredevil”) and Vera Farmiga (“The Departed,” “Up in the Air”). The film was directed by South African director and Academy Award® nominee Neill Blomkamp (“District 9”, “Elysium”) and realised for BMW North America by Geisel Productions, New York.

“The Escape” will premiere on Sunday, 23 October 2016, at 12.00 CET on BMWFilms.com.

“I firmly believe that 'Sheer Driving Pleasure' can be communicated effectively through emotional stories and that, by this, we can strengthen our BMW brand’s core values. With a Hollywood-quality realisation, global stars, an Academy Award® nominated director and a consistent 'online first' approach, we are once again setting new standards for content marketing,” explained Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW. “The new short film 'The Escape' is designed as an homage to the 15th anniversary of 'The Hire'. Clive Owen was keen from the start when he heard of our plans. We are delighted to have Clive on board again – with his style and coolness he is perfect for the role.”

“The Hire” – the original BMW short-film series with eight unique episodes

Season 1 of “The Hire” premiered on BMWFilms.com on 26 April 2001 with John Frankenheimer’s “Ambush,” followed by “Chosen” from Ang Lee, who would go on to win Academy Awards® for “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi.”  The third film in the series, “The Follow,” was directed by Wong Kar-wai and featured Forest Whitaker, Adriana Lima and Mickey Rourke. Completing Season 1 was Guy Ritchie’s “Star,” featuring pop icon Madonna, and “Powder Keg,” starring Stellan Skarsgård and directed by then up-and-comer and current multiple Academy Award® winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Season 1 was executive produced by David Fincher (“The Social Network,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and was viewed over 11 million times in four months.

Season 2 of “The Hire” was executive produced by Tony and Ridley Scott and debuted in October 2002 with Tony Scott’s “Beat the Devil”, starring soul legend James Brown, with Gary Oldman as the devil. John Woo’s “Hostage” featuring Maury Chaykin, and Joe Carnahan’s “The Ticker”, with Don Cheadle, completed the series.

Acclaim for “The Hire” series

“The Hire” was released exclusively online at BMWFilms.com and received more than 100 million views prior to the proliferation of high-speed internet connectivity and introduction of YouTube.

After the first two films in “The Hire” series premiered online, Wong Kar-wai’s third film, “The Follow,” made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2001 to critical acclaim. The media also praised “The Hire”. The New York Times wrote that the films “tingle with zest”, while Time magazine added that it “deserves the attention of discerning movie watchers”.

“The Hire” inspired the Cannes International Advertising Festival to create the Titanium Lion in 2003, to honor creative ideas that point to a new direction for the industry and redefine the creative landscape. Besides taking home the inaugural Titanium Lion, the films went on to win the top honour in virtually every creative competition. They were named “The Best of the Digital Decade” by The One Show in 2011 and accepted into the Clios Hall of Fame in 2009. “The Hire“ series was inducted into the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in 2003.

BMWFilms.com online

“The Escape” will premiere on Sunday, 23 October 2016, at 12.00 CET on BMWFilms.com. Already today, you can see the sneak peek on BMWFilms.com.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Bernhard Ederer, Business and Finance Communications, Marketing Telephone: + 49 89 382-28556, Fax: + 49 89 382-24418 Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com

Ralph Huber, Head of Product Communications BMW Telephone: +49 89 382-68778 Ralph.Huber@bmwgroup.com

The BMW Group

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.

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