New BMW Films Production ‘The Calm’, Starring Pom Klementieff, Uma Thurman, and the 100% Electric BMW i7 M70 xDrive to Make World Premiere in Cannes.

• Most powerful and luxurious fully electric BMW model ever stars alongside A-list cast at 76th Cannes Film Festival.
• Latest edition to BMW Films franchise is produced by Joseph Kosinski, directed Sam Hargrave, and features a score by award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
• BMW returns as Official Automotive Partner of 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – May 12, 2023…The first BMW Films production in seven years will celebrate its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival in France. The short film ‘The Calm’ offers audiences a thrilling dose of Hollywood action on board the new fully electric BMW i7 M70 xDrive. BMW’s range-topping electric vehicle will be at the center of the film’s most exciting scenes, which stars Pom Klementieff (‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ series) and Uma Thurman (‘Kill Bill’ series).

The premiere of ‘The Calm’ represents the next chapter in the illustrious BMW Films series. With Joseph Kosinski (‘Top Gun: Maverick’) taking executive producer credits and Sam Hargrave (‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’) in the director’s chair, the seven-minute film has been shaped by cinematic masterminds familiar to fans. In the sound department, BMW has collaborated once again with two-time Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer to develop the score for ‘The Calm’. The legendary composer is also responsible for the in-car sounds inside the BMW i7 and some of BMW’s other newest electrified models.

“To be able to be a part BMW Films’ legacy of creative filmmaking was an incredible opportunity,” said ‘The Calm’s’ executive producer, Joseph Kosinski. “What Sam Hargrave has put together with Uma, Pom and the rest of the cast and crew is a perfect evolution of what BMW Films has always strived to deliver to fans. We are honored to work with BMW for the return of this celebrated franchise.”

In ‘The Calm’, Pom Klementieff and Uma Thurman play a pair of secret agents who have been summoned to a meeting in Cannes. Before their objective can be completed, the duo is confronted separately by mysterious adversaries. Klementieff narrowly escapes a hijacking after an action-packed tussle in the rear of the BMW i7 M70 xDrive. Later on, she discovers that Thurman has had a similar altercation (off-screen) in her hotel room, prompting the pair to team up. With gripping suspense that will be familiar to BMW Films fans, the two combine their efforts in the Hotel Martinez to piece together their secret mission.

“BMW Films is an integral part of BMW’s rich history within the world of cinema,” said Jens Thiemer, Senior Vice President Customer & Brand BMW. “With the debut of ‘The Calm’ at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, we welcome back an important part of our legacy. The creative and innovative nature of this short film showcases the cutting-edge approach this series has taken since the beginning. Bringing the franchise back in 2023 with two powerful female leads feels especially poignant. And the fact that our fully electric vehicles are at the sharp end of the world’s first ever completely silent car chase sequence gives ‘The Calm’ an additional relevance.”

“We’re thrilled for all film fans to experience ‘The Calm’,” said Stefan Ponikva, Vice President Brand Communication and Brand Experience BMW. “When we started out with this project, we knew we had to build a new chapter of a series with rich history and high standards. We’re proud to be furthering this tradition with a new compelling addition, and I am convinced this comeback will give both new and existing fans a lot of satisfaction!”

On May 17th, ‘The Calm’ will make its world premiere exclusively in the rear passenger area of the all-electric BMW i7 luxury sedan on the BMW Theatre Screen—a 31-inch 8K panoramic display that extends down from the headliner and spans across the width of the interior. The integrated Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System with 36 speakers will also add to the unparalleled entertainment in the second row of seats.  As Official Automotive Partner of the festival, BMW will mobilize more than 200 fully electric vehicles to transport guests and transform the luxury sedans into exclusive private cinema lounges to deliver an unforgettable premiere experience.

‘The Calm’ is the latest installment in the long history of BMW Films productions. ‘The Hire’—a series of short films acclaimed by fans and critics alike—marked its place as a maverick in the digital film space before social media platforms existed in the early 2000s. It was released exclusively online at BMWfilms.com and generated over 100 million online views before the proliferation of YouTube. More recently, ‘The Escape’ captivated audiences in 2016 with suspenseful story themes of love, war, fear, and death. ‘The Calm’ continues the established tradition of BMW Films productions employing some of Hollywood’s best and brightest directing talents.

Film fans will be able to enjoy the full-length version of ‘The Calm’ on the BMW YouTube channel starting May 17, 2023. For a preview of what’s to come BMW enthusiasts can check out a teaser of the film on BMW’s social media channels.

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BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; Designworks, a strategic design consultancy based in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is the BMW Group global center of competence for BMW X models and manufactures the X3, X4, X5, X6 and X7 Sports Activity Vehicles as well as the BMW XM. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 350 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers,146 BMW motorcycle retailers, 104 MINI passenger car dealers, and 38 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

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Journalist note:

Information about BMW Group and its products in the USA is available to journalists on-line at www.bmwusanews.com, www.miniusanews.com and www.press.bmwna.com. 

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