The Drees & Sommer image film THE BLUE WAY, Next Exit received no less than six awards for its unique storyline and production at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards 2020. The accolades include the highest of all, the White Dolphin, which is awarded only once among all the Gold winners from the total of 850 entries submitted. Cinecore Motion Pictures GmbH, the firm that Drees & Sommer commissioned to produce the image film, also received the highest award as best production company, in the form of the Blue Dolphin. THE BLUE WAY, Next Exit also cleaned up two Gold awards in the categories ‘Image Films’ and ‘Corporate Videos’, and two Black awards in the technical categories ‘Best Camera’ and ‘Best Sound Design’. The Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards were presented on November 24, 2020 in a virtual ceremony.
Watch the new film: THE BLUE WAY | Next Exit
The award-winning film was produced to mark Drees & Sommer’s 50th anniversary; it presents the company’s vision for the next 50 years. The uniting of opposites is a central theme: ecology and economics, efficiency and wellbeing, tradition and future, analog and digital. ‘The film showcases what is in our company’s DNA. We are optimistic for the future, successfully innovative and sustainable,‘ explained Steffen Szeidl, Member of the Executive Board at Drees & Sommer SE.
In addition to two Gold Dolphins in the categories ‘Image Films’ and ‘Corporate Videos’ and two Black Dolphins in the technical categories ‘Best Camera’ and ‘Best Sound Design’, the Drees & Sommer image film also won the Grand Prix of the competition – the White Dolphin. It is the highest award among all the Gold winners out of a total of 850 entries received from all over Europe. ‚Packing 50 years of Drees & Sommer into an image film – that was a major challenge. We did not want any self-glorification or a glossy film; instead, we aimed to communicate in an honest, positive, genuine and forward-thinking way. After our briefings and the first storyboards, I felt that I was being 100% understood by Cinecore, making me very confident about getting on with it – the result now speaks for itself,‘ said Sandra Brand, Head of Corporate Communications at Drees & Sommer.
The Stuttgart-based film production company Cinecore, which was also responsible for the script and production of the film, received the only Blue Dolphin for the film as the most successful production company of the year. ’While involved in production, directing, engaging and integrating international artists during corona times and in dialog with the client, I always had the certainty that we were creating something very special – and I’m delighted to receive this recognition,’ said Steffen Kienzle, Managing Director at Cinecore.
The film was made over one and a half years, with nine days of shooting in Germany and eight days in Hong Kong. ‘This award confirms to us that quality, sustainability and meaningfulness have always been, and will continue to be, true values in contrast to fast superficial consumption,’ emphasized Cinecore Managing Director Rolf Hailer. Max Buck, director of the film THE BLUE WAY, Next Exit, added: ‘The client’s trust enabled me to bring my deepest convictions to the screen.’ The film was premiered at Drees & Sommer on June 18, 2020 at an internal digital event with an audience of 3,700 employees. In addition to the company founder Professor Dr. Hans Sommer, the film has a cast of six actors.