GERMANY FROM ABOVE
THE MOTION PICTURE
This spectacular film takes viewers on a journey of a special kind — discovering Germany from a bird’s-eye view through impressive and enchanting images of a picturesque land. Crisp, lavishly produced aerial footage invites the audience on an exhilarating flight. See Germany as you have never seen it before.
Fly with us over a country seen anew. Breathtaking and often surprising, the aerial footage takes the audience on a journey of discovery — gliding over a land that reveals its variety and beauty in ways only possible from above. From the Wadden Sea to the Watzmann, from Frankfurt’s skyline to the Elbe, from the smelting plants along the Rhine near Duisburg to the vast lunar landscapes of the open-pit mines in eastern Germany, from mountain goats in the Alps to baby seals in the dunes of Helgoland.
Seen from above, you gain a new sense of the networks and seemingly peaceful coexistence of nature and civilisation — medieval city walls alongside futuristic skyscrapers, power stations and farmland, tractors threading through open fields. Germany From Above follows the rhythm of the four seasons: from the Alpine peaks in deep snow to charming historic towns in early spring, from Munich and Berlin in summer to the storm-lashed North Sea in winter. We look into the eyes of migrating storks and wild geese, and soar with white-tailed eagles through the Elbe Valley. This film shows us that the sky above no longer just belongs to birds: wingsuit jumpers convey the pure ecstasy of free flight, the manoeuvres of aerobatic gliders is mesmerizing, and the sight of base jumpers leaping from the top of a Frankfurt skyscraper give any viewer goosebumps.
From above, you gain a clearer view of the country — of its past and present. Through sophisticated satellite animations we trace the routes of seals on the island of Helgoland as they forage out to sea, watch the dance of aircraft contrails across Germany, witness the birth of Regensburg from a Roman fort, and see what British pilots might have seen as they bombed Hamburg in 1943 and almost burnt the entire city.
A smash success in movie theatres, in stunning Cinemascope format, and frequently performed live in philharmonic halls, with the original score played by a full symphonic orchestra.
Fly with us over a country seen anew. Breathtaking and often surprising, the aerial footage takes the audience on a journey of discovery — gliding over a land that reveals its variety and beauty in ways only possible from above. From the Wadden Sea to the Watzmann, from Frankfurt’s skyline to the Elbe, from the smelting plants along the Rhine near Duisburg to the vast lunar landscapes of the open-pit mines in eastern Germany, from mountain goats in the Alps to baby seals in the dunes of Helgoland.
Seen from above, you gain a new sense of the networks and seemingly peaceful coexistence of nature and civilisation — medieval city walls alongside futuristic skyscrapers, power stations and farmland, tractors threading through open fields. Germany From Above follows the rhythm of the four seasons: from the Alpine peaks in deep snow to charming historic towns in early spring, from Munich and Berlin in summer to the storm-lashed North Sea in winter. We look into the eyes of migrating storks and wild geese, and soar with white-tailed eagles through the Elbe Valley. This film shows us that the sky above no longer just belongs to birds: wingsuit jumpers convey the pure ecstasy of free flight, the manoeuvres of aerobatic gliders is mesmerizing, and the sight of base jumpers leaping from the top of a Frankfurt skyscraper give any viewer goosebumps.
From above, you gain a clearer view of the country — of its past and present. Through sophisticated satellite animations we trace the routes of seals on the island of Helgoland as they forage out to sea, watch the dance of aircraft contrails across Germany, witness the birth of Regensburg from a Roman fort, and see what British pilots might have seen as they bombed Hamburg in 1943 and almost burnt the entire city.
A smash success in movie theatres, in stunning Cinemascope format, and frequently performed live in philharmonic halls, with the original score played by a full symphonic orchestra.
Facts
115 minutes
Official FBW quality ranking: „Precious“
More than 200,000 spectators in theatres, open airs and philharmonic halls.
Original movie Soundtrack available for download only on iTunes, Amazon and all major download services throughout the world
Great Film Premiere: 4th June 2012 with the Essen Philharmonic Orchestra at Germany‘s biggest movie theatre, Lichtburg in Essen
First regular showing: 5th June 2012 at the Abaton movie theatre, Hamburg
Official release: 7th June 2012, throughout Germany in 170 copies
Joint distributors of the original movie version:
Walt Disney and Bertelsmann-Universum
DVD/Bluray available with English narration by South-african actress Jenny Stead
Special International-DVD (no area restriction) comes with narrated versions available in: German, English, Italian and Japanese - plus subtitles in: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Japanese
International distribution: Orange Smarty in Brighton, U.K.
Credits
Written, directed and produced by: Petra Höfer, Freddie Röckenhaus
Aerial camera operators: Peter Thompson, Irmin Kerck
Editing: Johannes Fritsche
Line Producer: Svenja Mandel
Executive Producer: Alexander Hesse
Narration: Benjamin Völz
Original score composed by: Boris Salchow
Senior Producers: Kay Schlasse, Francesca D’Amicis
Art Director CGI: Andy Davies-Coward
Graphic Effects: Roland Maurischat, Dave Corfield, Liz Elkington, Craig Howard
Helicopter Pilots: Hans Ostler, Werner Greipl, Julian Kott, Bernd Brucherseifer, David Liess, Dieter Lehr
Original score recorded by the Symphonic Orchestra: Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, Recklinghausen
Associate Producers: Peter Arens, Friederike Haedecke, Katharina Rau (ZDF)
Co-Funded by: Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
