OREANDA-NEWS. From Myanmar through the Swiss Alps to the northernmost tip of Canada in just 120 minutes: This year’s European Outdoor Film Tour (E.O.F.T.) got underway at BMW Welt. Around 600 guests were invited to enjoy a hugely varied journey through the world of outdoor sports. The current programme will tour 15 European countries between October 2016 and February 2017, presenting a total of seven fascinating documentary films, which can only be viewed in this form on the big screen at the E.O.F.T. BMW is once again the project’s committed mobility partner. A number of the protagonists and filmmakers attended the premiere, including mountain biker Harald Philipp; mountaineer David Lama; climbers Ben Ditto, Nicolas Favresse, Se?n Villanueva and Bob Shepton; steep skier J?r?mie Heitz; Alpine journalist Mark Jenkins and stuntman and wingsuit pilot Matt Blank.

Real adventures, real cinematic art

Viewers in the BMW Welt Auditorium were impressed by the emotional and authentic stories told by the seven film teams showcasing the protagonists and their sport. Under the motto “This is Real!”, the films of up to 30 minutes in length were filmed without scripts, without actors and without special effects. The result is an impressive combination of genuine adventures and true passion that is sure to enthral fans of outdoor sports throughout the remaining stages of the tour.

BMW Group involvement in sports

BMW has been the official automotive partner of the European Outdoor Film Tour since 2013. BMW Welt is a regular stop on the tour and was chosen to host this year’s world premiere. BMW also uses this cooperation as a stage to display its products and technologies to an active and sporty target audience. This year, the focus is on the intelligent all-wheel-drive system, BMW xDrive, which guarantees exceptional handling and precise traction both on-road and off, on any surface, and makes BMW xDrive ideal for outdoor sports.

The European Outdoor Film Tour, one of outdoor films’ most prestigious events, presents an ideal opportunity: Last year alone, more than 200,000 people attended the showings.

“The European Outdoor Film Tour and BMW have formed a strong partnership that’s a really good fit,” explains Bernd K?rber, head of Brand Strategy BMW. “Outdoor sports thrive on passion, achieving maximum performance and the pure joy of being in motion, just like BMW. We are delighted to support the E.O.F.T.”

In recent years, BMW has gradually expanded its involvement in outdoor and mountain sports across Europe to include long-term cooperation with renowned ski resorts and partners from the sports and outdoor industries, as well as support for a large number of projects in this field, such as the partnership with European Outdoor Film Tour launched in 2013.