Berlin-based sales agency Picture Tree Intl. (PTI) has forged a strategic partnership with Studio Hamburg Enterprises (SHE), which kicks off with jazz documentary “It Must Schwing! The Blue Note Story,” executive produced by Wim Wenders and directed by Eric Friedler.
The film is about the two young émigrés from Berlin, Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, who founded the iconic jazz label Blue Note Records in New York 80 years ago. The label’s stars included Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk and Quincy Jones. Pic makes its market premiere in Berlin.
“At a time when African-American musicians were discriminated against in the U.S., Blue Note Records respected them as artists and equals and thereby contributed to the civil-rights movement,” said Picture Tree in a statement.
PTI and SHE will present the film jointly as the start of a long-term cooperation that will focus on feature films and television formats.
SHE’s managing director Christian Rönsch said: “This is going to be a win-win scenario as together we can represent the best of both worlds within the content market: an expertise in high-end TV productions as well as marketing titles made for the big screen.”
PTI’s co-managing directors Andreas and Yuan Rothbauer commented: “In this fast-changing landscape of content distribution we strongly believe in strategic alliances of mutual benefit without diluting individual strengths.”
SHE is part of the Studio Hamburg group, which is active in all areas of the film and TV industry.