On Sunday May 21, ARRI hosted a pre-100th anniversary party at Cannes on the Plage Quinzaine. ARRI Managing Directors Dr. Joerg Pohlman and Franz Kraus announced the larger presence of ARRI in France: not only at Cannes but also with the opening of a new ARRI facility in Paris. It will be run by Natasza Chroscicki and Natacha Vlatkovic and the official name is ARRI CT (Cine Technik) France.

ARRI will have an office space for Camera Systems and Lighting as well as space for ALEXA 65 camera systems from ARRI Rental. “Considering that the French film industry is one of the strongest and most prestigious in the world, we are very pleased about expanding our capabilities in this important film market,” said Joerg Pohlman.

I thought this had been a “done deal” for many years. But it turns out the marketing and business development for the ARRI brand in France was done by the two Nataszas (Natachas) via their company Imageworks. ARRI CT France will be moving into a new office in central Paris near the Place de la République. It will have a boutique showroom displaying Camera and Lighting products, and also space for demos and training.

ARRI’s 100th anniversry officially begins in September 2017, but there are a number of pre-parties scheduled between now and then. Several hundred guests joined ARRI on the beach at Cannes: