«The German-born Björn Rühmann is known for his unforgettable characters and wholly unique story-worlds. He started his career as a creative in the advertising industry in Germany and later worked at TBWA Paris, where he won numerous awards year after year before he launched his directing career. As the co-founder of the lauded collective THE VIKINGS he found immediate success with his short film “MR. W” for Epuron promoting wind energy, offering smart storytelling following our black-clad gentle giant whose actions mimic those of actual wind. The spot has achieved cult-like status among industry insiders and is as admired today as it was upon its initial release where it won a Cannes Gold Lion and an Honorable Mention in Short Filmmaking at the Sundance Film Festival.
It wasn’t long until Björn ventured out on his own as a film director, striking a dry, absurdist tone while expressing his creative voice with a certain “German Präzision”. His work is sensitive and playfully unexpected and his film aesthetic shines through in his elegantly crafted imagery. He is equally at ease moving through realms of comedy and drama, always the ever-present observer of the minutiae and oddities of everyday life. True artists are ahead of the curve and it feels like the world is catching up to his off-kilter sensibility and style. It’s Björn’s world and we’re all living in it.»