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Montblanc might be the only voice-over I’ve ever written which I actually still like in retrospect. Usually, when I’m done with a project, my mind finds a million ways to improve things. That’s how you grow.

The main film was part of a campaign for the new opening of the Montblanc Haus in Hamburg, a beautiful piece of architecture dedicated to the history of writing as well as writing history. The campaign at hand was aimed at an intellectual and wealthy Chinese audience, fond of literature and all things written.

I wrote the first draft of the script while being awfully hungover in a production van on my way to a shoot in Berlin. I stumbled upon an inspiring contemporary piano piece on Spotify, which I just put on repeat. There was a beautiful feeling of melancholy, limerence with life, beauty, sadness, and possible futures in it, which I’ve tried to translate into written words.

The soundtrack was composed within days by Friso (Dubbeld), a superb young musician, and recorded on a slightly broken piano, adding a rich yet vulnerable texture to the film.

The whole thing was filmed and directed by the brilliant Axel Stasny, who is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met. He pours his heart and keen mind into beautiful and thought-provoking documentary work. No wonder he got shortlisted for the Academy Awards in 2023 for the documentary “Camp Courage” (it’s on Netflix).

Montblanc was also supposed to be my “farewell project” at that production firm. I didn’t make it to set because I caught a bad case of COVID on my final business trip a couple of days prior.

It’s an interesting way to leave. I think part of me was relieved to not have a big farewell party of sorts. I just left after I did my job well one last time. There is something calm and satisfying to that, too, I guess.