‘Interstellar’ in the Alps: The Story of Porsche Design’s Rugged Mountain Adventure

A shaky camera. Hands clinging to rock. A gasp for breath. The opening to Porsche Design’s Chronograph campaign is nothing if not cinematic.

Set among the Austrian Alps, what’s unleashed is a gritty race to the summit inspired by Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi adventure ‘Interstellar’, starring Norwegian skier and double Olympic gold medallist Aksel Lund Svindal. With a cameo from a majestic horse, just for good measure.

But the battle at the mercy of the elements extends behind the screen: led by director Thomas Van Kristen through BONAPARTE, the production crew had to lug equipment through rain and snow, sunshine and total darkness, wild terrain and waterfalls, to capture the perfect shot. 

Read on to find out how Thomas envisioned this campaign of resilience, and what trials and tribulations were endured to succeed.

LBB> Thomas, what was your reaction when you first encountered the brief for this project?

Thomas Van Kristen> Suddenly getting the chance to go back to my roots in the Austrian Alps where my love for photography began, I couldn't help but get excited about the opportunity. I decided to shake things up a bit and wrote quite an ambitious script for our one-day shoot on the highest mountain in Austria. 

LBB> What message is Porsche Design is trying to convey, and how does the film tell this story?

Thomas> The Porsche Design watch is practically invincible. So, naturally, I thought, why not throw our protagonist into the wildest, harshest outdoors where he must endure and conquer the elements. It's a story of resilience, adventure, and the unbreakable spirit - just like the watch itself. 

LBB> Where did you look to for inspiration?

Thomas> I watched 'Interstellar' from Christopher Nolan. By the end, I’d cried a couple of times, but was highly inspired by it. I came back to our project, looked at our budget and started to cry again.

LBB> Tell us about working with skiing legend Aksel Lund Svindal - how did you get the best performance from him? What was the dynamic like on set?

Thomas> We met just a day before the shooting in a hotel, he immediately grasped the assignment and enthusiastically participated in all sorts of stunts with us. We were faking heavy climbing on a small rock and had him acting under the cascading waterfall at midnight, with a loud light drone hovering above him to illuminate the scene. That was truly a beautiful experience, and looked even better in real life than in the film. In this particular scene, Aksel even kindly reminded me to take some photos since it was 'one of a kind'. So I couldn't have asked for a better cast.

LBB> It couldn’t have been easy hauling equipment over rough terrain and shooting in the dark - what was that experience like?

Thomas> For me, dealing with the uncontrollable weather conditions was the toughest part. Scouting locations and then not being able to shoot on the day due to weather was tricky. It demanded us to be super flexible and spontaneous.

LBB> Adding to that, how did you navigate the challenge of working in the dark - with horses?

Thomas> Given the scale of the project, we simply approached a farmer near our hotel and asked if we could film his horses at night before the shooting day. It was just Patrick (the DP), the farmer, the horse, and me, holding the portable lamp. The project just demanded a lot of do-it-yourself solutions to make the most out of it.

LBB> How does the film encapsulate the type of work you're keen to create?

Thomas> I'm absolutely passionate about delving deeper into storytelling and exploring more world-building too. Despite the challenges surrounding our shoot and the limited possibilities, I hope this film at least captures a unique tone and feeling, making it feel like its own distinct world.

LBB> Finally, what did you most enjoy about the overall experience, and what lessons will you bring with you to future projects?

Thomas> I definitely learned that pulling off a proper 'Interstellar'-inspired commercial in the Alps requires more time and money. Despite the challenges, I enjoyed the experience of working with a great team in such a breathtaking environment.