This past year was like a box of chocolates — we never knew what we were going to get. In this post, Emmanuel Sprauel, president of Angénieux, reflects on this uncertainty and how it impacted the film industry and our company. Now looking forward with renewed positivity to the Cannes Film Festival as official partners for the 8th consecutive year, we know 2 things we will certainly get: the full Optimo Prime Series and the celebration of Agnès Godard at the Pierre Angénieux Tribute ceremony.
A heartful reunion
What a joy to be back in the studio, back on location, back at the film festivals! We may be masked and socially distanced, but we’re joyful nonetheless, and full of energy and excitement after a year of terrible doubt and uncertainty for many in the industry. But let’s not dwell on the past — hopefully the worst is now behind us. Suffice it to say that my thoughts are with everyone who has struggled through these trying times and for the losses they have suffered.
This is a very special reunion for all of us at Angénieux, and I can’t wait to attend the latest edition of the Festival de Cannes, which is promoting artistic creation, cinematographic culture and the film industry all over the world, all that the brand Angénieux has the honor to support.
Our people have put their hearts and souls into celebrating this happy occasion and I thank them for their work. Our new Optimo Prime set is now fully available on the market, and we are proud to be presenting the full series at Cannes. The Optimo Prime Series is a collection of 12 high-end fixed lenses Full Frame that marks the beginning of a new era for Angénieux — or should I say a return to our roots, because the very first lenses designed by Pierre Angénieux were primes, and they hadn’t been in production for more than 50 years.
We will also be celebrating the career of an outstanding director of photography, as we have done eight times since 2013, with the Pierre Angénieux Tribute, the master engineer who crafted the origins of our industry more than 80 years ago.
This year we are proud and honoured to recognise the remarkable talent of French cinematographer Agnès Godard. Because beyond our influential history and fabulous products, the pride and attachment I feel for Angénieux are rooted in the value of our contribution to the aesthetic experience, to the art of expressing the sublime in creative images that evoke our deepest emotions. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to dedicate this prestigious ceremony to the talent of an artist with a unique vision of the sublime and an uncanny power to express the inexpressible.
So this first-ever midsummer edition of the Festival de Cannes is set to be a happy and heartful reunion. I know that all the teams at Angénieux share my emotion and enthusiasm, and I want to thank them most sincerely for the expertise they bring to bear on the enduring excellence of the Angénieux brand.
Of course Cannes is only part of the story. Almost everywhere, cinemagoers, film crews and exhibitors are sharing the same happiness as their lives begin to get back on track.
So let's all come together to keep cinema thriving, care for our common cultural heritage and celebrate the unique gift of breathing new life into images to reveal their subtle meaning.
Emmanuel Sprauel
