|
When founded by Ernst Liesenhoff and Hanns Eckelkamp in 1967, Atlas Film & TV Produktion’s primary function was to produce German theatrical feature films. Embedded in a network consisting of theatrical distribution and international sales, Atlas Film & TV created German movies like “THE FOUR KEYS” and “PRECINCT DAVIDSWACHE”, both critically acclaimed and highly profitable then and now.
In 1972, Dieter Menz, at the time president and chairman of foreign sales company atlas international Film GmbH, bought all shares of Atlas Film & TV Produktion GmbH and moved it from Hamburg to Munich. Over the years this combination of an experienced sales organization, providing for realistic estimates on the commercial value of production projects and for fast recoupment of production cost, has proven successful and resulted in marketable product.
HARD FISTS, a tough Martial arts actioner in Chinese, Spanish, German Co-production, and CATHERINE CHERIE a German-Spanish Co-production, were both made by Atlas Film & TV for the Popcorn Cinemas all over the world.
In 1999, Atlas Film & TV ventured into international television productions with two high-budget Made for TV Movies, MANHUNT and CHECKMATE, produced in German- , British-, Austrian Coproduction and shot in English, with an American director and an international cast.
In addition to atlas Film & TV Produktion GmbH and atlas international Film GmbH the Menz family also owns American atlas international Films Inc, in New York and the production company Menz & Friends GmbH.
Dieter Menz, Owner and President of atlas Film & TV Produktion GmbH, is a lawyer who comes from a film family. His father Erich Menz opened his first own cinema in Berlin in 1927. He later became a director of cinemas owned by the massive UFA corporation before falling foul of the Nazi authorities. Subsequently, he started his own group of movie houses in 1934. After the war he went on to build cinemas in the city of Essen, which, until 1993, the Menz family owned and operated. Among these was the famous "Lichtburg", the biggest and best known cinema in Germany, at the time with a capacity of over 1.700 seats.
Apart from his sales activities, Dieter Menz has always been involved in film- and media politics. Since 1973, he has served as both chairman and member of the board of EXU (Export Union of German Film) and he is a long-time Chairman of the VDFE (Association of German Film Exporters).
As member of the German Producer’s Association, he has numerous times represented the Association at FIAPF meetings and has served in the German Oscar selection committee. For over 30 years he represented the German Filmexporters at the FFA (the Federal Film Subsidy Fund) where he was involved in the creation of various amendments to the German Film Subsidy Law. Starting early 2000 and for the following eight years, he served as board member of SPIO, the umbrella organization of all German Film Associations.
When time permits, he lectures at the HFF (University for Film and Television) in Munich on international sales of feature films.
In 1994, he co-founded EFEX, the Association of European Film Exporters e.V. and was elected its first president. Since 2006, Menz is a member of the board of directors of EFEA, the European Film Exporters Association in Paris.
|
|
 |
