DW's Scorpions movie premieres in Berlin

Just before 11:30 p.m., standing ovations greeted Scorpions in Theater 3 of the Kulturbrauerei (Culture Brewery) in Berlin. Saluting the decades-old style of the hard rockers from Hanover, many visitors donned black leather with silver rivets. Scorpions have their loyal fan base, for whom being there for the premiere of the band’s first feature-length film was a must.

In 97 minutes, viewers get an inside look at the band's dynamics and the musicians' feelings. Over the course of the movie, the band members have a growing trust in the film makers and are rewarded for their honesty. Warm applause at the scene where it becomes clear that front man Klaus Meine has one of the few happy marriages in the rock business. The 66-year-old singer has been wed to his wife Gabi since 1977."It's a great moment of moviemaking in the truest sense of the word," said Rolf Rische, DW’s Head of Culture, after the screening. He'd had the idea for the film seven years ago and is gratified with the premiere. Klaus Meine also likes to recall their first conversation years ago, saying, "Now it’s 2015, we're standing here and have gone through it all together!"

Peter Limbourg, DW's Director General, was highly satisfied with "Forever and a Day," saying, "With productions like these, we can show the kinds of great things Germany has to offer." Limbourg elaborated on the parallels between the band and his international broadcaster: "Each, in its own way, is a kind of ambassador of Germany, and we do our part to carry that image abroad."

Intense collaboration

"Forever and a Day" follows the long farewell tour of Scorpions, enthusiastically celebrated from Bangkok to Moscow. It's no secret what happens at the end: the band hasn't disbanded after all. Instead, they're marking their 50th anniversary in 2015 with a new tour, a new album - and this movie. It was a long-term project: over a period of three years, the film crew met the quintet over and over again at stops on the tour in every part of the world. "They went in for the long haul - and that's why we wanted a director with whom we had the right chemistry," said Meine. That director was Katja von Garnier. Having first met the hard rockers over a dinner of asparagus at a countryside hotel, she discovered an interesting paradox: "They’re down to earth and on time," said von Garnier, "Yet they live according to the motto 'The sky's the limit.'"

The complexity of making the film was clear when all the partners participating appeared on stage. Along with DW, they included the film distribution company Tempest Film, production company DOKfilm Babelsberg, public television broadcasters ZDF and Arte, Nordmedia Film Promotion and FFA, the German film promotion corporation. All had agreed from the start that the film wouldn't be a run-of-the-mill tour documentary. Lead guitarist Matthias Jabs summed it up: "Who wants to know that a band has sold out another stadium?"

50 years in the service of hard rock

It's a story about music and friendship instead, with the band's secret of success being decades of mutual loyalty on the part of its members. The premiere audience was enthused: "The film is a salute to the band’s lifetime achievement," said Marcel Schleiff, filmmaker and hardrock expert. Most impressive, he felt, were the Super 8 films from the band's archive, never shown before.

Strong laughter was generated by band founder Rudolf Schenker's memories of the early days - such as the story of a performance at a tennis club that had been arranged by the unemployment agency, or the German rockers' overly punctual appearance at their first gig in Liverpool. The guitarist and songwriter felt in good hands with the director, saying, "She took off the Scorpions' macho mask, and behind it, revealed an entirely different band."

New energy

Most of all, the film is designed to appeal to its viewers - including those not otherwise interested in hard rock. It worked well at the premiere in Berlin. Klaus Meine admitted that his heart was beating a bit faster than normal. Also proud of the results, Matthias Jabs added with a smile: "If I know us, there will have to be a Part Two, 'cause we just never stop." DW's Rolf Rische is open to the idea: "Definitely - now that we've built a relationship of trust, you can work together in a completely different way."

But first, it's time for all the participants to collect their accolades. At every juncture of the 2015 world tour, the film will be shown in local movie theaters. With the premiere of "Forever and a Day," Scorpions' anniversary year got off to a ceremonious start.