interview

"Aurel Bischoff founded the firm as an independent subsidiary of the old Constantin Film in 1949. At that time Exportfilm Bischoff - according to the documents I have - was the biggest German export firm with a large number of employees, of whom several later founded their own export firms or are still working for other firms in this field of business today", says president Jochem Strate, "I myself joined them much later".
"In any case, at that time Exportfilm Bischoff", continues Strate, "had a large selection of films on offer, because each year the firm automatically received the whole batch for export from the old Constantin distributors". Business flourished until the bankruptcy of old Constantin, which Exportfilm Bischoff, as an independent firm, was not directly involved in." Strate, who was working as a solicitor in Münster at that time, was brought to Exportfilm by the shareholders in 1979. "Actually, at that time I was only contracted to keep the firm going until as much money as possible had run into it from the bankruptcy".

But Jochem Strate saw things differently: "I said then - I'm not interested in administrating something until it breathes its last breath. I only wanted the job if they allowed me to put the firm back on its feet and get it going again. And in the time that followed, that is what I did".

Basically, the new beginning meant completely reconstructing the firm, with new contacts and new products. Strate aimed for specific niches in the market. A first great success was Frank Ripploh's Taxi zum Klo (1981). Exportfilm Bischoff sold films by directors such as Rosa von Praunheim, Ulrike Ottinger, Herbert Achternbusch or Helke Sander.

"These new niche-films were difficult, but I found that exciting", says Strate. "And as I learnt with Taxi zum Klo: if a film meets with interest, picks up on the signs of the times, then it is possible to distribute it everywhere at any time. But if a film is difficult, then you need excellent personal contacts".

And how do you establish these contacts? "With the goods we sell, personal relations count. I have always thought it better to visit my business partners in their offices and to get to know them privately - festivals without the pressure of sales fairs are particularly suitable for that. You get to know the buyers and their preferences, and you don't bother them with films that they are not going to be interested in".

But all the specialist knowledge in the world counts for nothing in face of changing trends. "When the AIDS hysteria began, the interest in Gay and Lesbian films died out from one day to the next". Exportfilm moved on to the sale of children's and young people's films for the cinema. "But unfortunately, not enough films of this nature were made for the cinema. In addition, the sales statistics were not really sufficient to secure a future for us (and for the producers)".

In the 90s, the competition with other firms also searching for new goods increased, too. "It might be roughly compared with today's situation in the cinemas; the big multiplexes are also beginning to show film art, and are therefore taking these specialist wares away from the smaller concerns".

Strate began to seek new niches, and "in 1991 I took over the distribution of Greek films from the Greek Film Center". Whilst the Greek episode is already a thing of the past for Exportfilm (in the meantime the Greek Film Center has founded its own export firm), Strate now organises "the export and import of Spanish films through a representative in Spain".

How does Strate - who has taken on more work in the solicitor's office Strate and Zauleck in recent years, and is also a committed manager of film productions - see the future for Exportfilm? "Today the firm is facing another new beginning. In 1985, my partner - a Swiss bank - left the firm, and I was able to take over the remaining shares", Strate says.

"A firm like ours", he says, "must be able, so to speak, to make, to measure or to attract the goods which it wishes to distribute successfully". Philip Evenkamp, the company owner's son, has now come aboard. He has completed his studies at the Munich Academy of TV and Film and is working successfully in film production. The long-term aim is to produce the films which they want to export themselves. Strate: "These are tasks for the future, which Philip will be taking over more and more".


		Exportfilm Bischoff Year of foundation 1949 Offices/representatives abroad Barcelona President Jochem Strate Managing Director Mechthild Evenkamp Head of Sales Philip Evenkamp Main fields of activity world-wide distribution of feature films, documentaries and shorts. Regular participation at the following international TV and film fairs International Film Festival Berlin, film festivals of Cannes, Venice, San Sebastian and Thessaloniki Number of titles on offer around 600 Percentage of German titles on offer around 60%
	Jochem Strate		Philip Evenkamp
"Aurel Bischoff founded the firm as an independent subsidiary of the old Constantin Film in 1949. At that time Exportfilm Bischoff - according to the documents I have - was the biggest German export firm with a large number of employees, of whom several later founded their own export firms or are still working for other firms in this field of business today", says president Jochem Strate, "I myself joined them much later". "In any case, at that time Exportfilm Bischoff", continues Strate, "had a large selection of films on offer, because each year the firm automatically received the whole batch for export from the old Constantin distributors". Business flourished until the bankruptcy of old Constantin, which Exportfilm Bischoff, as an independent firm, was not directly involved in." Strate, who was working as a solicitor in Münster at that time, was brought to Exportfilm by the shareholders in 1979. "Actually, at that time I was only contracted to keep the firm going until as much money as possible had run into it from the bankruptcy". But Jochem Strate saw things differently: "I said then - I'm not interested in administrating something until it breathes its last breath. I only wanted the job if they allowed me to put the firm back on its feet and get it going again. And in the time that followed, that is what I did". Basically, the new beginning meant completely reconstructing the firm, with new contacts and new products. Strate aimed for specific niches in the market. A first great success was Frank Ripploh's Taxi zum Klo (1981). Exportfilm Bischoff sold films by directors such as Rosa von Praunheim, Ulrike Ottinger, Herbert Achternbusch or Helke Sander. "These new niche-films were difficult, but I found that exciting", says Strate. "And as I learnt with Taxi zum Klo: if a film meets with interest, picks up on the signs of the times, then it is possible to distribute it everywhere at any time. But if a film is difficult, then you need excellent personal contacts". And how do you establish these contacts? "With the goods we sell, personal relations count. I have always thought it better to visit my business partners in their offices and to get to know them privately - festivals without the pressure of sales fairs are particularly suitable for that. You get to know the buyers and their preferences, and you don't bother them with films that they are not going to be interested in". But all the specialist knowledge in the world counts for nothing in face of changing trends. "When the AIDS hysteria began, the interest in Gay and Lesbian films died out from one day to the next". Exportfilm moved on to the sale of children's and young people's films for the cinema. "But unfortunately, not enough films of this nature were made for the cinema. In addition, the sales statistics were not really sufficient to secure a future for us (and for the producers)". In the 90s, the competition with other firms also searching for new goods increased, too. "It might be roughly compared with today's situation in the cinemas; the big multiplexes are also beginning to show film art, and are therefore taking these specialist wares away from the smaller concerns". Strate began to seek new niches, and "in 1991 I took over the distribution of Greek films from the Greek Film Center". Whilst the Greek episode is already a thing of the past for Exportfilm (in the meantime the Greek Film Center has founded its own export firm), Strate now organises "the export and import of Spanish films through a representative in Spain". How does Strate - who has taken on more work in the solicitor's office Strate and Zauleck in recent years, and is also a committed manager of film productions - see the future for Exportfilm? "Today the firm is facing another new beginning. In 1985, my partner - a Swiss bank - left the firm, and I was able to take over the remaining shares", Strate says. "A firm like ours", he says, "must be able, so to speak, to make, to measure or to attract the goods which it wishes to distribute successfully". Philip Evenkamp, the company owner's son, has now come aboard. He has completed his studies at the Munich Academy of TV and Film and is working successfully in film production. The long-term aim is to produce the films which they want to export themselves. Strate: "These are tasks for the future, which Philip will be taking over more and more".