"CINEMA FOR PEACE" Drives BMW

For UNICEF, against AIDS: charity gala of the Berlinale with BMW Formula One VIP auction prize

Munich/Berlin - February 14, 2006: It is the social highlight of the Berlinale: when Hollywood stars the likes of Richard Gere, Milla Jovovich, Sharon Stone, Christopher Lee and George Clooney arrive at the Konzerthaus am Gendarmenmarkt on Monday, 13 February, they will emerge from vehicles of the BMW brand. The international automotive group is providing the shuttle service for "Cinema for Peace" - the charity gala held in the context of the 56th International Film Festival, of which Eva Luise Köhler, the wife of the German President, is the patroness. In addition, BMW has provided two exclusive Formula One tickets for the auction to be held in the evening. They will enable the lucky bidder access to the BMW VIP lounge at the next "Great Prize of Europe" to be held at Nürburgring, including a meeting with the Formula One pilot Nick Heidfeld. All proceeds of the event will benefit UNICEF and Elizabeth Taylor's American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR). Under the patroness of Eva Luise Köhler, the UNICEF representatives Sabine Christiansen and Katja Riemann will also make an on-stage appearance.

With this first-time commitment at the "Cinema for Peace" gala, the BMW Group is making a further contribution towards its worldwide battle against HIV/AIDS. One example is the programme of the BMW Group in South Africa: through information, prevention and medical care it provides comprehensive support in the battle against the pandemic. Accepting social responsibility is a matter of fact for the BMW Group. In this context the company is also committed to film. This year eight films are listed at Berlinale that have received support from the BMW Group, due to their excellent quality.