Creating A Lasting Legacy: Behind the Film

It might sound pretentious when stated plainly, but for the team at Biver, the Automatique is much more than just a watch. It is a manifestation of the company’s values and the brand’s personality; it is a technical foundation on which we will build additional creations and complications for years to come; and it is the embodiment of our family-driven approach to watchmaking, which gives Biver its unique spirit.

As we prepared to release this watch, we knew that we wanted to share these elements of its creation and to bring people outside the brand into the ways we think and the emotions that drive us every day. This is the goal of our first campaign film, “Creating A Lasting Legacy.”

“I wanted to create something beautiful – a film that could reflect the reality of both my relationship with my father and the relationship I hope to have with my children in the years to come,” says co-founder Pierre Biver. “The personal and emotional aspects of this film are unique, as during the development of the Automatique, my wife and I were preparing to welcome our first child. I wanted the film to capture this reality while also leaving space for interpretation.”

Sometimes, when you’re so close to something, it can be hard to see it clearly. This is why it is important to find trusted collaborators, people whose passion and talents can bring a new perspective to something that feels familiar. We chose to work with French filmmaker Franck Trozzo Kazagui to bring this campaign film to life for that very reason. Franck draws inspiration from a diverse array of disciplines – he is a trained architect and a self-taught filmmaker – and is known for elevating his subjects while fostering a genuine sense of intimacy and closeness.

“When the Biver team reached out to me, there was already a strong creative brief, however it was my job to refine it and to make sure the film had the right tone,” says director Franck Trozzo Kazagui. “I flew to Biver’s headquarters and immersed myself in the brand, met the Biver family, and explored the watches up close. We decided to take a very human and down-to-Earth approach, telling a story that would feel familiar to many so they could connect on an emotional level.”

The film is a poetic tribute to the things that make Biver what it is and the ideas that animate the Automatique itself. Shots of swirling landscapes anchor us in the Swiss countryside, where our team members live their lives and create their work, while the layered soundscape seamlessly connects the human and mechanical elements of the story. The emotional weight of passing knowledge and ideas from father to son – and vice versa – is amplified by the presence of another generation, yet to be born.

Ultimately, these sometimes abstract ideas come together in the Automatique. They drove its creation and will continue to push all of us at Biver as we chart a path into the future. While we are unsure of exactly where this path will take us and what we will encounter along the way, we know one thing for sure – we will do it as a family.