12/06-12   -   Pressemeddelelse

PUMA® And Celebrated Sand Animation Performance Artist, Kseniya Simonova, Turn Footballers Dreams Into Reality In Time for The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship

SportLifestyle Company Commissions Innovative Storytelling Performance Art via Short Film Series That Brings Footballers Childhood Dreams to Life

Herzogenaurach, Germany - (June 8, 2012) - What if you could capture the vivid childhood dreams of the world's top footballers and transform them into a fluid story that unfolds before your very eyes? PUMA has set out to do just that with the "DREAMCATCHER" series, set to launch at the start of the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship.

To celebrate the sportlifestyle brand's long-standing partnership with European Football, PUMA enlisted renowned Ukrainian sand animation performance artist, Kseniya Simonova, to uncover the childhood dreams of top footballers and turn them into awe-inspiring works of performance art, the innovative telling of which will be captured via short films.

In a series of revealing conversations, Simonova sat down with PUMA-sponsored football stars: Tomáš Rosický, captain of the Czech National Team and Spain's midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, amongst other notable European footballers. Simonova spoke at length with each about images and memories from childhood dreams, how they continue to fulfill their football dreams and their hopes for the Euro 2012 tournament.

Dare to Dream Catch
Following the interviews, Simonova created a series of images inspired by the stories of the footballers. To bring them to life, she applied sand to a light box surface and rendered image after image by drawing lines and figures in the sand with her hands - all set to poignant music.

The fluid sand animation storytelling was captured in a series of short films that offer viewers a unique glimpse into the inner thoughts of their football heroes. The result is a collection of moving, magnetic images that inspire and portray the life-long passion each of the footballers has for their beloved sport.

The two-minute films will be screened live on the PUMA Football Facebook Page throughout the Euro 2012 tournament: Fàbregas on June 8, Rosický on June 14 and a joint film with Buffon and Chiellini on June 21. Following the screening of the captivating films, football fans can enter for the chance to win player-signed PUMA products. Simonova will perform a live sand sculpture act during Euro 2012 in a major square in Kiew, Ukraine.

For more information on the "DREAMCATCHER" film series and PUMA's on-going support of Football please visit PUMA.com/football.

###

ABOUT PUMA

PUMA is one of the world's leading sportlifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, SAFE Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels include categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. Sport Fashion features collaborations with renowned designer labels such as Alexander McQueen, Yasuhiro Mihara and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra and Tretorn. The company, which was founded in 1948, distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach/Germany, Boston, London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.puma.com

About Kseniya Simonova
Ukranian-born Kseniya Simonova, winner of Ukraine's Got Talent in 2009, has been a performance artist since she was a child. The artist has performed more than 200 sand stories across the globe, including performances for Presidents and Royals. Simonova presented the first Sand Picture Exhibition in 2009 and founded an International Cultural Center "Sand Club" in Yevpatoria.


Media Contact:
Tim Stedman, International PUMA PR
Tim.stedman@puma.com
Mobile: + 49 1511 474 3148

Mette Helm-Petersen, PUMA Denmark
Mette.helm@puma.com
Mobile: + 45 40 90 40 36

Relevant information

http://www.puma.com/football