It was a sunny day in Berlin when Bond Fans once again met in Berlin on April 27 for the Finissage of Nikki van der Zyls exhibition “Night Flight to Berlin” at the Museum Pankow. The exhibition had been running since November 2013 and ended on Nikkis birthday with a screening of the third James Bond film “GOLDFINGER”.
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| Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
Although Nikki had unfortunately broken her shoulder just a few weeks earlier, having her arm in a sling certainly didn´t keep her from flying in with her husband George and her daughter Kerry to celebrate her birthday with an extended stay in Germanys capital Berlin where she was born.
After I had done some filming in Berlin Grunewald for my documentary “A Bond For Life”, I met with Nikki and some Bond enthusiasts in the Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz.
A few hours later, after we all had a good lunch, we met at the Museum Pankow for afternoon tea, coffee and cake to properly celebrate Nikkis birthday in glorious sunshine.
When my good friend and Bond connoisseur Danny Morgenstern arrived, the Bond family was complete and time to hand over our presents that included specialities from the various regions of Germany we come from.
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| Danny Morgenstern and me with our present for Nikki / Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
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| The guests outside the Museum Pankow / Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
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| Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
Nikki was very thankful for all the presents and how much love and work had gone in compiling them. As usual, there were many discussions between us Bond Fans in which we shared opinions and experiences with the films and the incredible Behind the Scenes magic.
The evening continued with a final stroll through the wonderful exhibition and an interview segment between Nikki and Danny in which she talked about her work on the Bond films, especially about Goldfinger where she was Gert Fröbes vocal coach and language trainer.
The screening of Goldfinger was in the original language (to hear Nikkis superb voice acting for Shirley Eaton) with german subtitles. Some Bond Fans (me included) skipped the screening and instead met outside the Museum for a glass of wine to enjoy the unusually warm evening and delve into interesting converstation. Some of us had met for the first time.
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| Nikki van der Zyl, Danny Morgenstern and Museum Director Bernd Roder / Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
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| Nikki van der Zyl / Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
I had a wonderful time in Berlin once again and got very nice scenes for my documentary. In conversation with Nikki and her husband George, I asked if Nikki was interested in participating in my film project and her answer was of course as professional as she has been all her life: “I would love to…that´s what we actors do, isn´t it?”
I am very much looking forward to working with Nikki who had a vital role in the production of the Bond Films and is one of the most interesting people I had the fortune to meet in my life.
At this point, lots of love to you Nikki, George and Kerry. See you soon!
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| Shooting scenes for my documentary in front of a historic piece of the Berlin Wall / Photo Copyright: Benjamin Lind |
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