About FMI

Established in 1993, Film Manufacturers Inc began as home to founder Katharina Otto's artistic endeavors and grew into a full fledged media production company. Over the last ten years, FMI has brought audiences the world over, thoughtful productions on a vast array of subjects. Focusing first on the concept of subculture, the works of FMI all have the same goal, to demystify and inform. Based in New York, this vibrant city is at the heart of all of the projects to grow out of this company.

The first piece born from this moniker was The Second Greatest Story Ever Told, an irreverent and comedic telling of one of the world's oldest stories. Otto developed Ralph Howard's fiction script into a film starring Malcolm McDowell and introducing Mira Sorvino.

FMI then took on the challenging subject of New York City bicycle messengers. The documentary The Need For Speed, created celebrities from the unsung heroes of this adrenaline charged group.

On the heels of the success of Speed, Katharina Otto began working on an extensive exploration of the world of modeling. Beautopia premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998 and was released theatrically in 1999. The film follows young models in their quest to become the next supermodel. Shot on location in five countries, the film talks to the business' most powerful personalities. From Lauren Hutton and Cindy Crawford to John Cassablancas and Calvin Klein, audiences get a real taste of this truly un-glamourous business.

Today, FMI is in post-production on a feature length portrait of world renowned avant-garde artist Robert Wilson. Absolute Wilson, includes interviews with his contemporaries and muses, such as Philip Glass, David Byrne and Jessye Norman. The film documents the incredible life and career of this unstoppable artist.