25th of March, 2017 – The RAUH-Welt Begriff premiere that marked a new chapter for RWB Australia.
To a few they may just about be a collection of old refurbished Porsches, but the story and devotion behind these cars are truly admirable, and to believe that one man is behind it all is without doubt astonishing.
If you’re a fond follower of RAUH-Welt and Akira Nakai’s builds then you presumably would have stumbled across many of his Porsches, whether it would be in photos and videos, blogs, meets and shows or even games; the day was a dream come true to many diehard enthusiasts who came together to support the launch. Directed by Bao Tran (Xquisitefilms) and produced by Chern Wong (RWB Australia), the premiere of RWB’s Life After Birth took place at IMAX Carlton, Melbourne. It was an obligatory call for the six builds in the Southern Hemisphere to unite, including RWB New Zealand’s three cars that made the voyage up to be rewardingly displayed outside the exhibition centre – an opportunity that simply could not be missed.
(AUS001 Southern Cross)
(NZ001 Waikato)
(NZ003 Ginga)
(NZ002 Hekigyoku)
The day in Melbourne was set to be seemingly composed for our dear visitors; perfect weather, perfect venue, perfect atmosphere – it was a place of leisure and all was swell, everybody was happy and Nakai San was greatly pleased with the delightful view of all his six beautiful masterpieces together in one place. With Sam Law flown down from Sydney for the event, we were set on a mission to capture the lively event. There were a countless amount of people who made the effort to attend the premiere, whether it be ticket holders or not, bystanders or friends and family. Nearly everybody was wearing and carrying RWB merchandise for sale on the day, from hoodies to skateboard decks and film posters awaiting to get signed by Nakai San and emphasising their love for RAUH-Welt, putting a smile to everyone’s faces.
Those who purchased a deluxe ticket scored a film poster and shirt, limited edition decals and even had the opportunity to sign SoCro’s wing with a gold marker. It was their chance to write their name on history.
Early 2016 was the first time I witnessed an RWB in person – Chern’s Southern Cross, known as SoCro which had participated in Custom Cars and Coffee’s track day down at Sandown Raceway. I had no idea they existed here down under, which was an enthralling moment for myself to have seen it with my own eyes. Who would have thought the passionate RWB family and community would grow so unexpectedly large? Australia now has two new glorious gifts; Chigiri (The Promise), which was featured in our article on the 993 reveal last year and Kodachi (Small Sword). The appraisable journey and story behind Southern Cross plays its role as the highlight of the film.
(AUS002 Chigiri)
(AUS003 Kodachi)
As I entered the near-filled cinema, everybody was ready and eager to witness the world’s first RWB movie with popcorn in their hand. RAUH-Welt Begriff: Life After Birth depicts a realistic representation of the world at Nakai’s hands and the well-deserved accomplishments as a result of blood, sweat and tears. It strongly portrays his determination to care for his cars and keep their sentimental value alive. The movie opens with SoCro leisurely cruising through the mountains of Falls Creek in the midst of a foggy morning, accompanied with the perfect, ambient custom soundtrack and the roars of the 930 as Chern pushes it through the hills.
The second part of the film focuses on the process and works of building such car and how the relationships between Nakai and his clients are formed. We learn the story behind the pastel pink colour which attracts ambiguous feelings from many people – really, the colour was inspired to match Chern’s road bike which we have seen sitting on top of the car at 100mm Certified 2015 and to blend in with Melbourne’s cityscape as it travels through its city with pride.
The dedication is reserved throughout the team’s journey to Japan for the Idlers 12 Hour race at Motegi Twin Ring, where the team remained collected albeit the complications that were manifest. All attention was paid to detail, and the cinematic quality had drawn me closer to feel as if I was part of the family and privileged to have viewed such film, which is a commendable effort for an especially small team. The movie taught us that a car is more than just a form of transportation when commitment is put in to create a piece of art at your own hands. It taught us the loyalty and bonding that becomes involved in these projects.
As a special bonus, Sam Pansino from Phatt Audio Concepts brought along his SBZERO Rocket Bunny Mazda RX7 down for show. It was definitely a head turner, adopting the theme of Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat – a pretty cool addition to the event!
We also cannot forget about Bao’s Ford Focus!
What a day it was! The premiere was set out to be perfect for everyone to get together and enjoy the thrilling atmosphere. Although we really wished we had more time to admire the cars for longer, it was time to say our goodbyes and wish our visitors a safe trip home.
You didn’t hear this from me, but RWB: Life After Birth may potentially be screened in other countries too – keep an eye out and maybe you will be able to experience the one-off event and take away the values conveyed in the movie yourself!
Words by: Khang Nguyen (Fueled by Khang) Face/Insta
Photos by: Khang Nguyen & Sam Law (300P-CO) Face/Insta