In Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona, Penélope Cruz’s character slaps her hand down hard on the worktop of a bulthaup system b20 kitchen in a memorable outburst of anger. The kitchen belongs to her former husband, a painter played by Javier Bardem–her current partner in real life­. It is a rather cluttered, cozy corner in the live-in studio that sets the stage for one of the most hilarious scenes in this film, shot in Spain by Woody Allen.

Practically everything in Mostly Martha happens in a kitchen. The main character does not have much of a life elsewhere; the kitchen in her restaurant is the place where she feels at home, the backdrop of her everyday life, of her successes and her sadder moments. To create this atmosphere that is crucial for the plot to unfold, German director Sandra Nettelbeck chose the multiple possibilities of the bulthaup brand. How could it be otherwise?

The amnesic Jason Bourne, played by Matt Damon, searches desperately for clues that will help him reconstruct his lost identity. In his frantic, terrifying escape from dangers he is unable to understand–he has no idea what he has done wrong–he suddenly walks into an apartment and is dumbstruck: “This is my kitchen!” Somewhat cold, but unquestionably his own. A powerful memory has been unleashed. In The Bourne Identity, once again, bulthaup was the chosen brand.

Juliette Binoche and Jeremy Irons in Damage; Hugh Grant in About a Boy… a long list of major film stars move about sets where bulthaup contributes to creating the appropriate atmosphere.

In a wide variety of productions, ranging from Hollywood to independent European cinema, stylists have been choosing bulthaup time and time again. Sometimes, they set new trends by creating hugely appealing open living spaces; but beyond shaping these new paradigms, the choice of bulthaup often hinges on the brand’s enormous versatility–on its ability to provide further depth to characters by showing the clues of what they have chosen for their homes.

bulthaup: a place on the silver screen is a hard-earned privilege that few brands have managed to achieve.