Kong[Moderator]
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IWC back in Spotlight at Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF)
Apr 23, 2014,05:18 AM
Beijing/Schaffhausen, 21 April 2014
- IWC Schaffhausen reaffirms its passion for filmmaking at the Beijing
International Film Festival (BJIFF) and for the second time acts as its
official sponsor and partner. This year, about 200 celebrities and VIP
guests from around the world were invited to the glamorous gala event
entitled “For the Love of Cinema”. The IWC Filmmaker Award went to Feng
Xiaogang, one of the most famous directors in China. We
are thrilled to support the young and upcoming Beijing International
Film Festival for the second time in a row,” said Goris Verburg,
Director Marketing & Communication of IWC Schaffhausen. He welcomed a
wide range of celebrities to the exclusive “For the Love of Cinema”
gala event, held in the grounds of the historic Imperial Ancestral
Temple in Beijing. The internationally acclaimed actress and singer Zhou
Xun (“Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress”, “Cloud Atlas”) walked
the red carpet for the first time in her role as IWC Friend of the
Brand. She was accompanied by her actor colleagues Du Juan, Ni Ni,
Francis Ng, Zhang Liang and Liao Fan who won the Silver Bear for best
actor at the Berlin International Film Festival 2014, as well as by film
director Feng Xiaogang and famous writer Liu Zhen Yun. “We are
delighted to be contributing to the internationalization,
professionalism and global cultural exchange of film-making under the
main theme of the festival ‘Share the Screen, Shape the Future’,” said
Goris Verburg.The Swiss luxury watch
manufacturer introduced the IWC Filmmaker Award years ago with the aim
of recognizing exceptional achievements in the film industry. Feng
Xiaogang, one of the most renowned Chinese film directors and often
dubbed “the Chinese answer to Steven Spielberg”, accepted the highly
coveted award from IWC’s Director of Marketing & Communication in
honour of his impressive work. “Feng Xiaogang is known for his
innovation and is credited with introducing a new model in Chinese
cinema with his ‘New Year’s Celebration films’,” said Goris Verburg,
explaining IWC’s choice. “Although he is known for making comedies, he
is open to stories with a tragic background. His films on war, natural
disasters and famine are good examples of this. Feng is one of the
best-known directors of mainstream cinema in China. It is a great honour
for us to present him with this award.”
Feng
Xiaogang also received a Schaffhausen classic masterpiece – a
Portuguese Automatic (Ref. IW500114) in stainless steel, with the
engraving “For the Love of Cinema” on the reverse. This watch was meant
to symbolize the fact that masterpieces in film and haute horlogerie
have a lot in common and are the result of innovative technology,
creativity and perfection. Last year’s recipient of the award and a
specially engraved watch was Zhang Yimou, the Chinese film director and
choreographer of the Olympics opening ceremony in 2008.To
celebrate the brand’s rich history and achievement in film,
highlighting the excellence of craftsmanship that IWC watchmaking and
the film industry both embody, the gala event continued with the
spectacular drum performance from Beijing’s Red Poppy Ladies Percussion.
The first female percussion group in China impressed the audience with
aesthetics, power and a technically perfect performance. In 2008, this
group caused a sensation at the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympic
Games in Beijing.The glittering evening
came to an end with a private concert featuring the acclaimed Taiwanese
singer-songwriter Chyi Chin, who captivated the audience with his
soothing voice. The pioneer of Chinese pop, who has won numerous awards,
brought his talent to the IWC gala event and enthralled the
appreciative guests with a few popular songs.IWC
Schaffhausen is renowned not only for its luxury watches, but also for
its long-standing passion for cinema and partnerships with numerous
other international film festivals, including the Dubai International
Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival and
Zurich Film Festival. The Swiss watch manufacturer maintains
well-established relationships with Hollywood stars such as Kevin
Spacey, Cate Blanchett, Ewan McGregor and Marc Forster, as well as
Chinese actors like Francis Ng, Julian Cheung and Anita Yuen. The
company has also already been involved with numerous unique film,
theatre and photography projects with many of these Friends of the
Brand. IWC Director of Marketing and Communications Goris Verburg, Actress Zhou Xun, IWC Managing Director Asia Pacific Benoit De Clerck
pose for photographs as Xun visits the IWC Beijing Parkview Green flagship store during the exclusive 'For the Love of Cinema' event
Zhou Xun visits the IWC Beijing Parkview Green flagship store
Film director Feng Xiaogang (R) is presented with the IWC Filmmaker Award by Chairman and CEO of MPA Chris Dodd
Chinese film director Feng Xiaogang, actress Ni Ni, actress Zhou Xun, and actor Liao Fan
Singer Qi Qin performs at the exclusive "For the Love of Cinema" event hosted by IWC Schaffhausen
Actor Francis Ng
Film director Feng Xiaogang (R) and his wife, actress Xu Fan
Press Release
This message has been edited by Kong on 2014-04-23 05:19:31