New York/Schaffhausen, April 20, 2017 – At the Tribeca Film Festivalin New York, IWC Schaffhausen celebrated the art of filmmaking and showcased its support for emerging artists at the fifth annual “For the Love of Cinema” gala dinner. This year, the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer presented the IWC Filmmaker Award to Chloé Zhao. This annual award is presented to an up-and-coming filmmaker who has created an inspiring work of art to further their craft and talent. The evening’s host, comedian Samantha Bee, entertained a total of 160 distinguished guests, including actors Robert De Niro, Uma Thurman, and Taylor Schilling as well as IWC brand ambassadors Rosamund Pike, Adriana Lima, and Karolina Kurkova. An exclusive performance by Tony and Grammy Award Winner Cynthia Erivo closed the evening’s event.
Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, presented this year’s IWC Filmmaker Award along with the prize money of USD 50,000 to Chloé Zhao and, for the first time, also awarded two additional nominees, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh and Abu Bakr Shawky, with grants of USD 5,000 each. Chloé Zhao’s film “The Rider” left a profound impression on jury members, including Paula Weinstein, EVP of Tribeca Enterprise, Amy Hobby, Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute, Matt Ruskin, last year’s award winner, and Christoph Grainger-Herr. “IWC is dedicated to supporting promising artistic talents from around the world to help them realize their vision of creating beautiful and meaningful works of art,” explained Grainger-Herr. “Filmmakers highlight aspects of the world that would other wise go amiss. As watchmakers, we understand that a high degree of dedication and craftsmanship is needed to craft a masterpiece that one can connect with emotionally.”
Amy Hobby noted: “This film confirms Chloé Zhao’s emergence as a top auteur, a director who places the camera in fresh ways and takes audiences inside the minds of characters who seem otherwise impermeable. We are thrilled to award Chloé with the IWC Filmmaker Award as part of our year-round work supporting underrepresented storytellers.”
Comedian Samantha Bee was the host of the gala dinner, which was attended by numerous celebrities, including actress and IWC brand ambassador Rosamund Pike, actresses Uma Thurman and Taylor Schilling, supermodels and IWC brand ambassadors Adriana Lima and Karolina Kurkova, cofounders of the Tribeca Film Festival Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro, and Craig Hatkoff, as well as actors and Tribeca Film Festival jurors Christina Ricci, Josh Lucas, and Alice Eve as well as Ryan Eggold, who is also making his directorial debut at this year’s festival.“After attending the ‘For the Love of Cinema’ gala in Beijing last year, it is an honor to be part of yet another IWC film festival event – and this time here in New York,” said Rosamund Pike. “Supporting talented young filmmakers and celebrating creativity are truly vital in order to keep the film industry alive and flourishing.”
The Swiss watch manufacturer founded its IWC Film maker Award several years ago in order to support both up-and coming and already established filmmakers. IWC presents the award as part of its commitment to the film festivals in Beijing, Dubai, Zurich, Singapore, and London, and now for the fifth time in its role as Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of Haute Horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design