Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen hosted another of its glamorous evening events during the Cannes International Film Festival. At an exclusive “For the Love of Cinema” dinner, IWC celebrated with Friends of the Brand and other world-famous celebrities including actors Naomi Watts, Eric Dane and Christoph Waltz, top model Karolina Kurkova, gallery owner Tim Jefferies, musicians John Helliwell and Aloe Blacc and racing driver Lewis Hamilton. Highlights of the evening were the presentation of the IWC Filmmaker Award to well-known screenwriter Alan Trustman and a private concert by Jamiroquai.

For years now, the magic of film and the parallels between film-making and the art of watchmaking have inspired Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen to sponsor the film industry and its most promising young talents. “A film is like a gear train in a watch: countless sequences mesh so that the whole forms a virtuoso performance,” said IWC CEO Georges Kern, summing up the qualities the two disciplines have in common. As official partner of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) and a sponsor of the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF), together with its latest commitment as Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, IWC Schaffhausen has a wealth of opportunities to express its passion for film. Apart from these commitments, the company has also cultivated friendly relations for many years with big names from the entertainment industry including well-known actors Kevin Spacey, Cate Blanchett, Jean Reno and Ewan McGregor, as well as director Marc Forster. To top it all, IWC watches are a regular and prominent feature of Hollywood movies and American TV series. “Technology, innovation, inspiration and attention to detail play as significant a role in watchmaking as in making movies,” explained Georges Kern. “We are delighted to express our passion for the world of film with like-minded individuals here in Cannes.”

IWC Schaffhausen welcomed around 200 personalities and Friends of the Brand to the magnificent Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes for its “For the Love of Cinema” dinner. They included actors Naomi Watts, Eric Dane, Pierfrancesco Favino, José María Yazpik, Christoph Waltz and Moritz Bleibtreu as well as musicians Aloe Blacc and John Helliwell. The list of prominent guests also included Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One™ Team driver Lewis Hamilton, top model Karolina Kurkova, filmmaker Paul Haggis as well as gallery owner Tim Jefferies. Much acclaimed Hollywood screenwriter Alan Trustman, known for “The Thomas Crown Affair”, “Bullitt” and “They Call Me Mister Tibbs!”, took the coveted IWC Filmmaker Award, which IWC Schaffhausen traditionally presents at the various festivals in recognition of special achievement. “Alan Trustman has made his name with intelligent, subtly ironic dialogues and the complexity of his scripts,” said Georges Kern. “It’s an enormous honour for us to present him with the IWC Filmmaker Award.” In addition to the award, Georges Kern presented an IWC watch to Alan Trustman, whose Portuguese Chronograph Classic (Ref. 3904) is engraved with the words “For the Love of Cinema” on the reverse side in commemoration of his notable achievements.

At the after-party, attended by about 500 more guests, top-ranking acid jazz band Jamiroquai gave a private concert. With their uniquely compelling sound, the British combo soon had IWC’s guests flocking onto the dance floor, and an energy-packed performance set the tone for a fabulous evening.