Cate Blanchett opens IWC Schaffhausen’s “Timeless Portofino” Exhibition at the ZFF

As part of the 10th Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), Swiss luxury watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen today unveiled its new Portofino Midsize collection. CateBlanchett was joined by renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh for the opening of the "Timeless Portofino" exhibition, the result of a photo shoot which involved a host of stars and was organizedby IWC especially for the watch launch. Before the exhibition sets off around the world, IWC celebrated the world premiere with around 250 guests and invited them to a glamor ous gala dinner. 

The ZFF offered the ideal setting for the premiere of the"Timeless Portofino" exhibition organized by IWC, whichfeatures photographs of Hollywood stars and supermodelsfrom the company's family of brand ambassadors. Thepictures were shot by star photographer Peter Lindbergh.Charming two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett openedthe event in the presence of the international media, beforeIWC CEO Georges Kern personally conducted her ona viewing of the exhibition of almost sixty images. Togetherwith fellow actors Emily Blunt, Christoph Waltz, EwanMcGregor and Zhou Xun, as well as supermodels Adriana Lima and Karolina Kurkova, Cate Blanchett had herself posed for photographer Peter Lindbergh, who stylishly captured the new Midsize watch models with the stars in the picturesque harbour town of Portofino. "As a partner of the Zurich Film Festival, we are proud to open ‘TimelessPortofino' to the public here before the exhibition continues its journey to Hong Kong, London, Miami andDubai," said Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen."My friend Peter Lindbergh has succeeded in capturingthese very special moments and in showing both our castand our watches in their very best light." The exhibition isopen to the public at Zurich's Sechseläutenplatz until5 October 2014. 

The "Timeless Portofino" gala dinner at the AURA Restaurant was an opportunity for IWC Schaffhausen to underscore the importance of its new partnership with the ZFF.Host Georges Kern welcomed around 250 VIP guests,including ZFF founders and co-directors Nadja Schildknechtand Karl Spoerri, to a glittering evening's entertainment.Introduced by presenter Kurt Aeschbacher, three ofthe participants at the Portofino event - Peter Lindbergh,Cate Blanchett and Karolina Kurkova - chatted about the shoot, their work and the partnership with IWC Schaffhausen.Peter Lindbergh and Karolina Kurkova discussed their experiences in Portofino during the shoot and Cate Blanchett talked about her friendship with Peter Lindbergh."The Portofino shoot was a pleasure. It is always an enjoyable experience working with Peter, and wearing a tuxedo changes the way you face the world," explained the Australian actress. Two opera singers provided the perfect accompaniment to the Portofino flair of the evening with a series of Italian arias, before guests had the chance to see the premiere of a film made exclusively to show the photo shoot. In it, we see Cate Blanchett, EmilyBlunt and Zhou Xun dressed in black tuxedos, strolling around the harbour of the idyllic fishing village before shooting off in a Riva boat with Christoph Waltz and EwanMcGregor across the Ligurian Sea. On their wrists we alsocatch an occasional glimpse of the new Portofino Midsizewatch models - the true stars from the Swiss watch manufacturer.To round off the evening, DJ Jack E from Saint-Tropez provided an electrifying after-show party, to whicha further 150 guests were invited. 

A PASSION FOR THE CINEMA

The tenth anniversary of the ZFF is also the first time the Schaffhausen-based watch manufacturer has partnered the event, and was an opportunity for IWC to express its passion for film in its home market. "The Zurich Film Festival has established itself as a major national event,"said Georges Kern. "The determination of the individuals behind it deserves respect, and we look forward to supporting the Festival as it develops in the future." This commitment to the ZFF consolidates IWC Schaffhausen's by now traditional support of the film industry and stands alongside its cooperative agreements and partnerships with the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, the Beijing International Film Festival, the British Film Institute in London and the Dubai International Film Festival. IWC maintains partnerships with a number of brand ambassadors in the film business and its watches feature regularly and prominently in Hollywood movies and American TV series suchas "Ocean's 13", "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" and"House of Cards".