Lifestyle
MTF brings to light Chopard's significant commitment to the arts, specifically its support for the renovation of Rome's legendary Cinecittà studios. This initiative underscores Chopard's deep, long-standing connection to the film industry, extending beyond its role as a partner of the Cannes Film Festival since 1998. The article offers a glimpse into a unique intersection of luxury watchmaking and cinematic heritage.
Rome - 15th October 2014
Cinecittà, the movie studio complex built south of Rome in 1937 is often referred to as “the dream factory”. It has played a key role in the rise of Italian and world cinema. Over 3,000 films have been shot here of which some 50 have won an Oscar. With its longstanding involvement in the world of the 7th art, and notably through its partnership linking it to the Cannes Film Festival since 1998, Chopard decided to support the renovation of parts of this legendary location.
On the eve before the 9th edition of the International Rome Film Festival, Caroline Scheufele, Co-President of Chopard, Roberto Cicutto, President of the Istituto Luce Cinecittà, and Luigi Abete, Honorary President of Cinecittà Studios, unveiled the new façade of the famous Italian studios.
The renovations and the inauguration of the façade built in 1937 represent the first stage of a three-year partnership between Chopard, Cinecittà Studios and the Instituto Luce Cinecittà to renovate the premises as well as rolls of cult films that were shot here. The restoration work initially required removing all the existing paint on the building which were altered and faded over years. The original frescoes were then recreated by artisans specialised in traditional restoration techniques, using the same pigments and ingredients as those used in the original painting when the façade was created, thanks to research work by the staff of Cinecittà in collaboration with the historic monument department at Roma Capitale.
After the ceremony, more than 200 guests gathered at a cocktail behind the façade.
This was followed by a very exclusive dinner in the stage representing Ancient Rome in an atmosphere reminiscent of the mythical movies Cleopatra and Ben Hur.
Caroline Scheufele and Alexis Veller
The guests, including Art Director and three-time Oscar winner Dante Ferretti and his wife Francesca Lo Schiavo, International Rome Film Festival Director Marco Müller, Princess Isabella Borromeo, Italian actress Ornella Mutti, film producer Marina Cicogna, actor Riccardo Scamarcio, Luisa Ranieri - godmother of the most recent edition of the Venice Biennial, film producer Ginevra Elkann and film director Michele Placido were given the opportunity of admiring a sumptuous show highlighting the Haute Joaillerie creations from the Red Carpet collection, for which Caroline Scheufele draws inspiration from actresses and red carpets from all over the world.
Chopard Watch and Jewellery
Luisa Ranieri wearing Chopard
Italian actress and Godmother of the event, Luisa Ranieri, chose to wear an 18ct white gold watch from the Ladies Collection set with brilliants (8cts) and a diamond briolette on a satin strap, 18ct white gold earrings from the Temptations Collection set with pear-shaped rubellites (20cts), heart-shaped emeralds (3cts), pear-shaped diamonds (2cts) and brilliants as well as an 18ct rose gold ring set with round-cut diamonds (6cts) from the High Jewellery Collection.
Caroline Scheufele with Ornella Muti wearing Chopard
Italian actress Ornella Muti chose a pair of 18ct white gold earrings from the Red Carpet Collection set with round-shaped grey pearls (29cts), pear-shaped grey pearls (73cts) and brilliants (3cts) as well as an 18ct white gold bracelet set with fancy-cut diamonds (43cts), square-cut diamonds (5cts) and brilliants (5cts) from the High Jewellery Collection.
Princess Isabella Borromeo wearing Chopard and Ugo Brachetti Peretti
Princess Isabella Borromeo was wearing an 18ct white gold long necklace set with round-shaped diamonds (24cts) and a pair of 18ct white gold snowflake earrings set with brilliants (5cts), both from the High Jewellery Collection, as well as an 18ct white gold watch set with diamonds.
Valentina Corti wearing Chopard
Italian actress Valentina Corti selected an 18ct rose gold ring from the Temptations Collection set with an oval-shaped kunzite (49cts), heart-shaped tourmalines (5cts), pink sapphires and blue sapphires.
La Dolce Vita, Frederico Fellini, Cinecittà and me....
On a personal note, I recall 'Nine' - a musical drama film (2009) directed and produced by Rob Marshall. The screenplay was based on a book for the musical 'Nine' (1982), which was suggested by Federico Fellini's semi-autobiographical film '8½'.
I remember watching the film premiere in Singapore for the Chopard timepieces and jewellery worn by actors Daniel Day-Lewis, Dame Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, and Stacy Ferguson.
It was then that I decided to get my LUC Lunar One - probably the prettiest perpetual calendar.
Since then, Chopard has updated the Lunar One to version 2 similar to the watch worn by Alexis Veller below....
Bravo Chopard for keeping the 7th Art alive......
Regards,
MTF
As a member of the motion picture industry, I greatly appreciate Chopard's dedication to the arts, in particular the motion picture arts. And what a beautiful restoration of this legendary studio facility. Best, CaliforniaJed
With interests in both movies and Chopard watches...you had to agree. On a more serious note, we are losing old film stock at the rate of thousands of feet per week. With the push to digital imaging, the Art and nuances of lighting and real photography (writing with light) is being lost. My niece does not even know what a music CD is, let alone a phonograph vinyl disc. She thinks music is a mp3 file that Apple manufactures and her phone is a You Tube-linked device. Virtual watch dial on Apple Wa
... as we lose the art of lighting, we create new artists capable of (I would argue) equally creaive digital skills, the boundaries for which are as wide as our imaginations. (Look how far we've come with visual effects since Star Wars, for instance.) We must preserve our film stock -- it is our history. But we must continue to push those creative boundaries as well. With filmmaking, the tool, the camera, helps produce the art. With watchmaking, however, the tool is the art. A real tool trumps a
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