Zurich/Schaffhausen, 25 September 2016 – US actress Uma Thurman presented the “Filmmaker Award” last night as part of the 12th annual Zurich Film Festival (ZFF). The CHF 100,000 prize was awarded to “Fortuna” by Germinal Roaux (VEGA Film, Need Productions) and “Das Blue Note Projekt” (The Blue Note Project) by Sophie Huber (Mira Film GmbH) during IWC’s “For the Love of Cinema” gala dinner.
Initiated by the Association for the Promotion of Film in Switzerland, the prize aims to support Swiss film projects in the production or post-production stage. Numerous guests from the film industry and the worlds of media, business and sport attended the event at the AURA restaurant in Zurich, including gold medallist Fabian Cancellara.
Uma Thurman’s interpretation of the gangster’s wife Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino’s cult film “Pulp Fiction” not only earned the actress nominations for the Oscars and the Golden Globes, but also simultaneously marked her breakthrough in the international film industry. The Hollywood star presented this year’s “Filmmaker Award” in Zurich yesterday at the invitation of IWC Schaffhausen. “It is such an important task to support film projects in any way possible, because it can make a big difference. It is therefore a great honour for me to be here in person to present this prize for the Swiss film industry and its leading figures,” said Thurman.
PRIZE MONEY SHARED BY TWO WINNERS
The jury chose two winners from the five film and documentary projects nominated. The main prize of CHF 75,000 went to director Germinal Roaux for his film “Fortuna” (VEGA Film, Need Productions). The film tells the story of a 14-year-old girl from Africa named Fortuna, who has arrived in Switzerland by way of a detour and must spend the winter in a monastery at above 2,000 metres until a decision has been made on her residence permit in Switzerland. Bruno Ganz plays the role of head of the monastery in this black-and-white film. Director Sophie Huber was also awarded CHF 25,000 for “Das Blue Note Projekt” (The Blue Note Project). Her film tells the story of the legendary American jazz record label, portraying the timeless drive for artistic expression in everything from the emergence of groundbreaking Blue Note classics to the modern-day search for new forms of expression. Both winners also received a Portugieser Automatic in stainless steel with a black dial (Ref. IW500703) and the special rotor engraving “2nd Filmmaker Award Zurich 2016”. “The diversity and quality of the film projects submitted has impressed us again this year, and it was no easy task for us to decide on the winners. What we are hoping now is that our award will bring these extremely promising films to screens in Switzerland and abroad as quickly as possible,” said jury member Georges Kern.
The diversity and quality of the film projects submitted has impressed us again this year, and it was no easy task for us to decide on the winners. What we are hoping now is that our award will bring these extremely promising films to screens in switzerland and abroad as quickly as possible.
A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE FILM INDUSTRY
The CHF 100,000 “Filmmaker Award” was initiated by the Association for the Promotion of Film in Switzerland, which was founded by the co-directors of the ZFF, Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, together with IWC CEO Georges Kern, Hollywood director Marc Forster and the CEO of Ringier, Marc Walder. With this prize, the association aims to provide specific support for ambitious projects by Swiss filmmakers during the often delicate and tricky stages of production or post-production, thus closing a gap in the promotion of film. Also nominated alongside the two prizewinners were the films “Beyond the Bolex” by Alyssa Bolsey (HME), “Lasst die Alten sterben” (Let the Old Die) by Juri Steinhart (Lomotion AG) and “Papa Moll” by Manuel Flurin Hendry (Zodiac Pictures Ltd).
AWARD CEREMONY AT THE IWC GALA DINNER IN THE AURA RESTAURANT, ZURICH
The award ceremony took place against the backdrop of the celebrations of IWC’s “For the Love of Cinema” gala dinner in the AURA restaurant in Zurich, which was decorated in the glamorous 1930s Hollywood style especially for the occasion. As well as it being presented by Swiss TV star Sandra Studer, other highlights of the event included appearances from the Australian comedian Rob Spence and DJ TapTap. IWC invited representatives of the domestic and international film industry to this exclusive event, along with numerous personalities from the worlds of media, art, sports, business and politics. The Swiss watchmaking company is committed to cinema and supports film festivals in London, New York, Dubai, Beijing and Singapore.
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