Culture & Education | Thursday 21 June, 2018 6:42 pm |

For over 10 years, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been closely associated with some of the most renowned film festivals around the world and in particular, with the Shanghai International Film Festival. This year, the Grande Maison of the Vallée de Joux in Switzerland, celebrates the 8thanniversary of its partnership with the festival, as well as their common project: the restoration of classic films. The art of timekeeping and the universe of film have long been intertwined. Every year, Jaeger-LeCoultre invests time and energy into the SIFF film restoration project, with the hope of passing on their valuable cultural heritage.

 

A unique timepiece, auctioned to safeguard cinematographic heritage

 

In order to secure continued support for the film restoration project, Jaeger-LeCoultre presented a classic timepiece, intentionally crafted for the event, to be auctioned at the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival. The total amount raised will be used to finance the next film restoration undertaking, with the intention of preserving Chinese cinematic heritage. The specially crafted ‘Rendez-Vous Night & Day Tribute to Cinema Pièce Unique SIFF 2018’ symbolizes the spirit and artistic aesthetics of the Grande Maison based in the Vallée de Joux, nestled in the heart of the Swiss Jura Mountains. With a diamond-set rose gold case, deep red dial and alligator strap, this timepiece embodies the charisma of feminine mystique and the classic elegance. The distinctive day & night indicator at 6 o'clock, sings an ode to the beauty of time and the engagement of Jaeger-LeCoultre with Cinema. 

 

The art of restauration, a reflection of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s excellence 

 

Over the past eight years, Jaeger-LeCoultre, in collaboration with the SIFF, has restored a number of Chinese classic films, dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, such as“A Spring River Flows East”,“Stage Sisters”,and later Hong Kong films like “A Better Tomorrow” and“Endless Love”,as well as the art film “Outside the Window”,screened last year in Shanghai. With 185 years of continuous innovation in the watchmaking industry, Jaeger-LeCoultre is very sensitive to the preservation of historical works of art and the conservation of fine craftsmanship.

 

A classic film represents a collective memory and the dream of a generation. The passage of time can often bury these precious classics under a layer of inattention. Thankfully, with modern technology, film restoration specialists dust away these traces of time, uncovering the glamor that remains…timelessly. Even with digital technologies, film restoration still relies heavily on the hands of the specialists. The preservation of classics and cinematic heritage depends on this type of dexterity. This is the art of filmmaking, and more importantly the art of craftsmanship. Film restoration removes visual and audio roughness, giving new life to an aged memory; recreating the viewing experience.

 

Painting Soul, the restauration of a new legendary Chinese film 

 

In 2018, Painting Soul, the latest legendary biographical film restored by the Grande Maison, has been screened at the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival. The film is based on a novel by Shi Nan, portraying the story of Chinese painter Pan Yuliang. Gong Li brings the main character to life with her enriched portrayal of Pan`s sophisticated and independent personality. The brand has been committed to support China`s cinematic endeavors by making its own contributions to protecting Chinese film heritage. At the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival, Jaeger-LeCoultre invited guests from all over the world to witness the flourishing Chinese cinematic landscape and support Chinese filmmaking talents. The brand will continue its steadfast commitment to the film restoration project to advance the development of cinematic art and bestow the legacy upon generations to come.

 

The restoration of Painting Soulcorrected the deformation and blinking issues of the film due to aging, while significantly improving the clarity, image contrast and painting textures as well as the enhancement of sound effects. It might be easy to restore the brightness of an old film but to revive its toning and turn-back the aging process takes artistic sense and insights. Zheng Dasheng, the son of the director of Painting Soul and also a renowned director, led and guided the restoration. A classic was yet again brought back to life thanks to the tremendous efforts of Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Shanghai International Film Festival and numerous film restoration specialists.