ROLEX TIME AT THE CINEMA
Exploring the close ties between the world’s number one watch brand and the world of cinema
TO SAY THAT Rolex enjoys close ties with the world of cinema might be an understatement. Then again, the brand’s appearance can be rather subtle.
For instance, when Marlon Brando played Colonel Kurtz in “Apocalypse Now”, he was wearing a Rolex watch. In “The Color of Money”, Paul Newman sported a Rolex as he reprised his pool hustler character Fast Eddie Felson. And, in “Titanic”, Bill Paxton, as treasure hunter Brock Lovett, was wearing one as he descended to the legendary wreck in a submersible. The appearance of these watches was not the result of product placement. Rather, the watches were the personal choice of directors to subtly portray fortitude in their characters − a sense of toughness and control, along with a sophisticated sense of style. A Rolex watch makes a strong statement.
The close rapport between Rolex and filmmaking came about and has grown in quite an organic manner. For one, Rolex appreciates storytelling in film because it also has its own story to tell, from the production of the world’s first waterproof watch – the Oyster – in 1926 to its perpetual drive for innovation that continues today and has resulted in more than 500 patents. This ethos drives Rolex not only in creating extraordinary timepieces but also in its continued support for outstanding achievement in sport and art. And also cinema, of course.
A new chapter in this commitment was added in 2016, when Rolex brought its flair for aesthetics to the design of the Greenroom at the Dolby Theatre, where presenters and special guests at the Academy Awards would gather before going on stage. This year, Greenroom guests are again treated to a design theme that resonates deeply with Rolex: polar exploration. “The design of this year’s Greenroom is a reminder of the beauty and fragility of the environment that Rolex is seeking to protect through our support of pioneering individuals and organizations finding solutions to safeguard the planet for future generations,” said Arnaud Boetsch, Rolex Director of Communication and Image.
Speaking of the Academy Awards, since 2017, Rolex has also become a sponsor of the Oscars and
is Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Then in 2018, the brand became a sponsor for the Annual Governors Awards that recognize life achievement in film. Furthermore, Rolex is also the Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, which aims to preserve film history, a key interest of Rolex whose values include the importance of encouraging the transmission of knowledge from generation to generation. Rolex also supports individuals who achieve the highest level in their field. Brand Testimonees in cinema are Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Martin Scorsese.
The four Rolex Testimonees in cinema are masters of their craft, whose films stand the test of time and who have collectively won 57 Academy Awards. As directors, they recognize the importance of capturing moments in time, with their works serving as an artistic interpretation of the world around us.
Starting off the list we have the first and only woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow. Through movies such as “Point Break” (1991), “The Hurt Locker” (2008) – which won her the aforementioned Oscar – and “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012), she continues to challenge the convention of action movies and thrillers. More recently, her work in directing “Detroit” (2017) which tells the story of the 1967 Detroit riots, she has proven herself to be a true auteur.
Then we have James Cameron, director, writer and producer behind some of the most memorable titles of the past three decades, from “The Terminator” (1984) and its even better sequel to “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989), “Avatar” (2009), of course, “Titanic” (1997). Alejandro G. Iñárritu, meanwhile, is best known for his two consecutive Oscars wins for “Birdman” in 2015 and “The Revenant” a year later. All in all, he has eight Academy Awards wins to his name.
Rounding up the quartet is a name which needs no introduction: the one and only Martin Scorsese. He is a passionate film lover who has raised our consciousness of film preservation. Scorsese grew up in New York’s Little Italy and made his first films in the late 1960s. Scorsese’s unique combination of artistry, charisma and generosity continue to inspire filmmakers and audiences all over the world. Details play a crucial role in telling a story on screen and in many of his most iconic films, Scorsese has chosen to feature Rolex watches, with a preference for the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date.
Now, what is most inspiring about these four Rolex Testimonees is not just their filmmaking expertise but also their commitment to pass on their knowledge and wisdom to a new generation of filmmaker. “If you think about those people that have really shaped you, they never leave you,” Bigelow says about mentorship. “You can never unlearn what you learn, you can never unknow what you know.”
Cameron shares that sentiment. “We build on the shoulders of the people who came before us,” he points out. “We see the example, it excites us and we say ‘I want to do that, or my version of that’. Then we have to pass on what we know to a new generation.”
Meanwhile, Iñárritu mentions how “I would like to be there for someone else, in much the same way as [my mentors] were there for me,” and did exactly that by mentoring young Israeli filmmaker Tom Shoval in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative in 2014−2015. Scorsese credits one of his university lecturers in New York with setting him on the path to greatness: “He set a fire in our hearts... If you were crazy enough to think you have got to make a movie, he was the one who inspired you.”