Whether making a revolutionary timepiece or an Oscar-winning film, the goal of a watchmaker like Rolex and a great filmmaker is the same: to create a work that leaves its mark, a work that will remain relevant and stand the test of time. This was the theme chosen for the film that was screened at this year's Oscars ceremony: an ode to the visionaries and artisans of the film world that illustrates the affinities between the two disciplines. The Academy Awards or Oscar ceremony, the annual event organised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to celebrate the best in cinema, shines the spotlight each year on the extraordinary talent behind the films. Directors, actors, technicians, engineers and talents from numerous other professions in the film industry push the boundaries to create the perfect balance between art and science, the same combination it takes to bring Rolex watches to life. Each of these talents has a specific task within a complex mechanism to bring a visionary idea to the big screen. This year's Oscar ceremony took place in the historic Union Station building in Los Angeles. Rolex has been the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Proud Sponsor of the Oscars since 2017, but its connection and affinity with the world of cinema began long before that; it is an unbreakable bond forged through revolutionary timepieces that have become icons. When Marlon Brando played Colonel Kurtz in Coppola's legendary 'Apocalypse Now', he wore a Rolex. In 'The Colour of Money', Paul Newman sported one as the skilled snooker player Edward Felson, known as Eddy the Quick. In Titanic, Bill Paxton, as treasure hunter Brock Lovett, wore one as he dived in search of the legendary wreck aboard a submarine. The appearance of these watches was not the result of a product placement operation: the timepieces were in fact a personal choice of the filmmakers. In addition to being Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Proud Sponsor of the Oscars since 2017, since the following year Rolex has become a sponsor of the Governors Awards, which celebrate a lifetime of achievement in film. Since 2016, the House has also been setting up the Greenroom (visible in the photo), where presenters and guests entertain together before taking the stage at the Oscars. The theme and set design change every year. In addition, Rolex is Founding Supporter of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures that will open in Los Angeles in 2021. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, the museum and film centre will have an exhibition area of approximately 4,650 square metres and a 1,000-seat cinema, as well as other facilities. Set to become the largest museum in the United States and the world's largest dedicated to the silver screen, it will help visitors understand the art and science behind the magic of cinema. An entire gallery will be dedicated to Rolex and will celebrate the history of the films in which the brand has appeared. Through the museum, Rolex aspires to preserve the history of cinema and promote the transmission of knowledge to new generations.
