VIDEO from Medialink and IWC Schaffhausen: Multimedia Theatrical Performance Featuring Cate Blanchett & Joseph Fiennes

International stars gather to celebrate finest Swiss watchmaking by IWC Schaffhausen

NEW YORK, April 12 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- A multimedia performance that featured Cate Blanchett on film and a live performance by Joseph Fiennes was one of the highlights of the 18th International Fair of Fine Luxury Watchmaking in Geneva on the 8th of April.

(See video from IWC Schaffhausen at: http://media.medialink.com/WebNR.aspx?story=34910)

As part of IWC Schaffhausen's gala, an invite-only VIP audience was treated to a one-off showing of Minutes of a Separation, a unique theatrical performance directed by Nigel Jamieson for Sydney Theatre Company, the acclaimed Australian company that has Andrew Upton and Cate Blanchett as its Co-Artistic Directors. The 15-minute performance featured Cate Blanchett on film and live performances from Joseph Fiennes and aerialists from the award-winning Australian physical theatre company Legs On The Wall.

Organised by luxury watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen, the event brought together 1,200 of the world's most glamorous guests. Over 50 A-list celebrities were expected to attend, including top model Elle Macpherson, acclaimed actor Kevin Spacey, music legend Lenny Kravitz, Oscar-winning film director Quentin Tarantino and sporting legend Boris Becker, as well as acclaimed French actor Jean Reno.

To confirm the truly global nature of this event, Japanese actors Hiroyuki Sanada (The Last Samurai), Kiichi Nakai (47 Ronin), Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Cha No Aji) and actress/model Lika Minamoto, as well as Chinese film star Chang Chen and Taiwanese singer David Tao, also added themselves to the guest list.

This year's event, simply known as "The Crossing", celebrated the 140th anniversary of IWC Schaffhausen. The occasion paid tribute to the brand's founder Florentine Ariosto Jones, who in 1868 set out on a journey from Boston, Massachusetts to Schaffhausen in Switzerland.

The fair itself, held in the exclusive surroundings of Geneva, brought together the most iconic brands of the "Haute Horlogerie" from all corners of the globe. It also marked the launch of the IWC vintage collection Jubilee Edition 1868-2008, celebrating the luxury watchmakers' 140th anniversary.

IWC is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious exponents of haute horlogerie, the art of luxury watchmaking for an elite international clientele.

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