New York/Schaffhausen : At the Tribeca Film Festival  in New York, IWC Schaffhausendemonstrated its commitment to supporting young, talented filmmakers for the second year in succession.

As part of the event, the luxury watch manufacturer hosted an exclusive dinner under the motto “For the Love of Cinema.” The Swiss company declared its passion for the world of filmmaking with the IWC Filmmaker Award, which was presented to the winner to the resounding applause of around 100 notable guests. A private concert by Grammy Award-winning singer Estelle was the crowning glory to a fabulous evening.

In the stylish surroundings of the Urban Zen loft over looking Greenwich Village, IWC Schaffhausen held its private “For the Love of Cinema” dinner, with a star-studded guest list.

Honoring the luxury watchmaker with their presence were Robert De Niro, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival,  actors Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon,Heather Graham, Dev Patel, James Marsden, and Armie Hammer, NBA player Carmelo Anthony, as well as model Karolina Kurkova. The first highlight of the exclusive evening was the presentation of the IWC Filmmaker Award, which went to Jay Dockendorf. His film project, “Naz + Maalik,” left a profound impression on jury members Beth Janson, Executive Director of Tribeca Film Institute, Paula Weinstein, Executive Vice President of the Tribeca Film Festival, Jeff Malmberg, last year’s award winner, and Georges Kern, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen. “Naz + Maalik” tells the story of two Muslim teens hustling the streets of Brooklyn on a hot summer day – when their secretive behavior unwittingly lands them into the crosshairs of the War on Terror. “Jay Dockendorf really understands how to address his audience’s intelligence, and his artistic interpretation of reality such as his professional way of telling stories are outstanding ,”said Georges Kern, explaining the jury’s choice.

“His sensitive take on the realities of life left a lasting mark on us all, and we look forward to seeing more films with his signature.”

With the express aim of promoting up-and-coming filmmakers,the Swiss watch manufacturer founded its IWC Filmmaker Award several years ago. IWC presents the award as part of its commitment to the film festivals of Beijing, Zurich, London, and Dubai, and now for the secondtime

in its role as Official ‘Festival-Time’ Partner of the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Tribeca Film Institute, which supports emerging and established filmmakers  with grants and professional development, invited talented emerging filmmakers to submit their scripts for the IWC Filmmaker Award. Those whose innovative artistic approach impressed the jury made it to the short list. Jeff Malmberg, who won last year’s IWC Filmmaker Award for his documentary “Teatro,” had this to say: “Winning the IWC Filmmaker Award has helped me continue essential work on my second film, which would not otherwise have been possible. One of the issues with filmmaking is the incredible amount of time it all takes. The IWC award gives filmmakers thetime they need to tell their stories the right way.”