Light and shadow revolve, time goes deep. Upholding the ingenuity of 185 years, Swiss watchmaking brand Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to pay attention to the development and growth of film culture, and gives long-term and profound support to the film industry. For more than a decade, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been working closely with the world’s most prestigious film festivals. The fate of the art of time and the world of light and shadow has long been inextricable. This year, they talked with the Shanghai International Film Festival for eight years and refined the art of film restoration. Jaeger-LeCoultre devotes tremendous energy to film restoration projects every year. Through the blockage of time, the art of light and shadow has a long history.
The thirteenth restoration of the movie ‘Soul of Painting’ poster
A round of film covered by the dust of time, a film carrying the memories and dreams of a generation, the significance of film restoration is to use modern technology to make these gradually dusty in the years and the beauty and beauty again shine her Original colors. Although digital technology is used, film restoration is still a manual labor process, and it is also the only way to preserve classics and inherit culture. It is an art form in the world of light and shadow, and it is also a skill. The large-grained rough texture of the video tape is removed, and the high-definition audio-visual effect after removing the noise is familiar, and the subtle visual effects also add freshness to the memories.
Over the past eight years, Jaeger-LeCoultre and the Shanghai International Film Festival have jointly repaired dozens of classic films, ranging from old films in the 1930s and 1940s, such as ‘Spring in the River,’ and ‘Sisters of the Stage’, to Hong Kong classic film ‘The True Color of Heroes’ , ‘Unable to Love’ and the literary film ‘Out of the Window’, which was screened last year.
Before the film ‘Soul of Painting’ is restored
After the movie ‘Soul of Painting’ is restored
Jaeger-LeCoultre continues to focus on the art of film itself, contributing its own strength to protect the cultural heritage of Chinese cinema, and rescue and repair classic Chinese movies. The restoration of classic movies is not just an important public good, the process of restoration is a perfect interpretation of the spirit of craftsmen. The prosthetics repaired the film’s physical repairs, followed by detailed digital repairs, and then graded the complete movie. The principle of color grading is to respect the original color, which represents a unique atmosphere in the era. The restorers not only need to study the directors’ works of the same era in the same area, refer to contemporary magazines, but also interview some viewers who have watched the movie in the theater or the photographers and directors of the year, combining various factors Decide on the final grade of the film. This series of restoration procedures are very complicated and cumbersome, and they have the same purpose as the ingenious watchmaking process. Jaeger-LeCoultre strongly supports the restoration of films, while inheriting the art and culture of Chinese films, it also continues the long history of film culture.
Before the film ‘Soul of Painting’ is restored
After the movie ‘Soul of Painting’ is restored
In 2018, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Shanghai International Film Festival joined hands for eight years to restore the legendary biographical film ‘Soul of Painting’ with 4K technology, and was screened during the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival. Based on Shi Nan’s novels, this film mainly tells the story of the famous painter Pan Yuliang, with the help of her husband, the Customs Governor Pan Zanhua, with her own efforts and talents, to get rid of the sinking fate and achieve great success. An image of a woman who has finally become independent and mature after undergoing countless transformations, with Gong Li’s proficient and multi-level expression, the screen suddenly jumps on. In the process of ‘Painting Soul’, the deformation and flicker of the film due to aging were removed. At the same time, the sharpness, contrast, color texture and sound effect of the oil painting were greatly improved. After a long period of erosion of an old film, it is not difficult to restore the bright and bright light, but to restore the tone and age of the old film, it also needs related artistic cultivation. The son of Huang Shuqin, the director of ‘Soul of Painting’-the well-known director Zheng Dasheng visited the film restoration studio to direct the restoration. And a new artistic understanding. Thanks to the efforts of Jaeger-LeCoultre and the Shanghai International Film Festival and many film restoration artisans, this classic has been reborn.
Well-known director Zheng Dasheng at the 4K restored version of ‘Soul of Painting’ screening
In order to support the restoration of classic film projects, Jaeger-LeCoultre auctioned a classic timepiece during the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival, and the proceeds will be fully invested in film restoration projects. This Rendez-VousNight & Day date and night display watch-2018 Shanghai International Film Festival Charity Auction Custom Edition, is a collection of Swiss Jura Valley watchmaking superb craftsmanship and aesthetics, rose gold case set with brilliant diamonds, With a charming red dial and strap, it is full of feminine mystery and elegant elegance. The unique star display on the disk is placed at 6 o’clock on the day and night, witnessing the passing of time, and also showing Jaeger-LeCoultre’s heart for film art.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-VousNight & Day Date Collection Day and Night Display Watch-2018 Shanghai International Film Festival Charity Auction Customized Model
The process of film restoration is also the process of film re-creation. How to give the classic new life while retaining the unique sense of the age of the old film, test the skills and ingenuity of the film repairer. Repairing damage and polishing quality every frame, the key in the process of film repair is not only technology, but also the accumulation of experience and the realization of art. Just like the watchmakers in the Jaeger-LeCoultre workshop, they create precise timepieces. Wisdom is integrated in the form of craftsmanship. The agility of life is given to each timepiece, and it is a glorious moment in the history of watchmaking.
Ms. Catherine Rénier, Global CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Ms. Fu Wenxia, Director of the Shanghai International Film and Television Festival Center and General Manager of Shanghai International Film and Television Festival Co., Ltd. at the 4K Rehabilitation Screening
During the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival, Jaeger-LeCoultre invited guests from all over the world to witness the grandeur of Chinese films, to support representatives of outstanding Chinese filmmakers, and to continue to repair classic film projects and promote the inheritance and development of film art.