BASELWORLD 2017: “To Jack” - A film directed by Patrick Dempsey

BASELWORLD 2017: “To Jack” - A film directed by Patrick Dempsey

Patrick Dempsey, actor, race car driver, TAG Heuer Ambassador, presented Jack Heuer, Honorary Chairman of the Swiss watch brand, with a unique and wonderful gift today at BaselWorld.

With “To Jack”, Patrick created that rare thing, a “visual poem” to Jack Heuer. Though he also plays a role in the short film, this is also the first time Patrick stepped behind the camera to direct this very special cinematic project.

In the film, we spot Patrick at the wheel of a red MGA, not unlike the first car Jack Heuer himself was given by his own father after he became the first in the family to graduate college  – it ignited his personal love of racing. 

On Patrick’s wrist: a 55th Anniversary Special Edition Autavia.

“To Jack” premieres today at BaselWorld as TAG Heuer unveils the 55th Anniversary Special Edition Autavia, a reedition of the legendary Autavia, the legendary driver's chronograph beloved of collectors from the Sixties designed by Jack Heuer in 1962.

In “To Jack,” the love of driving, time, past and present come together in the best of filmmaking, storytelling magic. Patrick Dempsey’s Director of Photography is none other than two-time Oscar and Cannes Festival Award winner Janusz Kaminski whose credits include The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. The music is by Grammy nominated jazz musician, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, and gives the film a reflective atmosphere and conveys a sense of timelessness.

Patrick Dempsey said:“I thank TAG Heuer for giving me Carte Blanche on a project that was very dear to me. What began as an inkling of an idea unfolded naturally by itself as a message to Jack that couldn’t have been delivered any other way. I had the privilege to work with the best and we’re all extremely proud of the result.”

Jack Heuer:“I can’t tell you how touched I was when I saw the movie. Not just because it felt like it was me behind the wheel, but because it so marvelously goes backward and forward in time. It truly also captures what drives me and what drives TAG Heuer. Also, I’ve always been particularly proud of the Autavia. Thank you, Patrick, for this wonderful gift.”