SWISS
2019 IN BERLIN
FILMS
VISIT US AT BERLINALE: European Film Market Booth #124 info@swissfilms.ch T +49 30 220 088 424
SWISS FILMS Neugasse 6, 8005 Zurich www.swissfilms.ch Published in February 2019 Image campaign by Stéphanie Gygax
SWISS FILMS AT BERLINALE 2019
� FORUM � AFRICAN MIRROR 3 3 4 5 6
GENERATION KPLUS BARACOA WHERE WE BELONG THE LAST DAY OF AUTUMN ZIBILLA
7 GENERATION 14PLUS 7 KIDS 8 THE JARARIJU SISTERS
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EFM MIDNIGHT RUNNER MY BELOVED ENEMY MY LITTLE ONE OF THE VOICE THE REFORMER – ZWINGLI A LIFE’S PORTRAIT 16 ADVOCATE 17 COMING SOON
27 IN PRODUCTION
9 BERLINALE CO-PRODUCTION MARKET: DAN WECHSLER
28 SUPPORT MEASURES
10 BERLINALE TALENTS
SWISS FILMS TEAM IN BERLIN
CATHERINE ANN BERGER Managing Director caberger@swissfilms.ch T +41 76 368 02 65
SELINA WILLEMSE Head of Festivals & Markets swillemse@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 286 51 88
AIDA SULJICIC Head of Programmes & Consultant Documentaries asuljicic@swissfilms.ch T +41 77 431 87 79
ANDREAS BÜHLMANN Consultant Film & First Feature abuehlmann@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 303 58 69
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AFRICAN MIRROR
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written & directed by Mischa Hedinger 2
For decades the Swiss travel author René Gardi (1909– 2000) elucidated the African continent and its inhabitants for us. In books, television programmes and films, he rhapsodised about the beautiful naked peoples and the pre-modern times in which they lived. The allegedly ideal world became Gardi’s paradise and Africa the surface on which to project the longings of those back home. The film tells the story of our colonial image of Africa.
Documentary
WORLD RIGHTS: ton und bild GmbH, Biel www.tonundbild.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Forum MORE INFORMATION: www.africanmirror.ch
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 84 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, French, Swiss-German PRODUCTION: ton und bild GmbH, Biel / SRF
MISCHA HEDINGER * 1984 in Bern. Mischa Hedinger studied Film at the the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU), Video Department, and at the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL). For his mid-length documentary ASSESSMENT (2013) he received the Carte Blanche Award for Newcomers at the Duisburger Filmwoche. Hedinger works as filmmaker, editor, lecturer and is currently developping his second documentary feature SECURITY which he will be codirecting, expected for 2021.
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BARACOA
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directed by Pablo Briones, The Moving Picture Boys
THE MOVING PICTURE BOYS The Moving Picture Boys, Jace Freeman and Sean Clark, are a directing and producing duo from Nashville, specializing in a narrative driven direct cinema documentary approach.
WORLD RIGHTS: C-Side Productions, Geneva www.c-sideprod.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus
Docufiction
PABLO BRIONES * 1983 in Tucumán. Argentinean citizenship. BA in Film Production from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (2005), MA in Film Directing from ECAL / HEAD (2014). BARACOA is his first feature film.
SWITZERLAND / SPAIN / UNITED STATES Docufiction, 90 min. , 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish SCREENPLAY: Pablo Briones PRODUCTION: C-Side Productions, Geneva / Playlab Films, Barcelona / The Moving Picture Boys, Nashville
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During summer break, Leonel and Antuán intimately explore their universe far from adults in the Cuban countryside. With a considerable difference in age, their unique friendship is torn between games and fights, conversations about everyday life, existentialist questions, simple pleasures and boredom. As his older friend is drawn to the busy life of the city, Leonel will examine his life and place in the world. While Cuban society is going through a transitional period, the two friends also come to a crossroad.
GENERATION KPLUS
WHERE WE BELONG written & directed by Jacqueline Zünd 4
Parents split up, a family falls apart. Two separate worlds emerge from what once was considered a unity. In constant transition, children now live between two homes. The film approaches their reality and focuses on how fragile, but also how brave, smart and funny children perceive their situation.
Documentary
WORLD RIGHTS: Autlook Filmsales GmbH, Vienna www.autlookfilms.com WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 78 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, French PRODUCTION: real Film GmbH, Zurich / SRG SSR
JACQUELINE ZÜND * 1971 in Zurich. Jacqueline Zünd studied at LIFS (London International Film School). Her documentary GOODNIGHT NOBODY (2010) won numerous awards such as the prize for Best Newcomer film at Visions du Réel Nyon and a special mention at DOK Leipzig, her last film ALMOST THERE (2016) premiered at IDFA and was awarded for Best Editing at the Swiss Film Award 2018.
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THE LAST DAY OF AUTUMN
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LE DERNIER JOUR D’AUTOMNE
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written & directed by Marjolaine Perreten
SWITZERLAND / BELGIUM / FRANCE Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva / La Boîte, … Productions, Brussels / Les Films du Nord, Roubaix / RTS
WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus
Animation
MARJOLAINE PERRETEN * 1990 in Lausanne. Marjolaine Perreten studied Multimedia Design at ERACOM (École Romande d’Arts et Communication) in Lausanne and Animation Filmmaking at La Poudrière in Valence. She currently works at Nadasdy Film as animator and animation film director. Her animated shorts BALLOON BIRDS (2014), SUPER GRAND (2014), NOVEMBRE (2015) and A FESTIVE WIND (2017) all became festival hits.
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A group of forest animals secretly collects parts from abandoned bicycles, with the intention of constructing vehicles adapted to their size. They are preparing for a great race. The Last Day of Autumn race.
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ZIBILLA directed by Isabelle Favez 6
Starting at a new school is tough, especially when you are bullied. Zibilla, a zebra adopted by a family of horses, begins to hate the stripes that make her different. When her favourite toy is lost, she impulsively goes looking for it and finds herself at a circus whose main act, a lion, has escaped. The lion’s keeper is so desperate for the show to go on that he dresses up as the lion to perform the act. By helping to find the real lion, Zibilla will also find the confidence to be herself and be accepted by the other children.
Animation
WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus
SWITZERLAND / BELGIUM / FRANCE Animation, 26 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation SCREENPLAY: Pierre-Luc Granjon, David Bredel ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, French PRODUCTION: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva / La Boîte, … Productions, Bruxelles / Les Films du Nord, Roubaix / RTS
ISABELLE FAVEZ * 1974 in Bern. Isabelle Favez belongs to Switzerland’s highly acclaimed animation filmmakers. She studied Film at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and has directed many award-winning animated shorts for children. As artist in residence at the studio Folimage in Valence she completed her awardwinning short CIRCUIT MARINE (2003). It premiered at the Berlinale Generation just like her previous short AIR-MAIL (2015), which became a big festival hit.
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KIDS directed by Michael Frei
SWITZERLAND Animation, 9 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation, 2D Computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English SCREENPLAY: Michael Frei, Mario von Rickenbach PRODUCTION: Playables, Zurich / SRF / SRG SSR / ARTE
WORLD RIGHTS: Playables, Zurich www.playables.net FESTIVAL DISTRIBUTION: Some Shorts, Nijmegen www.someshorts.com WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation 14plus MORE INFORMATION: www.playkids.ch
Animation
MICHAEL FREI * 1987 in Appenzell. Michael Frei studied Animation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and cofounded the production company Playables in 2015. He is especially known for his two awardwinning short animated films NOT ABOUT US (2012), which screened at the festivals in Annecy, Baden, Tallinn and Leipzig, among others, and PLUG & PLAY (2013), which became a big festival hit and was awarded at numerous international film festivals.
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An experimental project about group dynamics. How do we define ourselves when we are all equal? The animated short is accompanied by an interactive animation for computer that is set to release later this year.
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THE JARARIJU SISTERS
SOEURS JARARIJU
written & directed by Jorge Cadena 8
In the middle of an austere landscape polluted by a coal mine in northern Colombia, Viviana and Yandris, two teenage sisters of the Wayuu ethnic group, discover their traditions through ancestral rituals. When their father dies, the Jajariju sisters leave their country, in an act of boldness and courage.
Fiction
WORLD RIGHTS: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva www.goldeneggproduction.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2018 INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation 14plus
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 21 min., 2018 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Arawak CAST: Viviana Uriana Jarariyu, Yandris Uriana Jarariyu, Rosa Jarariyu, Wilson Sapuana PRODUCTION: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva / ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne / Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève) / RTS
JORGE CADENA * 1985 in Colombia. Jorge Cadena has Colombian citizenship and is based in Geneva. He studied Photography in Buenos Aires and graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor in Film from the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). His short documentaries THE THREE SWALLOWS (2016) and SONALI (2017) both premiered at Visions du Reel, with the short fiction film THE TALE OF ANTONIA (2016) he won a Tiger Award for Short Films at IFFR 2017.
Bord Cadre films is based in Geneva. The company was created by Dan Wechsler and Laurent Nègre in order to develop and produce films with a focus on the points of view of a new generation of directors, with emphasis on international coproductions.
FILMOGRAPHY (selection) THE OPERATIVE by Yuval Adler (2019), World premiere Berlinale, Out of competition MONOS by Alejandro Landes (2019), European premiere Berlinale, Panorama DIVINO AMOR by Gabriel Mascaro (2019), European premiere Berlinale, Panorama
ROJO by Benjamín Naishtat (2018) BETWEEN TWO WATERS by Isaki Lacuesta (2018) OUR TIME by Carlos Reygadas (2018) GIRLS OF THE SUN by Eva Husson (2018) BIRDS OF PASSAGE by Christina Gallego, Ciro Guerra (2018) DAUGHTER OF MINE by Laura Bispuri (2018) FOXTROT by Samuel Maoz (2017) LOS PERROS by Marcela Saïd (2017) SCARRED HEARTS by Radu Jude (2016) SWORN VIRGIN by Laura Bispuri (2015)
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Wechsler works as independent producer since 2003. He holds a degree in Business Management and has worked for companies such as Swatch Group, Christie’s International and Citibank Private Bank. Wechsler graduated from the European Media Business School and founded the production company Bord Cadre films in 2004. He participated at the European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs programme (EAVE) in 2007 and was the Swiss EFP Producer on the Move in Cannes 2011.
DAN WECHSLER
COMPANY MATCHING PROGRAMME
Dan Wechsler, producer at Bord Cadre films, participates at the 16th edition of the Berlinale Co-Production Market within the exclusive “Company Matching” Programme, showcasing five exceptional internationally active production companies.
BERLINALE TALENTS
FELIPE MONROY DIRECTOR Felipe Monroy studied Film at the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). He is known for his award-winning doc TACACHO and LOS FANTASMAS DEL CARBIE which both premiered at Visions du Réel. FILMOGRAPHY (SELECTION) 2020 HIJOS DEL VIENTO 2018 LOS FANTASMAS DEL CARIBE 2013 TACACHO
NICOLE HOESLI PRODUCTION DESIGNER
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Nicole Hoesli studied Fine Arts in Zurich at ZHdK and graduated from Central Saint Martins in London with an MA in Scenography. She is part of the collective 8horses. FILMOGRAPHY (SELECTION) 2021 THE JUNGLE by Matthias Huser 2019 ABDULLA AND HIS SONS (WT) by Esen Isik 2019 BEAST by Lorenz Merz 2014 THEY CHASED ME THROUGH ARIZONA by Matthias Huser
MATTEO PAGAMICI COMPOSER Matteo Pagamici works as composer for both cinema and commercials. In 2017 he won the Silver Medal at the Young Talent Awards at the Krakow Film Music Festival. FILMOGRAPHY (SELECTION) 2020 PLATZSPITZBABY by Pierre Monnard 2019 SOUTH OF HOPE STREET by Jane Spencer 2017 GOLIATH by Dominik Locher
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MIDNIGHT RUNNER
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directed by Hannes Baumgartner
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 92 min., 2018 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German SCREENPLAY: Stefan Staub, Hannes Baumgartner CAST: Max Hubacher, Annina Euling, Sylvie Rohrer, Christophe Sermet, Saladin Dellers, Luna Wedler PRODUCTION: Contrast Film Bern GmbH / SRF / Teleclub
WORLD SALES: Be For Films, Brussels www.beforfilms.com WORLD PREMIERE: San Sebastian 2018, New Directors MORE INFORMATION: www.derlaeufer.ch
Fiction
HANNES BAUMGARTNER * 1983. Hannes Baumgartner studied film at F+F and Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). His award-winning short film TENERIFFA (2012) was honored with the Zurich Film Award and selected for festivals such as Max Ophüls Prize in Saarbrücken and the International Short Film Festival Winterthur. MIDNIGHT RUNNER is his first feature film. It competed in the renowned New Directors section of the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
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The true drama about a well-known top athlete, who evolves into a serial offender: The Swiss marathon runner Jonas Widmer is looking for a way to overcome his tragic past and as a result, becomes more and more entangled in an ominous double life.
EFM
MY BELOVED ENEMY
UN NEMICO CHE TI VUOLE BENE
Fiction
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directed by Denis Rabaglia On a rainy night professor Enzo Stefanelli coincidentally rescues the life of a young man who turns out to be a professional killer. In return for this gesture the killer promises him to kill any enemy of the professor. Against the professor’s will, the killer sets off in search of a potential enemy in his environment and family, throwing the life of the professor into chaos. After initial scepticism Enzo opens up his eyes to his life and the people who surround him … WORLD SALES: ITALY / SWITZERLAND Adriana Chiesa Enterprises Fiction, 97 min., 2018 Srl, Rome ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: adrianachiesaenterprises.com Italian WORLD PREMIERE: SCREENPLAY: Locarno Festival 2018 Heidrun Schleef, Denis Rabaglia, Luca de Benedittis, Diego Abatantuono, David McWater, Krzysztof Zanussi CAST: Diego Abatantuono, Antonio Folletto, Mirko Trovato, Roberto Ciufoli, Annabella Calabrese, Antonio Catania, Massimo Ghini PRODUCTION: Falkor, Milan / Turnus Film AG, Zurich / RSI / SRG SSR / Teleclub
DENIS RABAGLIA * 1966. Italian-Swiss director Denis Rabaglia returned to Locarno’s Piazza Grande with MY BELOVED ENEMY (2018) after AZZURRO (2000), a comedy drama about Italian immigration in Switzerland starring Paolo Villaggio – Swiss Film Award, Best Fiction Film 2001 – and MARCELLO MARCELLO (2008), a romantic comedy with a Neapolitan touch. He also made the TV movies: GROSSESSE NERVEUSE (1993), Max Ophüls Prize and DO NOT PANIC! (2006), Best Swiss TV Movie Award.
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MY LITTLE ONE
FRÉDÉRIC CHOFFAT * 1973 in Morocco. Frédéric Choffat studied film at ECAL and cofounded Les films du Tigre with Julie Gilbert. He is known for MANGROVE (2011) and the award-winning REAL LIFE IS ELSEWHERE (2006), which premiered in Locarno, Cineasti del presente. JULIE GILBERT * 1974 in France. Julie Gilbert studied French and literature. Cowriter and codirector of several films with Frédéric Choffat, including MANGROVE (2011), in Competition at Locarno Festival.
SWITZERLAND WORLD SALES: Fiction, 100 min., 2019 WIDE, Paris ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: www.widemanagement.com English, French WORLD PREMIERE: SCREENPLAY: Solothurner Filmtage 2019 Julie Gilbert, Frédéric Choffat, Jihane Chouaib CAST: Anna Mouglalis, Mathieu Demy, Vincent Bonillo, Ruby Matenko, John Doe PRODUCTION: Intermezzo Films, Geneva / RTS / Les films du Tigre Sàrl, Geneva
Fiction
An urgent plea from Jade, with whom they once shared a passionate bond, brings two European men, Alex and Bernardo, to an unexpected encounter in the Arizona desert, in Navajo Nation. They are introduced to the harsh reality of Jade’s life by her precocious, free-spirited 10-year-old daughter, Frida. Their views on life, love and even death are about to change forever.
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directed by Frédéric Choffat, Julie Gilbert
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OF THE VOICE
DER KLANG DER STIMME
written & directed by Bernard Weber 14
The story of four people pushing the realms and possibilities of the human voice. Andreas experiments with his voice to evolve sounds which transform him while performing. Just using her voice, Regula is working hard to achieve the effect of 360 degree surround sound. Matthias tries to understand the voice’s secrets with sophisticated scientific methods. Finally, Miriam’s techniques inspire people to discover their own voice.
Documentary
WORLD SALES: mindjazz pictures, Cologne www.mindjazz-pictures.de WORLD PREMIERE: Solothurner Filmtage 2018
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 82 min., 2018 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, Swiss-German PRODUCTION: Artisan Films GmbH, Zurich
BERNARD WEBER * 1963 in Geneva. Bernard Weber studied Film at the Cinema department of the École Supérieure d’Art Visuel Genève (now HEAD – Genève). He codirected the awardwinning documentary feature NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS (2012), which became a box-office success in the Swiss cinemas. For OF THE VOICE he received the Audience Award at the Solothurn Film Festival 2018.
EFM ZWINGLI
THE REFORMER – ZWINGLI A LIFE’S PORTRAIT
STEFAN HAUPT * 1961 in Zurich. Stefan Haupt is known for his feature film debut UTOPIA BLUES (2001), which was honoured with the Zurich Film Prize and the Swiss Film Award, for his documentary film ELISABETH KÜBLER-ROSS (2003), with over 300 000 viewers throughout Europe as well as for THE CIRCLE (2014), honoured with the Panorama Audience Award and the Teddy Award at the Berlinale and with the Swiss Film Award for Best Feature Film 2015.
SWITZERLAND / GERMANY WORLD SALES: Fiction, 123 min., 2019 Global Screen GmbH, Munich ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: www.globalscreen.de German, Swiss-German FESTIVAL PREMIERE: SCREENPLAY: Solothurner Filmtage 2019 Simone Schmid MORE INFORMATION: CAST: www.zwingli-film.com Max Simonischek, Anatole Taubman, Sarah Sophia Meyer, Charlotte Schwab, Stefan Kurt, Andrea Zogg PRODUCTION: C-Films AG, Zurich / Eikon Film Südwest, Stuttgart / SRF / SRG SSR / 3sat /Teleclub
Fiction
His life’s work made him world famous: within a few years, Huldrych Zwingli, the main proponent of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland, turned the entire city of Zurich and a firmly established canon of values upside down. With razor-sharp intellect, he dissected the religious and social system, denounced abuses and was not afraid of taking issue with the most powerful people of his time. In the end, he died, the opponent of war in a war he himself had endorsed.
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directed by Stefan Haupt
EFM
ADVOCATE directed by Rachel Leah Jones, Philippe Bellaïche 16
Lea Tsemel is Israel’s most prominent and controversial human rights lawyer. She defends Palestinians and, for many years, was the only Jewish attorney willing to take on political prisoners accused of having “blood on their hands”. Never afraid to fight, Lea’s also not afraid to lose a battle. 99 % of her clients get convicted. Yet she continues to demand a fair trial for people classified by the state as “enemies”.
Documentary
WORLD SALES: Cinephil, Tel Aviv www.cinephil.co.il WORLD PREMIERE: Sundance 2019
ISRAEL / CANADA / SWITZERLAND Documentary, 110 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Arabic, Hebrew SCREENPLAY: Rachel Leah Jones PRODUCTION: Home Made Docs, Israel / Productions Megafun, Montreal / Close Up Films, Geneva / RTS / SRG SSR
RACHEL LEAH JONES Born in Berkeley, California, raised in Tel Aviv, Israel. She is a critically acclaimed documentary director / producer / editor and has worked on numerous socially and politically engaged documentaries in Israel and Palestine. PHILIPPE BELLAÏCHE Born in Paris. He is an award-winning cinematographer and shot several films with Avi Mograbi and Duki Dror. With Rachel Leah Jones he worked on GYPSY DAVY (2012), which screened at the Sundance Film Festival.
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BEYOND THE HORIZON
LE MILIEU DE L’HORIZON
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directed by Delphine Lehericey 18
1976. A scorching summer. On the family farm, 13-year-old Gus senses that the heat is not only affecting the animals and the fields, but is also disrupting the behaviour of the adults around him. During his vacation, Gus will witness the end of his father’s traditional world of farming as well as the explosion of his family nucleus. In a few months, he will have left his childhood innocence behind for good.
Fiction
WORLD RIGHTS: Box Productions sàrl, Lausanne www.boxproductions.ch
SWITZERLAND / BELGIUM Fiction, 90 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French SCREENPLAY: Joanne Giger CAST: Laetitia Casta, Luc Bruchez, Clémence Poesy, Thibaut Evrard PRODUCTION: Box Productions sàrl, Lausanne / Entre Chien et Loup, Brussels / RTS / RTBF / Teleclub / BeTV
DELPHINE LEHERICEY * 1975. Delphine Lehericey studied Performing Arts at the University of Paris X and performed in numerous theatre productions before she directed her own films. Her first feature PUPPYLOVE (2013) premiered at the San Sebasitan International Film Festival (New Directors). It was selected for numerous international festivals and was awarded Best Belgian Feature at the FIFF Namur.
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MADAME
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written & directed by Stéphane Riethauser
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 93 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCTION: Lambda Prod, Geneva / RTS / SRG SSR
WORLD RIGHTS: Lambda Prod, Geneva www.lambda-prod.ch
Documentary
STÉPHANE RIETHAUSER * 1972 in Geneva. Stéphane Riethauser studied Law at the University of Geneva and has been working as teacher, gay activist, photographer, editor, TV-journalist and translator before he launched his own production company Lambda Prod and started working as independent filmmaker in Berlin. His short film PRORA (2012) received numerous awards and became a huge festival hit.
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A family saga based on private archive footage. The film takes us on an intimate journey where a grandmother and her grandson explore the development and transmission of gender identity in a patriarchal environment.
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MARE
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written & directed by Andrea Štaka 20
In the morning, when she’s alone at home, Mare watches the planes taking off. One day a man moves in next door. They become acquainted, enjoy each other’s company, and have an affair. Mare embarks on a journey into a parallel universe that has little to do with her family and everyday life.
Fiction
WORLD RIGHTS: Okofilm Productions, Zurich www.okofilm.ch
SWITZERLAND / CROATIA Fiction, 95 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Croatian, English CAST: Marija Škaričić, Goran Navojec, Mateusz Kościukiewicz, Mirjana Karanović, Arta Dobroshi PRODUCTION: Okofilm Productions, Zurich / Dinaridi film, Zagreb / ZDF / ARTE / SRF
ANDREA ŠTAKA Andrea Štaka studied Film at the Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK. Her first feature film FRAULEIN (2006) won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Festival and the Heart of Sarajevo at the Sarajevo Film Festival. CURE – THE LIFE OF ANOTHER (2014) was awarded at the Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis among others. MARE is Štaka’s third feature film.
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O FIM DO MUNDO
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(working title) directed by Basil Da Cunha
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 110 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Portuguese based Creoles and pidgins, Portuguese SCREENPLAY: Basil Da Cunha, Martin Drouot, Karim Bel Kacem CAST: Michel David Pires Spencer, Marco Joel Fernandes, Alexandre Da Costa Fonseca, Lara Cristina Cardoso PRODUCTION: Thera Production, Lausanne / RTS
WORLD RIGHTS: Thera Production, Lausanne www.thera-production.ch
Fiction
BASIL DA CUNHA * 1985 in Morges. Joint Swiss and Portuguese citizenship. Basil da Cunha received his BA in Cinema at the HEAD – Genève in 2012 and has been working as lecturer for the renowned film school since his graduation. He is known for his award-winning shorts NEXT DOOR (2009), screened in Competition in Locarno as well as for SUNFISH (2011) and THE LIVING ALSO CRY (2012) both presented at the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes. His first feature AFTER THE NIGHT (2013) also premiered at the Quinzaine.
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Spirra, a young hoodlum who has just left boarding school, meets up with his old friends in Reboleira, a Lisbon slum slated for demolition. Giovanni, the leader, tries to convince the group to steal a stash of cocaine held by Kikas, one of the Reboleira drug lords. But Spirra falls in love with Yara, a neighborhood girl, thus slipping away from Giovanni. The group’s fate will soon be intertwined with that of the slum and its inhabitants.
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PARADISE WAR
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directed by Niklaus Hilber 22
1984: Searching for an experience beyond modern civilisation, Bruno Manser travels into the jungles of Borneo and finds the nomadic Penan tribe. When the existence of the Penan is threatened by relentless deforestation, Manser takes up the fight against logging with a courage and determination that makes him one of the most renowned and credible environmentalists of his time – and eventually costs him everything. Based on a true story.
Fiction
WORLD SALES: TrustNordisk, Hvidovre www.trustnordisk.com
SWITZERLAND / AUSTRIA Fiction, 130 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, Penan, Swiss-German SCREENPLAY: Niklaus Hilber, Patrick Tönz, David Clemens CAST: Sven Schelker, Nick Kelesau, Elizabeth Ballang PRODUCTION: A Film Company GmbH, Zurich / Das Kollektiv GmbH, Zurich / SRF / Teleclub / Superfilm GmbH, Vienna
NIKLAUS HILBER * 1970 in Fribourg. Niklaus Hilber studied directing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and screenwriting at the AFI in Los Angeles. His last film AMATEUR TEENS (2015) received the Audience Award at the Zurich Film Festival and was awarded with the Zurich Film Prize 2015. It also screened in competition at the 19th Tallin Black Nights Film Festival as well as at Cinema Jove in Valencia.
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written & directed by Juliana Fanjul
SWITZERLAND / MEXICO Documentary, 90 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish PRODUCTION: Akka Films, Geneva / Cactus Films, Mexico City / RTS / SRG SSR
WORLD RIGHTS: Akka Films, Geneva www.akkafilms.ch
Documentary
JULIANA FANJUL * 1981 in Mexico. Juliana Fanjul studied Film at the Documentary Department of the International Cinema and TV School of San Antonio de los Baños (EICTV) in Cuba and Cinema Studies at École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) and Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). Her first documentary feature MUCHACHAS (2015) premiered at Visions du Réel in Nyon and was selected for numerous international festivals. At the FIFDH in Paris it was awarded with the Grand Prix.
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Mexico, March 2015. Carmen Aristegui, incorruptible journalist, has been fired from the radio station where she has worked for years. Supported by more than 18 million listeners, Carmen continues her fight. Her goal: raising awareness and fighting against misinformation. The film tells the story of this quest: difficult and dangerous, but essential to the health of democracy. A story in which resistance becomes a form of survival.
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ROLL THE DRUM!
TAMBOUR BATTANT
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directed by François Christophe Marzal 24
In the beginning of spring 1970, the small village of Monchoux in Valais is experiencing unusual agitation. Is it because of the vote on the women’s right to vote? Or because of the upcoming referendum on the expulsion of foreigners? No, it’s worse: the village brass band has imploded! Half of the village will say it is Aloys’ fault, the other half will respond that it is Pierre’s. The dissent will be political, musical and amorous.
Fiction
WORLD RIGHTS: PointProd SA, Geneva www.pointprod.ch
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 90 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French SCREENPLAY: Nicolas Frey, François Christophe Marzal CAST: Pierre Mifsud, Pascal Demolon, Sabine Timoteo, Jean-Luc Bideau, Amélie Peterli, Giuseppe Oricchio, Roland Vouilloz, Pierre-Isaïe Duc, François Florey, Werner Biermeier PRODUCTION: PointProd SA, Geneva / Light Night Production SA, Geneva / SRG SSR / RTS / Teleclub
FRANÇOIS CHRISTOPHE MARZAL * 1966 in France. François Christophe Marzal studied Literature at Stendhal University in Grenoble and Film at the Ecole Supérieure d’Art Visuel Genève (now HEAD – Genève). His first feature ATTENTION AUX CHIENS (1999) premiered at the Locarno Festival and was awarded at the Swiss Film Awards for Best Actress. He is also known for his feature film OFF BAD RAGAZ (2004) and as showrunner of the TV series “10” (2010).
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THE DRAMA OF THE GIFTED SON
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DAS DRAMA DES BEGABTEN SOHNES
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written & directed by Daniel Howald
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 100 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, French, Swiss-German, Polish PRODUCTION: SwissDok GmbH, Basel / SRF / SRG SSR
WORLD RIGHTS: SwissDok GmbH, Basel www.swissdok.ch
Documentary
DANIEL HOWALD * 1966 in Basel. Daniel Howald studied Philosophy, Literature and Ethnology. He works as director, producer and screenwriter and is known for ANNA IN SWITZERLAND (2014) and MY MOTHER’S DEATH OR FIVE ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A FILM (2008) which he both codirected with Chantal Millès. With his production company SwissDok he produced the award-winning first feature by Eva Vitija MY LIFE AS A FILM – HOW MY FATHER TRIED TO CAPTURE HAPPINESS (2015).
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Martin was rejected and treated with coldness by his mother, and beaten and humiliated by his father: a childhood without love. The story sounds like a case study from the book “The Drama of the Gifted Child” by the world-famous Swiss child psychologist Alice Miller. But Martin is her son. After her death, he sets out to discover the drama behind everything: the Shoa, the annihilation of the Jewish people, from which his mother in Poland had barely escaped.
COMING SOON
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ISOLA directed by Aurelio Buchwalder
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The actual inmates on Gorgona, the only remaining island prison in the Mediterranean Sea, are not the only prisoners. The guards are also regarded as prisoners. The inmates have to apply to be able to serve the last years of their sentence on the island. The positions of the guards, however, are determined by the Italian Ministry of Justice. How do the guards confront their own isolation? Are the inmates capable of self-responsibility?
WORLD RIGHTS: maximage, Zurich www.maximage.ch
Documentary
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SPRING 2019
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 70 min. ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Italian PRODUCTION: maximage, Zurich / Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK / SRF / RSI
AURELIO BUCHWALDER * 1987 in Arlesheim. Aurelio Buchwalder studied Film at the Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK. He is especially known for his cinematography for THE GIRL DOWN LOCH ÄNZI or MASTER AND VASSAL. For THROUGH THE AGES – A GLACIER PERFORMANCE (2014) he received the Cinematography Award at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur. His short doc DRIFTAGE (2016) screened in competition at Visions du Réel in Nyon. ISOLA is his first feature-length documentary film.
FALL 2019
ABDULLAH AND HIS SONS
ATLAS
SWITZERLAND Fiction PRODUCTION: maximage, Zurich / SRF WORLD RIGHTS: maximage, Zurich
SWITZERLAND / BELGIUM Fiction PRODUCTION: Imagofilm Lugano / RSI / Climax Films, Brussels WORLD RIGHTS: Imagofilm Lugano
FALL 2019
FALL 2019
JILL
LITTLE SISTER
by Steven Hayes
SWITZERLAND Fiction PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: hugofilm features, Zurich
SCHWESTERLEIN by Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond, directors of LA PETITE CHAMBRE SWITZERLAND Fiction CAST: Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller PRODUCTION: Vega Film AG, Zurich WORLD SALES: TrustNordisk, Hvidovre
SUMMER 2021
WINTER 2020
THE FLYING MOUNTAIN
THE GIRL AND THE SPIDER
DER FLIEGENDE BERG by Nicolas Steiner, director of ABOVE AND BELOW
by Ramon Zürcher, director of THE STRANGE LITTLE CAT
SWITZERLAND Fiction PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: maximage, Zurich
SWITZERLAND / AUSTRIA Fiction PRODUCTION: Beauvoir Films, Geneva / Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion GmbH, Vienna WORLD RIGHTS: Beauvoir Films, Geneva
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(working title) ABDULLAH UND SEINE SÖHNE by Esen Isik, director of KÖPEK
by Niccolò Castelli, director of TUTTI GIÙ – EVERYBODY SOMETIMES FALLS
IN PRODUCTION
FALL 2019
SUPPORT MEASURES
DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT NON-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES Supporting the theatrical release of Swiss feature films in ten selected non-European countries. Its aim is to increase the visibility and the distribution of Swiss films outside of Europe. The subsidies are granted according to the “Guidelines for Distribution Support of Swiss films in non-European countries”. Applications must be submitted by the foreign distributor.
Film Sales Support FSS is a scheme by the European Film Promotion (EFP) for the promotion of European films outside of Europe. With support by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, Media Desk Suisse and SWISS FILMS, FSS is also available to European and Swiss sales companies selling Swiss films at selected festivals and markets: Hong Kong Int’l Film & TV Market, Tribeca FF, Hot Docs Toronto, TIFF, Asian Film Market, American Film Market, Sundance FF. Applications must be submitted online by the world sales company. Guidelines and application: www.efp-online.com/en/project_market/guidlines.php
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A support measure by SWISS FILMS in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC). www.swissfilms.ch/distribution Contact: support@swissfilms.ch
FILM SALES SUPPORT
VOD SUPPORT
Supporting the distribution of Swiss films on selected international VOD platforms.
DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT EUROPEAN COUNTRIES Supporting the theatrical release of Swiss feature films in Europe.
Its aim is to increase the visibility and the online distribution of Swiss films. The subsidies are granted according to the “Guidelines VOD Support”. Applications must be submitted by the Swiss rights holder.
Its aim is to increase the visibility and the distribution of Swiss films in Europe. The subsidies are granted according to the “Guidelines Funding for the distribution of Swiss films and coproductions in foreign countries”. Applications must be submitted by the European distributor via the Swiss producer.
A support measure by SWISS FILMS in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC). www.swissfilms.ch/en/vod Contact: support@swissfilms.ch
A support measure by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC), administrated by SWISS FILMS. www.bak.admin.ch Contact: support@swissfilms.ch
VISIT US ALSO AT OUR STANDS AT : Cannes Village International Annecy Mifa Locarno Festival Toronto International Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market
SWISS FILMS is supported by
Shera in WHERE WE BELONG by Jacqueline Zünd, Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus
“ Which story is true?”