Die Schwalbe

The Swallow
L'hirondelle
La rondine

Switzerland, January 2016
FILM, Fiction, 102 min.

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directed by: Mano Khalil
Written by: Mano Khalil, Daniela Baumgärtl, Daniel Casparis, Martina Klein, Michael Sauter
Status: In distribution

Mira, a young Swiss in search of her roots, travels to Iraqi Kurdistan, where she is confronted with terrorism, war crimes and street justice, but also with love. The film depicts two of life’s tragedies: not having our wishes fulfilled and having them fulfilled. A journey to the breathtaking landscapes of Kurdistan, but also into the political reality of a region full of conflicts. We hear about it daily, but the film brings us a totally new perspective.

Mira è una giovane svizzera che spinta dal desiderio di scoprire le sue radici si reca nel Kurdistan iracheno. Sulla sua strada trova terrorismo, crimini di guerra, giustizia sommaria, ma anche amore. "La rondine" è il racconto dei due drammi che caratterizzano la vita: il non realizzarsi di un grande desiderio e il suo (presunto) realizzarsi. La storia si snoda attraverso i paesaggi mozzafiato del Kurdistan per arrivare al cuore dell'attualità politica di una regione squassata dai conflitti. È una reltà di cui sentiamo parlare quotidianamente, ma che spesso resta lontana.

credits

World Premiere: January 2016
Original Version: Kurdish, English, Swiss-German, German (arabic/italian/french/english/german subtitles), colour, DCP, 102 min.
ISAN: 0000-0003-E111-0000-U-0000-0000-L
Production: Frame Film GmbH, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, ARTE G.E.I.E.
Producer: Mano Khalil
directed by: Mano Khalil
Written by: Mano Khalil, Daniela Baumgärtl, Daniel Casparis, Martina Klein, Michael Sauter
Cinematography: Revan Radween
Editing: Thomas Bachmann
Sound Editing: Thomas Bachmann
Sound Design: Thomas Bachmann
Re-Recording Mix: Rolf Büttikofer
Music: Mario Batkovic
Location Sound Mix: Jürg Lempen
Production Design: Manuel Speck
Special Effects: Nino Michel
Lighting Design: Uwe Arn
Costumes: Hayley Gibson, Linda Harper
Casting: Corinna Glaus, Bina Qeredaxi, Lindsey Richardson

Cast

Manon Pfrunder as Mira
Ismail Zagros as Ramo
Dejin Jamil as Leyla
Bengin Ali as Aram
Aro Shikhmous as Osman Hame Khan
Lilian Naef as Miras Mutter
Christian Samuel Weber as Stefan
Majid Waysi as Majid
Nassir Hasan as Taxi driver
Rekesh Shahbaz as Peshmerga
Mouafaq Rushdie as Mukhtar-Dorfvorsteher
Susan Antranik Gregor as Ramos Mutter
Qasim Ramadan as Hotel receptionist
Cemik Zikri as Zikri

World Sales / World Rights

World Rights: Frame Film GmbH

Awards

(a selection)

Freistadt, Der Neue Heimatfilm, Würdigungspreis der Stadt Freistadt 2018 (Winner)
Duhok International Film Festival, Preis der Stadt Duhok für den besten Kurdischen Film 2016 (Winner)
Film Festival della Lessinia, Microcosmos Preis 2016 (Winner)

Festivals