15 Swiss films at Max Ophuels Prize Film Festival in Saarbrücken
Numerous short and feature-length fiction and documentary films from Switzerland will be screened in competition at the 33rd Max Ophuels Prize Film Festival in Saarbrücken (January 16-22, 2012), one of the most important film festivals for young talented directors in German-speaking Europe.
12.01.2012
The film "Unter Wasser atmen" by Stefan Muggli and Andri Hinnen, which won the Audience Prize at the Zurich Film Festival last autumn, will be screened in the Documentary Film Competition. The 30-minute film "Prémices" by Pao Paixao will compete in the section for medium-length films. Short films in the running for a prize include: "Korpus" by Flo Baumann and "Lasten" by Sebastian Weber and Anabel Castro, both of which were produced at the ZHdK, as well as the film "Tirages en série" by Kevin Haefelin, graduate from HEAD in Geneva. Monetary prizes amounting to EUR 73,000 will be presented in twelve categories. Swiss director and producer Thomas Thümena is a member of the international jury of the Documentary Film Competition.
The festival is also presenting Swiss highlights as premieres in Saarbrücken: "Summer Games" by Rolando Colla; Korinna Sehringer's fiction film "Shouting Secrets," shot in the USA; as well as the documentary films "The Substance" by Martin Witz and "Fara ad synda" by Bettina Schwarzenbach. Eleven Swiss filmmakers will travel to Saarbrücken to present the films personally to the audience: Samuel Schwarz, Julian Grünthal, Stefan Muggli, Andrj Hinnen, Pao Paixao, Flo Baumann, Sebastian Weber, Anabel Castro, Bettina Schwarzenbach, Korinna Sehringer and Martin Witz.
Zurich, January 12, 2012