Claude Goretta receives lifetime achievement award
26.02.2010
Personalities from the fields of politics and culture will present the very best in Swiss film with the Swiss Film Prize “Quartz 2010” in nine categories at the KKL Luzern on 6 March. The highlight of the gala event will be the “Best Fiction Film” award, presented by Federal Councillor and Culture Minister Didier Burkhalter. In addition to the usual honours, Swiss director Claude Goretta will receive a lifetime achievement award.
For around an hour and a half starting at 5 p.m. on 6 March, the red carpet outside the KKL Luzern will play host not only to the stars of the Swiss film industry, but also to a number of cultural, political and business personalities attending the Swiss Film Prize “Quartz 2010” gala event. This year’s “Quartz” prizes will be presented to the best in Swiss film by well known figures from the fields of politics and culture: “Best Fiction Film” by Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, “Best Documentary Film” by Frédéric Maire (head of the Swiss Film Archive), “Best Short Film” by Dimitri, “Best Screenplay” by director/screenwriter Ursula Meier, “Best Actress” by actress Bettina Stucky, “Best Actor” by theatrical director Christoph Marthaler, “Best Emerging Actor or Actress” by actor Bruno Todeschini and “Best Film Score” by Claude Nobs (founder and head of the Montreux Jazz Festival). The Swiss Federal Office of Culture jury, comprising members of the Swiss Film Academy, will award the “Special Jury Prize”, to be presented by artist HR Giger. The jury members are director and producer Markus Fischer, cinema director Romy Gysin, screenwriter Antoine Jaccoud, producer Gérard Ruey, journalist Nina Scheu, director Mohammed Soudani and actress Alexandra Tiedemann.
SF presenter Susanne Kunz will host the evening, with 1,000 guests from the cultural, political and business worlds in attendance. The awards ceremony is organised by SRG SSR idée suisse in association with the Federal Office of Culture and SWISS FILMS and in partnership with the Swiss Film Academy, the Solothurn Film Festival, the City of Lucerne and KKL Luzern.
Honouring a life dedicated to film
This year’s lifetime achievement award honours Geneva-born Claude Goretta, who has played a pivotal role in the Swiss film industry. Goretta first became interested in the medium of film as a student, forming the “Ciné-club universitaire”. A stint at the British Film Institute in London in the mid-1950s left a lasting impression on him. While in London, he became acquainted with British documentary films and the Free Cinema movement. His short film “Nice Time”, produced together with Alain Tanner in 1957, won a prize at the Venice Film Festival. On returning to Switzerland, he began his career at Télévision Suisse Romande, producing documentary films and reportages as well as literary and theatre adaptations. Goretta formed “Groupe 5” in 1968 with Alain Tanner, Michel Soutter, Jean-Louis Roy and Jean-Jacques Lagrange. The group was to have a considerable influence on independent film-making in French-speaking Switzerland. In 1970, Goretta began to direct films for the cinema, which gained recognition both in Switzerland and abroad. Many of his film projects were co-productions with France, where he was also very popular. Goretta’s films concentrate first and foremost on the everyday lives of normal people, portrayed in a sensitive and respectful way. His international successes include “The Invitation” (1973) and “The Lacemaker” (1977), both of which won prizes in Cannes, as well as the Ramuz adaptation “If the Sun Never Returns” (1987). His most recent works “La fuite de Monsieur Monde” (The Disappearance of Monsieur Monde, 2004) and the two-part film for television “Sartre, l’âge des passions” (Sartre, the Age of Passion, 2006) were very well received on television in both France and French-speaking Switzerland.
The SRG SSR idée suisse television stations SF zwei, TSR 1 and RSI LA1 will devote the whole Saturday evening of 6 March 2010 to Swiss film:
• “Nuit du Cinéma Suisse”, including the Swiss Film Prize “Quartz 2010” awards ceremony, presented by Laurence Mermoud on TSR 1 from 8.10 p.m.
• “Die lange Nacht des Schweizer Films”, presented live by Monika Schärer from the KKL Luzern on SF zwei from 6.05 p.m.
• «Notte bianca del Cinema svizzero» e cerimonia di premiazione «Quartz 2010» su RSI LA1 dalle 19.25, presenta Cristina Trezzini.
The Swiss Film Prize will also be covered by DRS 3 and Rete Due on 6 and 7 March.
PDF: “Quartz 2010” nominations
More informations
SF presenter Susanne Kunz will host the evening, with 1,000 guests from the cultural, political and business worlds in attendance. The awards ceremony is organised by SRG SSR idée suisse in association with the Federal Office of Culture and SWISS FILMS and in partnership with the Swiss Film Academy, the Solothurn Film Festival, the City of Lucerne and KKL Luzern.
Honouring a life dedicated to film
This year’s lifetime achievement award honours Geneva-born Claude Goretta, who has played a pivotal role in the Swiss film industry. Goretta first became interested in the medium of film as a student, forming the “Ciné-club universitaire”. A stint at the British Film Institute in London in the mid-1950s left a lasting impression on him. While in London, he became acquainted with British documentary films and the Free Cinema movement. His short film “Nice Time”, produced together with Alain Tanner in 1957, won a prize at the Venice Film Festival. On returning to Switzerland, he began his career at Télévision Suisse Romande, producing documentary films and reportages as well as literary and theatre adaptations. Goretta formed “Groupe 5” in 1968 with Alain Tanner, Michel Soutter, Jean-Louis Roy and Jean-Jacques Lagrange. The group was to have a considerable influence on independent film-making in French-speaking Switzerland. In 1970, Goretta began to direct films for the cinema, which gained recognition both in Switzerland and abroad. Many of his film projects were co-productions with France, where he was also very popular. Goretta’s films concentrate first and foremost on the everyday lives of normal people, portrayed in a sensitive and respectful way. His international successes include “The Invitation” (1973) and “The Lacemaker” (1977), both of which won prizes in Cannes, as well as the Ramuz adaptation “If the Sun Never Returns” (1987). His most recent works “La fuite de Monsieur Monde” (The Disappearance of Monsieur Monde, 2004) and the two-part film for television “Sartre, l’âge des passions” (Sartre, the Age of Passion, 2006) were very well received on television in both France and French-speaking Switzerland.
The SRG SSR idée suisse television stations SF zwei, TSR 1 and RSI LA1 will devote the whole Saturday evening of 6 March 2010 to Swiss film:
• “Nuit du Cinéma Suisse”, including the Swiss Film Prize “Quartz 2010” awards ceremony, presented by Laurence Mermoud on TSR 1 from 8.10 p.m.
• “Die lange Nacht des Schweizer Films”, presented live by Monika Schärer from the KKL Luzern on SF zwei from 6.05 p.m.
• «Notte bianca del Cinema svizzero» e cerimonia di premiazione «Quartz 2010» su RSI LA1 dalle 19.25, presenta Cristina Trezzini.
The Swiss Film Prize will also be covered by DRS 3 and Rete Due on 6 and 7 March.
PDF: “Quartz 2010” nominations
More informations