"Der Kreis" wins Teddy Award at the Berlinale

Stefan Haupt’s documentary drama celebrated its world premiere in the Panorama section at the Berlinale. The film portrays the gay rights movement in Zurich during the post-war era. It is based on the true story of Röbi Rapp (Sven Schelker) and Ernst Ostertag (Matthias Hungerbühler), who meet and fall in love in connection with the gay magazine “Der Kreis.” The film provides insight into the history of Europe’s oldest gay network and impressively portrays the dramatic changes which occurred in a liberal Zurich – from the post-war years to the repressive social order in the 1970s. Anatole Taubmann and Marianne Sägebrecht also star in the film.

The Teddy Award is the most outstanding queer film prize in the world. It is a socially engaged, political honour presented to films which communicate gay-lesbian themes, thereby contributing to more tolerance, acceptance, solidarity and equality in society. “Der Kreis” will be released to cinemas in Switzerland and Germany in autumn. The distribution rights for the USA, Canada and Poland were sold at the European Film Market held in conjunction with the Berlinale, with tremendous interest reported from France, the UK and Italy.

Zurich, 14.2.2014