“Heidi” – a Swiss classic conquers international cinemas

“Heidi” is the most widely read German-language novel worldwide. The two children’s books by the Swiss author Johanna Spyri (1827-1901) were translated in more than 50 languages and sold over 50 million times all over the world. The producers of the latest “Heidi” film would like to tie in on this success. Their aim was to render the film as close as possible to the original novel and yet contemporary – and according to the consistently positive film reviews, they have triumphantly achieved it.

Zodiac Pictures: a knack for box-office hits

The major cinematic project (EUR 7 million) was initiated by the Swiss film producers Lukas Hobi and Reto Schaerli (Zodiac Pictures Ltd). The independent film production company based in Zurich and Lucerne works together with European partners on a regular basis. Among the greatest successes for Zodiac Pictures is “Ready, Steady, Charlie!” (2003), which ranks among Switzerland’s most successful box-office hits. They also produced the international blockbuster “The Little Ghost” (2013) with Jakob Claussen and Uli Putz (Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion GmbH). The film adaptation of the classic children’s book by Otfried Preussler attracted nearly 1 million viewers in German cinemas and was directed by Alain Gsponer, who also directed “Heidi”. Together with Claussen+Putz, Zodiac Pictures has now produced “Heidi” as well. “A perfect combination,” says Hobi, referring to this well-practised cooperation.

One can also eagerly look forward to further Zodiac coproductions, such as the new comedy by Swiss film director Dani Levy “Der kleine Diktator”, scheduled for completion in 2016, in coproduction with X Filme Creative Pool. Their company philosophy as regards content is to set no limits. Hobi and Schaerli have impressively proven this with the diversity of their European projects and also obviously with the refreshing reinterpretation of “Heidi”, a Swiss story with universal brisance, whose themes like homeland, love and independence are still topical today. “I think homeland goes beyond nationality. It cannot be emphasised enough, especially today,“ explains the Swiss screenwriter Petra Volpe. Bruno Ganz has an explanation for the timeless nature of the subject matter: “Johanna Spyri hit upon a couple of key points with Heidi, points that clearly touch people in very different regions. In essence it is the search for home, identity, or in modern terms: looking for a place where you have the freedom to be yourself, where you are happy, and find fulfilment.” “Heidi is also a very powerful girl’s story,” adds Petra Volpe.

Swiss crew behind “Heidi”

A number of big names in Swiss filmmaking behind and in front of the camera have contributed to the success of the remake. With the 74-year-old international star Bruno Ganz (“Wings of Desire” / “Bread & Tulips” / “Downfall”) starring as the gnarled Alpöhi, the producers have pulled off a veritable coup. Their choice of crew members was also fortuitous. The producers worked together with a well-attuned crew once more, namely film director Alain Gsponer, screenwriter Petra Volpe and film score composer Niki Reiser. All three have won many awards and attracted international attention.

Alain Gsponer studied at the prestigious Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. He made his feature film debut with “Rose” (2005), a captivating tribute to single mothers, starring Corinna Harfouch in the title role. The film was honoured with the German Television Award 2007 in the category of Best Film and won an award at the Hof International Film Festival. Gsponer lives in Berlin and recently directed “Akte Grüninger - Die Geschichte eines Grenzgängers” and the international blockbuster “The Little Ghost”. He is currently working on a screen adaptation of Ödön von Horváth’s Jugend ohne Gott.

For the remake of “Heidi” the producers were able to secure Petra Volpe as the screenwriter, a promising Swiss film talent. With her debut film “Dreamland” (production: Zodiac Pictures), Volpe also caused an international sensation as a director: “Dreamland” was Switzerland’s contender for the EFA in 2014 and was screened at numerous festivals, such as in Zürich, Busan, Saarbrücken, Moscow and Locarno. At present she is working again as a director with Zodiac Pictures on her second cinema film about the late adoption of women’s right to vote in Switzerland “Die göttliche Ordnung” (filming begins in February 2016).

Niki Reiser studied Jazz and Classical Music with a major in Film Scoring at the renowned Berklee School of Music in Boston. Reiser has made a name for himself, especially due to his film scores for diverse films by Dani Levy and Caroline Link. Link’s debut film “Beyond Silence” was nominated for an Academy Award and Reiser was honoured with the German Film Award for Best Film Music. For his third mutual film project with Caroline Link in 2001, “Nowhere in Africa”, Reiser was honoured again with the German Film Award for Best Film Music.

International cinema releases

“Heidi” started in Portgual and Turkey on January 2016 and will be released in France on February 10, followed by Italy on March 3 and Israel on March 10. Releases follow later in Japan and in other Asian countries such as South Korea, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia and the Philippines, as well as in further European countries such as Spain, Iceland, Greece, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Rumania, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. Sales have also been concluded in Russia, South Africa, in the Middle East and South America. Altogether, the Swiss coproduction has been sold in about 50 countries.

“Heidi” has been prenominated as one of the six children’s films for the German Film Awards 2016. The film will be screened in the LOLA section at the Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival (February 11-21, 2016).

SWISS FILMS, January 15, 2016