IFFR 2024

Multimedia artist Yves Netzhammer will be presenting his first feature-length animation film JOURNEY OF SHADOWS (freihändler Filmproduktion) as a world premiere in the festival’s main Tiger Competition. By means of surreal images, the film reflects on what makes people human in a technological age. Netzhammer has used a unique 3D animation technique developed especially for this film.

MILK TEETH will celebrate its world premiere in the Big Screen Competition. The German-Swiss feature film debut by Swiss director Sophie Bösch was coproduced by Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion.

Four films in the Harbour section

The documentary film AVANT, IL N'Y AVAIT RIEN by Yvann Yagchi (production: maximage) will celebrate its world premiere in the Harbour section. As a Swiss filmmaker of Palestinian descent, Yagchi has travelled to the West Bank to better understand the break with his childhood friend, who became a Jewish settler, only to discover his own tragic family history in the process.

Pierre Monnard’s BISONS (P.S. Productions) will celebrate its international premiere. The director of PLATZSPITZBABY and the TV series NEUMATT and WILDER now tells the story of a young farmer and wrestler whose brother has entangled him in illegal fights in order to save the parents’ farm with the prize money. The film score is by Swiss composer Nicolas Rabaeus, who was honoured with the Swiss Film Award for his soundtrack for Carmen Jaquier's FOUDRE.

AFTER THE LONG RAINS (BAADA YA MASIKA) is already the third feature film by the young Swiss-Kenyan director and producer Damien Hauser. In this film, the 10-year-old Aischa living in a Kenyan coastal town dreams of travelling to Europe to become an actress.

Also selected for screening in the Harbour section is the Swiss-Georgian coproduction BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY by Elene Naveriani (Alva Film). The award-winning feature film has garneredd an impressive festival career since its premiere in Cannes last year.

Poignant and amusing short films

WORKERS' WINGS (KRAHËT E PUNËTOREVE) by Kosovar-Swiss director Ilir Hasanaj (production: Unseen SH.P.K., Kosovo) will celebrate its world premiere in the Tiger Short Competition. The experimental short documentary lends a voice to three Kosovar labourers affected by a work-related accident who have fallen victim to the harsh capitalist machinations.

Actress Kayije Kagame, Swiss Shooting Star at the Berlinale 2023, stars in the leading role in the French short film TO EXIST UNDER PERMANENT SUSPICION by Valentin Noujaïm.

Elias Bötticher’s film SCHLAFSAND (production: ZHdK) will celebrate its world premiere in the Short & Mid-length programme. The experimental documentary film takes a closer look at the traces human activities have left behind in nature.

The short animation films POND by Lena von Döhren and Eva Rust (Catpics) as well as RAINBOY by Barbara Brunner (Brunner&Meyer) are two festival favourites that will be screened in the Family Short programme.

Cinema Regained features a Klopfenstein selection

The Cinema Regained section is dedicated to restored classics and documentaries about film culture and film history. The legendary Swiss director Clemens Klopfenstein, who has lived in Italy for a number of years, will be presenting the world premiere of his found-footage film CINEMA BRUCIATO. Klopfenstein’s feature film ST. FRANCIS' BIRDS TOUR (2005), starring Polo Hofer and Max Rüdlinger, and his 16-minute documentary film THE ROMAN LIGHT FILMED BY FERRANIACOLOR (2021) will also be presented.

Also screened in the Cinema Regained section will be the 28-minute artist portrait ALBERTO GIACOMETTI by Peter Munger and Ernst Scheidegger (1966).

Swiss talents at the IFFR Pro

IFFR Pro has organised numerous industry events parallel to the film festival. At the coproduction market Cinemart (January 28-31), filmmakers will present their projects to potential coproduction partners, world sales agents and distributors. Two of the 16 selected film projects are from Switzerland: director Andreas Fontana will present his new feature film project LES DIPLOMATES (Alina film) and Loïc Hobi his first feature film BAD GAYS (Cloud Fog Haze Pictures).

Thanks to the partnership between SWISS FILMS and the Rotterdam Lab (January 27-31), two producers from Switzelrand are able to participate in the talent programme each year. Approximately 70 producers from all over the world who are at the beginning of their careers have the opportunity to expand their professional network at the Lab.

With the support of SWISS FILMS, two female producers will be taking part in this year’s Rotterdam Lab: Chantal Scheiner (Seeland Filmproduktion), who is currently producing the first feature fillm by Rokhaya Marieme Balde, and Irene Muñoz Martin, who is working on the documentaries SUBTERRANEA by Valeria Mazzucchi and IN THESE SHOES by Sarah Imsand.