International success for “L’escale”

Kaveh Bakhtiari’s feature-length debut documentary film “L'escale,” which celebrated its world premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes last May, a tremendous amount of interest in Canada, in the USA and in Europe. The film by the Swiss-Iranian filmmaker Kaveh Bakhtiari (coproduction: Louise Productions, Lausanne) was honoured with the Special Jury Award at the 28^th Festival International du Film Francophone (FIFF) in Namur, which came to an end on October 4.

In international competition in Montreal
“L’escale” tells the story of migrants who have left Iran seeking to fulfil their dream of a better life and become stranded in Athens. At the 42^nd Festival du Nouveau Cinéma (FNC) in Montreal (October 9-20, 2013) the film is, together with 15 other works, in the running for the “Louve d’Or” endowed with $15,000. Kaveh Bakhtiari will present his film personally in Montreal. Also in October the documentary film will be screened at the 49^th Chicago International Film Festival (October 10-24, 2013), together with other film productions from Switzerland, including three short film productions in various competitions. And finally, “L’escale” will also be presented at the 57^th London Film Festival (October 9-20). The film will be released in cinemas in German-speaking Switzerland in February (distributor: Filmcoopi, Zürich).

Geneva, October 8, 2013