“L‘escale” nominated for European Film Award 2013
Swiss documentary feature film “L‘escale” (Stop-over) by Kaveh Bakhtiari has been officially nominated for the European Film Award 2013 after receiving the Talent-Dove at DOK Leipzig this weekend.
04.11.2013
“L‘escale” is one of three documentary films nominated for the European Documentary Award 2013. In his touching and highly topical documentary film, the Swiss-Iranian filmmaker Kaveh Bakhtiari portrays the life of eight Iranian migrants who have fled their home country and have stranded in Athens, from where they desperately hope to reach other European countries. Bakhtiari, who was born in 1979 in Teheran and has lived in Switzerland since the age of nine, studied at the University of Art and Design in Lausanne (ECAL). “L’escale” (English title “Stop-over”) is his feature film debut and has had an impressive festival career since celebrating its premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight 2013 in Cannes. Recently screened at Chicago International Film Festival and at London Film Festival the film has been honoured with the Film Critics’ Award at the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma in Montreal, the Special Jury Award at the Festival du Film Francophone in Namur and the Talent-Dove at DOK Leipzig 2013 this weekend. The film will be released in France (Epicentre Films, Paris) on November 27, 2013, and in cinemas in Switzerland (Filmcoopi, Zurich) at the end of January 2014. Responsible for world sales is Doc & Film International, Paris.
Continuous in recognition at the European Film Awards
“L’escale” is the second documentary film in succession from Lausanne based Louise Productions to be nominated for the prestigious award, following “Hiver nomade,” last year’s winner of the European Film Awards. “L‘escale” is the ninth Swiss film to have received a nomination in this category; winners of this prestigious award to date are “The Sound of Insects” by Peter Liechti in 2009 and “Hiver nomade” by Manuel von Stürler in 2012. The six members of the committee of the European Film Academy included: EFA board member Nik Powell, director Antonio Saura, producer Despina Mouzaki, Claas Danielsen (festival director DOK Leipzig), Ally Derks (director IDFA) and the Belgian producer Jacques Laurent. The 2,900 members of the Academy are now invited to select the winning film. The award ceremony will take place in Berlin on December 7, 2013.
Zurich, November 4, 2013