Locarno 2015: “The Big Dam” and “Keeper” rank among the winners

Samuel Grandchamp’s “The Big Dam” (“Le Barrage”) was honoured as Best Swiss Short Film with the Pardini d’oro, endowed with CHF 10,000. The Genevan filmmaker made his film in the Graduate Film Program at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts and coproduced it with his own company, ViceVersal in Geneva. The Swiss-American coproduction was shot in Valais. This award enables Grandchamp to submit his film to the Academy Awards.

“Of Shadows And Wings” (“D’ombres et d’ailes”) by Eleonora Marinoni and Elice Meng, a Swiss coproduction by Nadasdy Film together with France, was honoured with the Pardino d’argento, endowed with CHF 5,000. The Best Swiss Newcomer Award went to Laura Morales for her film “Blazing Mounts” (“Les monts s’embrasent”), produced at the Haute école d'art et de design HEAD in Geneva. The award comprises equipment and services sponsored by Cinegrell, Visuals SA, Freestudios SA, Taurus Studio, Avant-Première and Film Demnächst.

Independent jury awards for “Keeper” and “Wonderland”

The Europa Cinemas Label independent jury presented its award to “Keeper”, the Belgian-French-Swiss coproduction by Guillaume Senez. The debut film features Kacey Mottet Klein, the acting talent from Lausanne, in the leading role and was screened in the Cineasti del Presente competition.


The Junior Jury for the International Competition selected “Wonderland” (“Heimatland”). The much-noticed film by Michael Krummenacher, Jan Gassmann, Lisa Blatter, Gregor Frei, Benny Jaberg, Carmen Jaquier, Jonas Meier, Tobias Nölle, Lionel Rupp and Mike Scheiwiller won the 3^rd Prize, endowed with CHF 2,000. The Junior Jury for the Pardi di domani section went to “Of Shadows And Wings” (“D’ombres et d’ailes”) by Eleonora Marinoni and Elice Meng. A Special Mention went to “Hausarrest” by Matthias Sahli.

SWISS FILMS, August 15, 2015