Munich

The Swiss-German coproduction I’M NOT STILLER by Stefan Haupt (ZWINGLI, THE CIRCLE) will be screened in the CineCoPro Competition. The film, based on the novel of the same name by Max Frisch, was produced by C-Films (Anne Walser). The star-studded cast includes German actors Albrecht Schuch and Paula Beer, alongside well-known Swiss names such as Sven Schelker, Stefan Kurt, Max Simonischek and Marie Leuenberger. 

Thomas Imbach’s (MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS, NEMESIS) new film THE EXPOSURE, inspired by Arthur Schnitzler’s novella “Fräulein Else”, will celebrate its world premiere in the CineMasters Competition. The lead role is performed by Swiss actress Deleila Piasko, known from such international series as TRANSATLANTIC and DIE ZWEIFLERS, alongside Milan Peschel. The film was shot entirely in the studio with 3D projections on 16mm film and is a coproduction between Oko Films (Thomas Imbach, Andrea Štaka, Dan Wechsler) in Switzerland and Prestige Films Limited in Britain. 

Read more: Beyond the Screen with Deleila Piasko 

The documentary film SUMMER CAMP by Matteo Ybarra will celebrate its German premiere in the CineKindl Competition. The Swiss-French (production: L’ARTIFICE; Mateo Ybarra, Raphaël Dubach, Madeline Robert) was shot in 2022 in the historic scout camp in the Alps, where some 30,000 children and teenagers gathered to learn the rules of communal life. 

Maria Brendle’s feature-film debut FRIEDA’S CASE (production: Condor Films, Hans G. Syz, Susann Henggeler) will celebrate its German premiere in the Spotlight section. The stirring drama is based on the historical, high-profile court case of seamstress Frieda Keller (Julia Buchmann), who killed her young son in 1904, and depicts the beginnings of the Swiss women’s rights movement.  

Furthermore, Swiss director Bettina Oberli directed the series NAKED, which is selected in the section “New German TV productions”. Swiss actress Luna Mwezi (NEEDLE PARK BABY) stars in the lead role in the German series STABILE-ISH, which will be screened in the same section.

CineCoPro Conference with 10 Swiss producers  

In partnership with the Zurich Film Fund and Switzerland Film Commission, SWISS FILMS is supporting the participation of 10 producers from Switzerland in the CineCoPro Conference (June 30 – July 3). The conference features panel discussions, masterclasses, presentations and networking opportunities for coproductions. This year’s edition is aimed at producers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and South Tyrol.  

Participants from Switzerland include Christof Neracher (hugofilm features), Kaspar Winkler (Tilt Production), Michela Pini (Cinédokké), Michael Steiger (Turnus Film), Peter Reichenbach (C-FILMS), Rajko Jazbec (Catpics), Reto Schaerli, (Zodiac Pictures), Sophie Toth (Shining nice), Stefan Eichenberger (Contrast Film) and Katrin Renz (tellfilm). Swiss editor Nela Märki (Helios Sustainable Films) is participating as part of the South Tyrol delegation. 

Representing Swiss institutions are Andreas Bühlmann (SWISS FILMS), Dino Malacarne (Film Commission Zurich, Switzerland Film Commission) and Susa Katz (Zurich Film Foundation) 

Three projects at CineCoPro Pitch 

Three of the Swiss producers will also present new projects as part of the CineCoPro Pitch. This section comprises a total of 10 noteworthy film and series projects in development that are suitable for coproduction between Austria, Switzerland, South Tyrol and Germany.  

Selected from Switzerland are the series GOLD (Stefan Eichenberger, Contrast Film) as well as the films WESHARE (Sophie Toth, Shining nice) and WAKE UP (Katrin Renz, Tellfilm). (Wed, July 2, 2– 3:45 pm)  

Swiss producer Anne Walser will present the successful coproduction process of I’M NOT STILLER as part of the “CineCoPro - Producers Cooperation Case Study”. (Wed, July 2, 11:15 am – 12:45 pm) 

FRIEDA’S CASE is part of the Film Talk: “Female voices from Austria and Switzerland”, where director Maria Brendle will discuss artistic approaches to female protagonists. (Tues, July 1, 5:15 - 6:15 pm)