New generation of Swiss filmmakers in Karlovy Vary

With director Eileen Hofer and actor Kacey Mottet Klein, Switzerland is represented twice in the International Documentary Film Competition, while filmmaker Nicolas Steiner and producer Dan Wechsler have been selected for the Variety Critics’ Choice section. Moïra Pitteloud is among the ten filmmakers chosen for Future Frames. Furthermore films by Christophe M. Saber (Prague Short Film Festival presents), by Simon Jaquemet and by producer Elodie Brunner (Another View) as well as by producer Anne Walser (Horizons) are programmed at the 50^th KVIFF.

Two Swiss documentary films in competition
Director Eileen Hofer from Geneva was selected for the prestigious International Documentary Film Competition with “Horizontes”, which premiered at the Visions du Réel in Nyon. Together with her in the limelight in Karlovy Vary will be Kacey Mottet Klein, the shooting star from Lausanne: Ursula Meier’s short film “Kacey Mottet Klein, Birth of an Actor”, which celebrated its premiere at this year’s Berlinale, will also be screened in the Documentary Film Competition. Meier traces the development of this exceptionally talented actor from Switzerland, from his initial experiences in front of the camera in “Home” (2008) to becoming an experienced actor in “Sister” (2012).

Variety selects “Above And Below” and “Sworn Virgin”
Every year since 1998 the American trade paper Variety has selected ten European films to be presented as Czech premieres in Karlovy Vary. Two Swiss film productions have made this year’s shortlist for the distinguished Variety Critics’ Choice: “Above And Below” by filmmaker Nicolas Steiner from Valais; and “Sworn Virgin” by Italian director Laura Bispuri, coproduced by Dan Wechsler (Bord Cadre Films, Geneva). Both films began their successful festival career at the beginning of 2015: “Above And Below” in Rotterdam; “Sworn Virgin” in Berlin.

EFP presents Moïra Pitteloud as new European talent
At the suggestion of SWISS FILMS, Moïra Pitteloud, a young film director from Geneva, has been included in the new EFP programme Future Frames: Ten New Filmmakers to Follow as one of the ten promising European filmmakers with her graduation film “The Offer”. During the 50^th KVIFF, the new generation of European talent has the opportunity to gain valuable contacts in the international film industry. This is just one of the notable promotion programmes for which EFP is responsible, together with European Shooting Stars (Berlinale), Producers on the Move (Cannes), Opening Doors (Busan), WestWind (Russia) and Producers Lab (Toronto).

Successful Swiss films at KVIFF: “Chrieg” and “Discipline”
Simon Jaquemet and Christophe M. Saber, two promising Swiss filmmakers of the emerging generation, are also present at the KVIFF with their award-winning films. “Chrieg” celebrated its world premiere in San Sebastian in 2014 and has been honoured with awards in Saarbrücken and Marrakesh, among others. Jaquemet will now present his debut film in Karlovy Vary in the Another View section. Christophe M. Saber’s short film “Discipline” will be screened in the Prague Short Film Festival presents section. Saber’s film won the Audience Award at the Prague Short Film Festival. “Discipline” celebrated its premiere at the TIFF in 2014 and has since been screened at more than 100 festivals around the world.

Czech premieres of the Cannes favourites: “Youth” and “Arabian Nights”
Furthermore, two Swiss coproductions will be screened out of competition: “Youth” and “Arabian Nights”, both of which celebrated their world premieres in May in Cannes. Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth”, coproduced by Anne Walser (C-Films, Zurich) will be screened in the Horizons section, which showcases new productions screened at other major festivals. The three episodes of “Arabian Nights” as well as “Chrieg” will be screened in the Another View section, which presents works demonstrating unusual artistic approaches. “Arabian Nights” was coproduced by Elena Tatti and Elodie Brunner (Box Productions, Lausanne).

On July 8, SWISS FILMS will host a reception, organised together with the Festival del film Locarno and the Swiss Embassy in Prague, at which the emerging generation of Swiss filmmakers attending Karlovy Vary will be presented. Prior to the reception, Daniel Schmid’s classic “Tosca’s Kiss” (1984) will be screened in the Out of the Past section. Locarno is one of Karlovy Vary’s partner cities.

SWISS FILMS, 23.06.2015