Preview of the 38th Solothurn Film Festival (20. - 26. January 2003)
12.12.2002
News from Filmmaking Country Switzerland
The 2003 Solothurn Film Festival marks the official beginning of the Swiss movie year. Traditionally, the city of Solothurn hosts local filmmakers, media and film experts, and it draws a large audience from throughout Switzerland. Almost three dozen new Swiss films of different genres and lengths will premiere in the main program this year. Documentary films – an internationally known strength of Swiss filmmaking – are heavily represented. This 38th edition of the festival will present a retrospective of the internationally esteemed Swiss cameraperson Pio Corradi. The 2003 Swiss Film Prize, the most important film award in Switzerland, will be bestowed in five main categories. The award ceremony, one of the highlights of the festival, will take place on January 22, 2003.
The 2003 Solothurn Film Festival marks the official beginning of the Swiss movie year. Traditionally, the city of Solothurn hosts local filmmakers, media and film experts, and it draws a large audience from throughout Switzerland. Almost three dozen new Swiss films of different genres and lengths will premiere in the main program this year. Documentary films – an internationally known strength of Swiss filmmaking – are heavily represented. This 38th edition of the festival will present a retrospective of the internationally esteemed Swiss cameraperson Pio Corradi. The 2003 Swiss Film Prize, the most important film award in Switzerland, will be bestowed in five main categories. The award ceremony, one of the highlights of the festival, will take place on January 22, 2003.
Out of approximately 300 films entered, the festival selection committee, headed by festival director Ivo Kummer, accepted 141 productions for this year’s program. A few of the outstanding premieres will be the documentary film “Das Alphorn” by Stefan Schwietert (”A Tickle in the Heart”) and “Die Wägsten und die Besten des Landes” (The strongest and the best in the country) by Matthias von Gunten. Both films show an original and creative look at Swiss folklore and “Schwingen”, the country’s popular wrestling-type sport. The film essay “Flaschen und Götter” (Bottles and Gods) by Felix Tissy, a love story between death and birth, Stefan Haupt’s portrait “Elisabeth Kübler-Ross – Facing death” and “Brothers and Others: The Impact of 9/11 on Muslims” by Nicolas Rossier are among the highlights of this year’s selection. In addition, several foreign (co-) productions with Swiss directors will have their Swiss premiere: the British production “The Honeytrap” by Michael Günther, the German film “Halbe Miete” (Half the rent) by Marc Ottiker, and “Das letzte Versteck” (The last hideaway) by Pierre Koralnik.
Want to discover new talents? Traditionally at Solothurn, much attention is given to emerging filmmakers and their short and experimental films. The festival serves as a contemporary showcase of Swiss filmmaking while allowing space for networking and discussions.
Are you interested in film theory? Three panel discussions jointly organized by the University film departments of Lausanne and Zurich are devoted to “Talking about Film”. Similarly, “Camera Work and Digitalization”, a debate on the pros and cons of digital film aesthetics will take place as part of the retrospective on cameraperson Pio Corradi. His name goes hand in hand with some of the internationally best known Swiss productions over the last fifteen years: “Alpine Fire” (1986) by Fredi M. Murer, Oscar-winning film “Journey of Hope” (1991) and “Gripsholm” (2000) by Xavier Koller, as well as “Saltmen of Tibet” (1997) by Ulrike Koch.
As an active filmmaking country, Switzerland is seeking cooperation with other nations; this year, multilingual Belgium has been invited as a guest. Several contemporary Flemish and French language films, among them “Le fils” (The son) by the brothers Dardenne, will be screened at the Solothurn Film Festival, and a Swiss-Belgian co-production meeting will take place as well.
Zurich, December 12, 2002
Swiss Film Center
Neugasse 6, Postfach CH-8031 Zürich
phone +41 1 272 53 30
fax +41 1 272 53 50
email info@swissfilms.ch
38. SOLOTHURNER FILMTAGE 20. – 26. JANUAR 2003
Postfach 1564, CH-4502 Solothurn
phone +41 32 625 80 80
fax +41 32 623 64 10
email info@solothurnerfilmtage.ch
Want to discover new talents? Traditionally at Solothurn, much attention is given to emerging filmmakers and their short and experimental films. The festival serves as a contemporary showcase of Swiss filmmaking while allowing space for networking and discussions.
Are you interested in film theory? Three panel discussions jointly organized by the University film departments of Lausanne and Zurich are devoted to “Talking about Film”. Similarly, “Camera Work and Digitalization”, a debate on the pros and cons of digital film aesthetics will take place as part of the retrospective on cameraperson Pio Corradi. His name goes hand in hand with some of the internationally best known Swiss productions over the last fifteen years: “Alpine Fire” (1986) by Fredi M. Murer, Oscar-winning film “Journey of Hope” (1991) and “Gripsholm” (2000) by Xavier Koller, as well as “Saltmen of Tibet” (1997) by Ulrike Koch.
As an active filmmaking country, Switzerland is seeking cooperation with other nations; this year, multilingual Belgium has been invited as a guest. Several contemporary Flemish and French language films, among them “Le fils” (The son) by the brothers Dardenne, will be screened at the Solothurn Film Festival, and a Swiss-Belgian co-production meeting will take place as well.
Zurich, December 12, 2002
Swiss Film Center
Neugasse 6, Postfach CH-8031 Zürich
phone +41 1 272 53 30
fax +41 1 272 53 50
email info@swissfilms.ch
38. SOLOTHURNER FILMTAGE 20. – 26. JANUAR 2003
Postfach 1564, CH-4502 Solothurn
phone +41 32 625 80 80
fax +41 32 623 64 10
email info@solothurnerfilmtage.ch