Shepherds, lovers, and dreams – Swiss films are touring Latin America

The film program titled «Pastores, amantes y sueños» – which can be translated as «Shepherds, Lovers, and Dreams» - is curated by the director of the Uruguay Cinematheque, who also successfully organized previous tours of Swiss films between 1993-1995 and 2000-2002. The program was planned in cooperation with Pro Helvetia and SWISS FILMS.



In the program’s brochure, Irene Genhart describes the selection of Swiss films as «successful, open to the world, aware of its roots, and sometimes romantic». «With the founding of Swiss film schools and the introduction of cinema studies at Swiss universities in the beginning of the 90s, filmmaking in Switzerland has become more professional. Along with its increasing acknowledgement by federal and state agencies, one can now, at the beginning of the Third Millennium, begin to speak about the emergence of a third era and a new blossoming of Swiss cinema.»



A newly conceptualized screening method is planned for Peru in 2007, in order to counteract the country’s inferior cinema infrastructure. Films in the program will be distributed through an alternative digital network, built by Swiss producer Stefan Kaspar. In several Peruvian cities as well as remote regions, so called «Micro Cinés» (small movie theaters) have been developed. For an entry fee, Peruvian, Latin American, and European films can be viewed on DVD or through video beamers. The films’ distribution will thus remain independent from a market dominated by North America. With this method, SWISS FILMS attempts to target an audience outside of large cities.


Zurich, August 28th, 2006