Swiss animation films captivate Brazil and South Korea

The Anima Mundi Festival, which takes place in Rio de Janeiro from July 13-22 and thereafter in São Paulo from July 25-29, will present seven Swiss animation films, five of which will be screened in competition. Almost simultaneously – from July 18-22 – six animation films from Switzerland will be screened at the Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival (SICAF). Five of these six films are in the running for an award.

Three successful films screened in competition at both festivals
The following films are in the running for awards at both the Anima Mundi Festival and the SICAF: “Bon voyage” by Fabio Friedli, a humorous cartoon film about the topic of immigration; the poetic reverie “Romance” by Georges Schwizgebel, the Genevan luminary of this genre; and the coproduction “Kali, le petit vampire,” the last part of the trilogy about children’s fears by the Portuguese director Regina Pessoa. Before he presents his film in Locarno in the “Appellations Suisse” series, director Fabio Friedli will fly to Seoul. He will be accompanied there by the Geneva-based director Marcel Barelli, from Ticino whose film “Gypaetus Helveticus” will also be screened in Locarno after being presented at the SICAF.

Various techniques underpin the narratives
The two other Swiss films screened at the Anima Mundi Festival are the stop-motion animation film “Land Of The Heads” by Claude Barras and Cédric Louis, as well as the children’s cartoon film “Der grosse Bruder” by Jesús Pérez and Elisabeth Hüttermann. There is yet another film starting at the SICAF in Seoul: Loretta Arnold’s film “Eisprung,” which was produced at the Lucerne School of Art and Design. The film humorously illustrates the story of creation, using chalk on the chalkboard as its technique.

Geneva, July 12, 2012