Swiss World Premieres at the Film Festival Locarno 2008
08.07.2008
The third Swiss Cinema Day is to take place on August 12th. The event, which is presented by the Federal Office of Culture, the Film Festival Locarno, and Swiss Films, is being held in honor of Swiss film-makers. Its theme will be “There’s more than one face to Swiss films”.
In conjunction with this year’s Swiss Cinema Day, three Swiss films will celebrate their world premieres: “Marcello Marcello” by Denis Rabaglia, “Luftbusiness” by Dominique de Rivaz, and the short animated film “Retouches” by Georges Schwizgebel. The Appellations Suisse programme at the Festival is screening eleven Swiss films with an international appeal.
In conjunction with this year’s Swiss Cinema Day, three Swiss films will celebrate their world premieres: “Marcello Marcello” by Denis Rabaglia, “Luftbusiness” by Dominique de Rivaz, and the short animated film “Retouches” by Georges Schwizgebel. The Appellations Suisse programme at the Festival is screening eleven Swiss films with an international appeal.
Swiss Cinema Day
“Marcello Marcello” – a hilarious comedy – will be screened on the Piazza Grande. The film is set in 1958 and tells the story of a young man in a small Italian village who has fallen head over heels in love with the mayor’s daughter. But his only chance depends entirely on whether or not the gift he offers her is deemed proper by her father. In his quest for the perfect present, however, he soon becomes ensnarled in increasingly dubious deals.
“Luftbusiness” – with the Swiss Shooting Star 2008, Joel Basman, in one of the three leading roles – will be screened in the section “Ici & Ailleurs” (Here and Elsewhere). Dominique de Rivaz, who caused a sensation on the Piazza Grande with “Mein Name ist Bach” in 2003, has created the dramatically storming story about three young men who decide to sell everything ‘humanly’ possible on the Internet.
Swiss Cinema Day highlights actors
This year’s Swiss Cinema Day places Swiss actors and actresses and filmmakers center stage, under the motto of: “There’s more than one face to Swiss films”.
“The aim of this event is to present our cinema to the broader public. This year, actors are in the spotlight because Swiss cinema does not yet have a real star system, which is vital if you are to win over the public” as Nicolas Bideau, Head of Film Department at the Federal Office of Culture, points out.
“For once actors in Swiss films are not on the set or the screen; on this day they’re close up,” promises Natalia Guecheva from Swiss Films, who has planned and organised the day together with Barbara Dravec.
Emerging actors and actresses from Switzerland are placed in the limelight when casting specialists Corinna Glaus and Susan Müller present the “Young Talents 08” DVD. In a panel discussion, moderated by Martin Rapold, successful Swiss actors relate their experiences to the newcomers. Beatrice Kruger (Director, e-talenta) will present the “e-talenta” web portal, which provides international visibility to professional actors in Europe and assists casting professionals in finding the right actor for the right part.
In a panel discussion entitled “Glamour! Carpets! Awards! What For?”, specialists from the world of film and television examine the “pros and cons” of film prizes and red carpets: with Nicolas Bideau (Head of Film Department at the Federal Office of Culture), Francine Brücher (SWISS FILMS), among others; moderated by Christian Jungen (Journalist).
Appellations Suisse: 11 Swiss Films with International Appeal
The Appellations Suisse series begins with the documentary film “Bird’s Nest” by Christoph Schaub and Michael Schindhelm. In this section of the Festival, Swiss Films, the national film promotion agency, presents ten Swiss films produced for the cinema and the multi-award winning short film “Auf der Strecke” by Reto Caffi (cf. Appendix for list). The films are characterized by originality and have shaped Switzerland’s cinematic landscape or attracted a great deal of attention at major international festivals since the last festival in Locarno.
“This year’s selection for Appellations Suisse offers emerging actors well-deserved attention – particularly Micha Lewinsky, who, with his fiction film debut in “Der Freund”, won the Swiss Film Prize 2008,” explains Micha Schiwow, Director, Swiss Films. The film “Der Freund” will be screened in the Swiss Cinema Day programme.
Locarno, July 8, 2008
Programme
“Marcello Marcello” – a hilarious comedy – will be screened on the Piazza Grande. The film is set in 1958 and tells the story of a young man in a small Italian village who has fallen head over heels in love with the mayor’s daughter. But his only chance depends entirely on whether or not the gift he offers her is deemed proper by her father. In his quest for the perfect present, however, he soon becomes ensnarled in increasingly dubious deals.
“Luftbusiness” – with the Swiss Shooting Star 2008, Joel Basman, in one of the three leading roles – will be screened in the section “Ici & Ailleurs” (Here and Elsewhere). Dominique de Rivaz, who caused a sensation on the Piazza Grande with “Mein Name ist Bach” in 2003, has created the dramatically storming story about three young men who decide to sell everything ‘humanly’ possible on the Internet.
Swiss Cinema Day highlights actors
This year’s Swiss Cinema Day places Swiss actors and actresses and filmmakers center stage, under the motto of: “There’s more than one face to Swiss films”.
“The aim of this event is to present our cinema to the broader public. This year, actors are in the spotlight because Swiss cinema does not yet have a real star system, which is vital if you are to win over the public” as Nicolas Bideau, Head of Film Department at the Federal Office of Culture, points out.
“For once actors in Swiss films are not on the set or the screen; on this day they’re close up,” promises Natalia Guecheva from Swiss Films, who has planned and organised the day together with Barbara Dravec.
Emerging actors and actresses from Switzerland are placed in the limelight when casting specialists Corinna Glaus and Susan Müller present the “Young Talents 08” DVD. In a panel discussion, moderated by Martin Rapold, successful Swiss actors relate their experiences to the newcomers. Beatrice Kruger (Director, e-talenta) will present the “e-talenta” web portal, which provides international visibility to professional actors in Europe and assists casting professionals in finding the right actor for the right part.
In a panel discussion entitled “Glamour! Carpets! Awards! What For?”, specialists from the world of film and television examine the “pros and cons” of film prizes and red carpets: with Nicolas Bideau (Head of Film Department at the Federal Office of Culture), Francine Brücher (SWISS FILMS), among others; moderated by Christian Jungen (Journalist).
Appellations Suisse: 11 Swiss Films with International Appeal
The Appellations Suisse series begins with the documentary film “Bird’s Nest” by Christoph Schaub and Michael Schindhelm. In this section of the Festival, Swiss Films, the national film promotion agency, presents ten Swiss films produced for the cinema and the multi-award winning short film “Auf der Strecke” by Reto Caffi (cf. Appendix for list). The films are characterized by originality and have shaped Switzerland’s cinematic landscape or attracted a great deal of attention at major international festivals since the last festival in Locarno.
“This year’s selection for Appellations Suisse offers emerging actors well-deserved attention – particularly Micha Lewinsky, who, with his fiction film debut in “Der Freund”, won the Swiss Film Prize 2008,” explains Micha Schiwow, Director, Swiss Films. The film “Der Freund” will be screened in the Swiss Cinema Day programme.
Locarno, July 8, 2008
Programme