«Vitus» wins audience award in Chicago and screens at AFI Fest in Los Angeles
26.10.2006
After «Vitus» by Fredi M. Murer took home the Audience Choice Award at the 42nd Chicago International Film Festival on October 19, it will next screen at the 20th AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (November 1 - 12, 2006), which is particularly important in light of Switzerland naming the film for the 2007 Oscar nominations for Best Foreign Film. The animated film «Banquise» by Claude Barras und Cédric Louis – which also screened in Chicago – will be part of the AFI short film competition. The event, which is taking place in Hollywood, will also present the Swiss documentary film «A Crude Awakening – The Oil Crash» by Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack, as well as the film «Bab’Aziz» co-produced by the Swiss film company Trigon Film.
Organized by the American Film Institute (AFI), this festival is the ideal platform to launch the Oscar campaign for «Vitus». According to Oscar winner Xavier Koller, who lives in Los Angeles, «the AFI has become a significant festival with enormous audience appeal since its locale has moved to Hollywood, along with a strong presence of film professionals.» The Swiss Federal Office of Culture and SWISS FILMS have assigned a press attaché with the promotion of «Vitus», who will supplement the world distribution firm Media Luna Entertainments’ efforts to promote the film at the event. In cooperation with the Locarno International Film Festival, the Swiss Consulate General is organizing a reception after the screening of the film on November 7, with invitations directed to members of the film business, to the press, and, naturally, to members of the Academy of Motion Picture.
Zurich, October 26, 2006
Zurich, October 26, 2006