World premiere for “Der Kreis” – Swiss presence at the Berlinale
Switzerland is present with six films in various festival sections at the 64th Berlinale.
20.01.2014
Swiss filmmaking is represented with six film productions and coproductions – five feature-length films and one short film – on the official programme of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, which takes place from February 6-16, 2014.
Two fiction films in Panorama, “Iranien” in Forum and an animation film
Two fiction films will be screened in the 29th Panorama section of the Berlinale: “Der Kreis” by Stefan Haupt (Contrast Film, Zurich/Bern) is set in Zurich at the end of the fifties. It is based on the true story of Röbi Rapp and Ernst Ostertag, who meet in “Der Kreis,” the pioneering underground organisation for gay emancipation. Fifty years later they are the first homosexual couple to register their union officially in Zurich.
Screened in the same section is the Swiss-German-Austrian coproduction “Über-Ich und Du” by the Swiss-based German director Benjamin Heisenberg (coproduced by Vega Film, Zurich): a buddy movie in which several of the protagonists turn out to be involved with the Third Reich. The cast includes such well-known Swiss actors as Bettina Stucky, Johanna Bantzer and Philippe Graber, appearing with André Wilms and Georg Friedrich. Stefan Kälin was the film’s editor.
The documentary film “Iranien” (coproduced by Box Productions, Renens) by the Paris-based Iranian director Mehran Tamadon will be screened in the 44th Forum of New Cinema. His highly acclaimed film “Bassidji” (2009) was also coproduced by Box Productions.
Fabienne Giezendanner’s animation film “Nain géant” (Louise Productions, Lausanne) will compete against 16 other short films in the Generation Kplus competition. The film will celebrate its world premiere in Berlin and is in the running for the Crystal Bear for Best Short Film as well as the Special Prize of the Generation Kplus International Jury.
Platforms for emerging Swiss directors
Two Swiss documentary films – “Nebel” and “Neuland” – will be screened in the 13th edition of the “Perspektive Deutsches Kino” section. The 60-minute “Nebel” by Swiss director Nicole Vögele was produced at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg and deals with the topics of nature and solitude. Anna Thommen’s film “Neuland” has already been honoured with an award for Best German Language Documentary Film at the Zurich Film Festival and the First Steps Award in Berlin. The film portrays young migrants in an integration class in Switzerland and will be screened in the “Berlinale Kinotags” section.
The Swiss Filmmakers Ayten Mutlu Saray, Samuel Perriard and Gaëtan Varone will participate in this year’s edition of Berlinale Talents. The event brings a selection of some 300 talents together with international film professionals.
Swiss coproductions up for a German Film Award nomination
A number of Swiss coproductions will be screened in the “German Cinema – LOLA@Berlinale” programme of the European Film Market: “Draussen ist Sommer” by Friederike Jehn (C-Films, Zurich); “Die Frau des Polizisten” by Philip Gröning (ventura film, Meride); “Das kleine Gespenst” by Alain Gsponer (Zodiac Pictures, Zurich); “Césars Grill” by Dario Aguirre (RECK Filmproduktion, Zurich); and “Journey To Jah” by Noël Dernesch and Moritz Springer (Pixiu Films, Zurich). The films are all in the running for a nomination for the German Film Award presented in Berlin in May.
Zurich, January 17, 2014