ZFF 2019: opening film and numerous world premieres for Swiss productions

In his latest fiction film BRUNO MANSER – DIE STIMME DES REGENWALDES, director Niklaus Hilber sheds light on the adventurous life of the Swiss environmental activist Bruno Manser (1954-2000) in the Borneo rainforest. Starring in the title role is Sven Schelker, well known due to his roles in such films as DER KREIS or GOLIATH and as Switzerland’s Shooting Star at the Berlinale 2015. Niklaus Hilber won the Audience Award at ZFF 2015 with his previous fiction film AMATEUR TEENS. BRUNO MANSER was produced by Valentin Greutert (A Film Company) and Philip Delaquis (Das Kollektiv für audiovisuelle Werke). World sales have been acquired by TrustNordisk in Denmark. With a budget of 6 million Swiss francs, the film ranks as one of the largest Swiss productions in recent years.

Documentary films screened in competition

Two Swiss documentary films will celebrate their world premieres in the Focus Competition: VOLUNTEER by Anna Thommen and Lorenz Nufer (Sulaco Film) portrays volunteers’ humanitarian commitment in refugee camps in Greece. Johanna Faust’s debut film I’LL BE YOUR MIRROR (soap factory) reveals how the director grapples between self-fulfilment as an artist and her role as a mother. Celebrating its world premiere in the International Documentary Film Competition is Juliana Fanjul’s SILENCE RADIO (Akka Films) about the Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui and her fight for democracy.

Special Screenings

Presented as world premieres and Special Screenings are Martin Skalsky’s documentary film CODY - THE DOG DAYS ARE OVER (Buzzinho Codestar Productions) about the life of street dogs in Rumania, as well as Rolando Colla’s new fiction film WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT ME (Peacock Film). This Swiss-Italian-Czech coproduction is set in Bellinzona and depicts how a relationship between an African refugee and a woman from Ticino is put to the test.

The restored version of Leopold Lindtberg’s classic DIE MISSBRAUCHTEN LIEBESBRIEFE (1940), based on the novella by Gottfried Keller, will be presented in the Special Screenings section. The film features numerous stars of classic Swiss cinema like Anne-Marie Blanc, Paul Hubschmid and Heinrich Gretler.

Industry activities by SWISS FILMS

This year marks the third time SWISS FILMS has organised its Market Preview at ZFF: on September 27, six current film projects from Switzerland will be presented to a select number of world sales representatives, international distributors and festival delegates invited to an exclusive screening, with producers in attendance. In addition, SWISS FILMS will facilitate the participation of five Swiss producers at the Zurich Summit, the high-profile networking event at ZFF.

This year’s Talent Day, an event organised by SWISS FILMS, will be held on September 30. The event is devoted to Switzerland’s young generation of filmmakers (directors and producers) working on their first feature-film project. At the invitation of SWISS FILMS, they have the opportunity to exchange information with international guests from the industry and benefit from their experiences in various fields of activity. Participating as international experts will be the producer Annick Mahnert (Producer at Screen Division), Marika Kozlovska (Consultant at Cinema do Brasil, among others) and Beatrice Neumann (Beafilm, Consultant Distribution).

SWISS FILMS, September 12, 2019