Animation 2019 by SWISS FILMS

SWISS 2019 ANIMATION

FILMS

VISIT US AT THE MIFA IN ANNECY SWISS FILMS Booth 4.C06 info@swissfilms.ch Watch SWISS SHORTS ONLINE www.swissfilms.ch/shortfilmlibrary

SWISS FILMS Neugasse 6, 8005 Zurich www.swissfilms.ch Published in June 2019 Image campaign by StÃ©phanie Gygax

SWISS FILMS ANIMATION 2019

2 NEW FEATURE 2 THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

NEW SHORTS DUODROM HARRY LAH GAH LA TRAQUE LIFE IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST ONESELF PASSAGE SAMPLE TEXT SUNDAY THE EDGE THE FOX AND THE BIRD THE GERMANS THE LONELY ORBIT WALK WITH ME ZIBILLA

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES CHRIS THE SWISS CIRCUIT COLORBIRDS ELISE KIDS KUAP SELFIES SUNDAY THE FLOOD IS COMING THE LAST DAY OF AUTUMN

23 COMING SOON 32 SUPPORT MEASURES

SWISS FILMS would like to thank Frank Braun, programme director of the cinemas Neugass Kino AG, for contributing to this selection.

SWISS FILMS TEAM

SYLVAIN VAUCHER Consultant Short Films svaucher@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 542 83 80

MARCEL MÃ&#x153;LLER Film Consultant, VOD, Programmes mmueller@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 787 93 88

NEW FEATURE

THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL

LES HIRONDELLES DE KABOUL

directed by Zabou Breitman, Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec 2

Summer 1998 – Kabul under Taliban rule. Zunaira and Mohsen are young and in love. Despite the daily violence and misery, they hope for a better future. One day, a foolish gesture causes life to take an irrevocable turn.

Animation

WORLD SALES: Celluloid Dreams, Paris www.celluloid-dreams.com WORLD PREMIERE: Cannes 2019, Un Certain Regard

FRANCE / LUXEMBOURG / SWITZERLAND / MONACO Animation, 80 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French SCREENPLAY: Sébastien Tavel, Patricia Mortagne, Zabou Breitman CAST: Zita Hanrot, Simon Abkarian, Hiam Abbass, Swann Arlaud PRODUCTION: Les Armateurs, Paris / Mélusine Productions, Contern / Close Up Films, Geneva / ARTE / RTS / KNM, Monaco SWISS PRODUCER: Joëlle Bertossa

ZABOU BREITMAN * 1959. Zabou Breitman works as actress and director for theatre and film. Her multi-award-winning first feature SE SOUVENIR DES BELLES CHOSES (2001) was honoured with 3 Césars and a Lumière Award among others. ELÉA GOBBÉ-MÉVELLEC * 1985. Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec studied animation at the Gobelins School in Paris. She worked as animator for featurelength animation films, such as THE RABBI’S CAT (2011). THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL is her first feature, which she codirected.

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DUODROM written & directed by Basil Vogt

SWITZERLAND Animation, 9 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Virage Film, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Saskia von Virág

WORLD RIGHTS: Virage Film, Zurich www.viragefilm.ch

Animation

BASIL VOGT * 1965. Basil Vogt studied Graphic Design and founded his own production company Trickbüro in 1990. He works as lecturer for Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) since 2000 and is especially known for his films KAPITÄN HU (2011) and NORTHEAST (2001), which both became festival hits and screened at numerous renowned international film festivals.

We all have two sides. But if even the tiniest scare splits someone into a timid skin on the one hand and an over confident skeleton on the other, that person has a lot of work ahead to bring their characteristics back into harmony again.

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HARRY

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written & directed by Markus Eberhard 4

Harry is a completely hairy person whose hair rapidly grows and falls out again. He tries to deal with his hair and keep his apartment in order before his lost hair gets out of hand.

Animation

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation

SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawing on paper ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell

MARKUS EBERHARD * 1988. Markus Eberhard received his BA in 2D Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and works as illustrator and animator. HARRY is his bachelor film.

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LAH GAH written & directed by Cécile Brun

SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Cutout animation, drawn animation, mixed technique ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Virage Film, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Saskia von Virág

WORLD RIGHTS: Virage Film, Zurich www.viragefilm.ch

Animation

CÉCILE BRUN * 1986. Cécile Brun studied Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and received her BA in 2011. She also completed an exchange semester in comics at the ESA (École Supérieure des Arts) St-Luc Bruxelles. Cécile Brun is known for her two award-winning short films ZMITZT DRIN (2011) and YURI (2010), which both screened at international film festivals.

Gurgling dough runs through laughing eyes past father and horizon. An intimate moment, so simple. Through the bottom of a pan into the world. Lost hands. Lost touch. And trying to grasp, what is not tangible.

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LA TRAQUE written & directed by Natacha Baud-Grasset 6

At dawn, in the wilderness, a wolf pack hunts to feed. But the prey, a stag, will not be caught so easily. The hunt quickly becomes strange.

Animation

WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch

SWITZERLAND Animation, 5 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva / RTS PRODUCER: Nicolas Burlet

NATACHA BAUD-GRASSET * 1986. Natacha Baud-Grasset studied drawing for animation at the School of Visual Arts Ceruleum in Lausanne and is an animator at Nadasdy Film since 2009. She worked on several award-winning films such as HASTA SANTIAGO (2013) by Mauro Carraro and OF SHADOWS AND WINGS (2015) by Elice Meng and Eleonora Marinoni. LA TRAQUE is her first short film, which she has written and directed.

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LIFE IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST

DAS LEBEN IST EINES DER LEICHTESTEN

written & directed by Marion Nyffenegger

SWITZERLAND Anidoc, 8 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, Swiss-German PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation

Anidoc

MARION NYFFENEGGER * 1995. Marion Nyffenegger studied Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and at College of Art in Edinburgh. She received her BA from HSLU in 2019. LIFE IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST is her bachelor film. She is known for her short animation film MORGEN FAHRE ICH DANN ZURÜCK NACH LISSABON (2014). Marion Nyffenegger received the Encouragement Award for Film of the Canton of Solothurn in 2019.

Five people living in Switzerland talk about their childhood. Security and uprooting become the topics. A collage of voices of people from different cultures and age groups tells about their feeling of home, their roots and origins. A brief look at the liveliness and diversity of life can be sensed.

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written & directed by Rhoda Berger, Ramona Graf, Benjamin Lüthold, Nadja Schöpfer A middle-aged woman wants to part with keepsakes from her past. Before she can get closure her memories turn out to be deeper-rooted than expected.

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ONESELF

SWITZERLAND Animation, 4 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 3D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation

RHODA BERGER * 1995 in Australia. RAMONA GRAF * 1994 in Altstätten. BENJAMIN LÜTHOLD * 1996 in Frauenfeld. NADJA SCHÖPFER * 1993 in Wollhusen. The four directors studied 3D Animation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and received their BA in 2019. ONESELF is their diploma film.

NEW SHORTS

PASSAGE written & directed by Anja Sidler

SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Schattenkabinett GmbH, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell

WORLD RIGHTS: Schattenkabinett GmbH, Bern www.schattenkabinett.com

Animation

ANJA SIDLER * 1988. Anja Sidler received her BA in Visual Communication with specialisation in animation from the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) in 2011 and works as freelance illustrator, graphic designer and animator since 2012. Her short film JULIA AND THE FRIGHT (2011) was selected for numerous film festivals worldwide.

While a laggard bike courier delivers a message in a bottle, a competitive swimmer abandons the swimming pool. Driven by the desire to escape their daily routines and surroundings in which they feel like strangers, these two very different people move towards each other and yet fail to meet by a hair’s breadth in the middle of nowhere.

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SAMPLE TEXT written & directed by Amélie Cochet 10

An experimental short film based on photos from the newspaper. In combination with rhythmic layers of sound, the photos continuously change the perception of the white space in the back.

Animation

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation WORLD PREMIERE: Annecy 2019

SWITZERLAND Animation, 3 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper, mixed technique ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell

AMÉLIE COCHET * 1996. Amélie Cochet studied 2D Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and received her BA in 2019. She completed her short film SAMPLE TEXT within the “Experimental Animation” class at HSLU. Amélie Cochet works as animation filmmaker and as freelance animator and illustrator.

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SUNDAY

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written & directed by Neil Stubbings

SWITZERLAND Animation, 8 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D/3D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Neil Stubbings

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Stubbings GmbH, Zurich www.neilstubbings.com

Animation

NEIL STUBBINGS Neil Stubbings has joint Swiss and British citizenship. He started working as Graphic Designer before he became a motion designer and independent filmmaker. His short animation film STOPOVER (2011) was selected for numerous inter national film festivals.

A story about a lonely penguin’s quest for a refreshment on a hot and sunny southpole Sunday.

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written & directed by Zaide Kutay, Géraldine Cammisar

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A withdrawn truck driver drives his load, a ferris wheel, through a remote desert landscape. Trapped in his fears and habits, he hardly dares to step out of the sheltered driver’s cabin. His pastime of silhouettes accompanies him on his journey through no-man’s-land and beyond the edge of his universe.

WORLD RIGHTS: Ulmi Film, Lucerne ursula.ulmi@gmx.ch

Animation

THE EDGE

SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D/3D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Ulmi Film, Lucerne / Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) PRODUCERS: Ursula Ulmi, Martin Wiedmer

ZAIDE KUTAY * 1992. Zaide Kutay is known for her award-winning short THE MARKET OF LOST THINGS (2017), which premiered at Premier Plans. GÉRALDINE CAMMISAR * 1992. Géraldine Cammisar’s award-winning short BEYOND ORANGE (2017) screened at Fantoche, Anima Mundi and Encounters among others. Both received their BA in Animation from the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) in 2017 and are currently completing their MA at HSLU.

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THE FOX AND THE BIRD

LE RENARD ET L’OISILLE

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directed by Samuel Guillaume, Frédéric Guillaume

SWITZERLAND Animation, 12 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Mixed technique ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue SCREENPLAY: Vincent Gessler, Christophe Pagnon PRODUCTION: fvp, Lausanne / RTS / SRG SSR PRODUCER: Robert Boner

WORLD SALES: Magnetfilm GmbH, Berlin www.magnetfilm.de NATIONAL PREMIERE: Fribourg International Film Festival 2019 INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Aspen Shortsfest 2019

Animation

SAMUEL AND FRÉDÉRIC GUILLAUME * 1976. The twin brothers both attended one year at the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL), studying Industrial Design and Cinema. Together they codirected numerous animated and commissioned films. They are especially known for their feature film MAX & CO (2007), honoured with the Cristal – Prix du Public in Annecy and their successful recent shorts HAPPY CHEESE (2011) and the awardwinning festival hit THE NIGHT OF THE BEAR (2012).

A solitary fox finds itself improvising fatherhood for a freshly hatched baby bird. Two paths cross and a family is formed, until fate reminds each of the life it is meant to lead.

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THE GERMANS written & directed by Melanie Carolin Wigger 14

Living trough the air raids of the German Luftwaffe 1940, the little boy Paul tries to explain to himself what’s happening to the city during the nights he’s taking shelter down in the London Underground.

Animation

WORLD RIGHTS: YK Animation Studio, Bern www.yk-animation.ch

SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English PRODUCTION: YK Animation Studio, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Lukas Pulver

MELANIE CAROLIN WIGGER * 1991. Melanie Carolin Wigger studied Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and completed an exchange year at University of Kingston, London. In 2016 she received her BA in Fiction Illustration from HSLU. Melanie Carolin Wigger works as animator and illustrator.

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THE LONELY ORBIT directed by Frederic Siegel, Benjamin Morard

BENJAMIN MORARD * 1990. Studied Animation 2D at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). Works as director, animator and storyboard artist at Team Tumult Creative Collective in Zurich together with Frederic Siegel.

SWITZERLAND Animation, 10 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English SCREENPLAY: Frederic Siegel PRODUCTION: Team Tumult, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Marwan Abdalla Eissa

WORLD SALES: Bonobostudio, Zagreb www.bonobostudio.hr

Animation

FREDERIC SIEGEL * 1991. Studied Animation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). His bachelor film RUBEN LEAVES (2015) became a festival hit and received the Swiss Film Award 2016 for Best Graduation Film. Siegel works as filmmaker, animator, illustrator, lecturer.

Leaving for his dream job, a satellite technician keeps solitude at bay by constantly texting with his old friends. After neglecting his duties a satellite leaves its orbit which causes the world’s network to collapse.

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WALK WITH ME written & directed by Jennifer Meier, Valerie Scheidegger, Arnold Wagner

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In Bonnie’s Diner the manager has a fateful encounter with Darcy. Despite their opposite personalities, a friendly relationship develops between the two, but the intact world of fun dates in bars and amusement parks is threatened: Death makes his rounds and takes the souls of the deceased. He removes their names from his book.

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation

SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell

Animation

JENNIFER MEIER * 1996 in Switzerland. VALERIE SCHEIDEGGER * 1994 in the USA. ARNOLD WAGNER * 1992 in Germany.

Jennifer Meier, Valerie Scheidegger and Arnold Wagner studied Ani mation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and received their BA in 2019. WALK WITH ME is their graduation film.

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ZIBILLA Starting at a new school is tough, especially when you are bullied. Zibilla, a zebra adopted by a family of horses, begins to hate the stripes that make her different. When her favourite toy is lost, she impulsively goes looking for it and finds herself at a circus whose main act, a lion, has escaped. The lion’s keeper is so desperate for the show to go on that he dresses up as the lion to perform the act. By helping to find the real lion, Zibilla will also find the confidence to be herself and be accepted by the other children. SWITZERLAND / BELGIUM Animation, 26 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, French SCREENPLAY: Pierre-Luc Granjon, David Bredel PRODUCTION: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva / La Boîte, … Productions, Brussels / RTS SWISS PRODUCERS: Nicolas Burlet, Zoltán Horváth

WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Berlinale 2019, Generation Kplus

Animation

ISABELLE FAVEZ * 1974. Isabelle Favez is one of Switzerland’s most acclaimed animation filmmakers. She studied Film at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and has directed many awardwinning animated shorts for children. As artist in residence at the studio Folimage in Valence she completed her award-winning short CIRCUIT MARINE (2003). It premiered at the Berlinale Generation as did her short AIR-MAIL (2015), which became a big festival hit.

directed by Isabelle Favez

Croatia, January 1992. In the midst of the Yugoslav Wars, Chris, a young Swiss journalist is found dead under mysterious circumstances. He was wearing the uniform of an international mercenary group. Anja Kofmel was his cousin. As a little girl, she used to admire this handsome young man; now a grownup woman, she decides to inves tigate his story, trying to understand what really was the involvement of Chris in the conflict …

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SWITZERLAND / CROATIA / GERMANY / FINLAND Anidoc, 90 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, Swiss-German, Spanish PRODUCTION: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich / Nukleus Film, Zagreb / MA.ja.de Filmproduktion, Leipzig / IV Films, Helsinki / SRF WORLD SALES: Urban Distribution Intl, Paris FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Cannes 2018, Semaine de la Critique / Annecy 2018 / DOK Leipzig 2018 / IDFA 2018

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

written & directed by Anja Kofmel

Anidoc

CHRIS THE SWISS

CIRCUIT written & directed by Delia Hess

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 8 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Cinéma Copain, Zurich / SRF WORLD SALES: Ouat Media, Toronto www.ouatmedia.com MORE INFORMATION: circuit.deliahess.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Locarno Film Festival 2018 / Fantoche 2018 / Molodist 2019 / Palm Springs ShortFest 2019 / Anima Mundi 2019

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On a small planet, caught up in their own little private universe, the inhabitants perform their poetically surreal actions, which repeat themselves in an endless loop. That they are all part of a complex little ecosystem, which can only function if each of them plays his or her role, is something they are unaware of.

SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, cutout animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: JApictures Sàrl, Anières / RTS WORLD RIGHTS: JApictures Sàrl, Anières www.japictures.com FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Annecy 2018 / Anima Mundi 2018 / Milano Film Festival 2018 / FIFF Namur 2018 / Clermont-Ferrand 2019 / ANIMA Brussels 2019

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

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In a large forest where singlecoloured birds live, everyone has found his place in a tree that looks like him. But what happens when a bird has two colours?

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COUCOULEURS written & directed by Oana Lacroix

Animation

COLORBIRDS

ELISE written & directed by Valentine Moser

SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Fantoche 2018 / KFT Winterthur 2018 / Solothurn Film Festival 2019 / ANIFILM Trebon 2019 / Annecy 2019

Animation

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Elise, who lives in a retirement home, realizes she’s losing control of her life: Alzheimer’s prevents her from understanding the world and leaves her just a few memories to cling on to. Soon, the presence of her daughter, her last anchor to reality, won’t be enough to keep her from diving into her memories.

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An experimental project about group dynamics. How do we define ourselves when we are all equal? The animated short is accompanied by an interactive animation for computer.

INEM

SWITZERLAND Animation, 9 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English SCREENPLAY: Michael Frei, Mario von Rickenbach PRODUCTION: Playables GmbH, Zurich / SRF / SRG SSR / ARTE WORLD RIGHTS: Playables GmbH, Zurich www.playables.net FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Berlinale 2019 / Go Short Nijmegen 2019 / Annecy 2019

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directed by Michael Frei

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FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

KIDS

KUAP

Animation

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Mixed technique ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: prêt-à-tourner Filmproduktion GmbH, Zurich / Nils Hedinger Trickproduktion, Luzern / SRF WORLD SALES: KurzFilmAgentur Hamburg e.V., Hamburg, www.shortfilm.com MORE INFORMATION: www.kuap.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Fantoche 2018 / Encounters Bristol 2018 / Clermont-Ferrand 2019 / Go Short Nijmegen 2019

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written & directed by Nils Hedinger

A tadpole somehow misses out on becoming a frog and is left behind, alone. But there is much to discover in the pond and spring is sure to come again next year. A little story about growing up.

written & directed by Claudius Gentinetta

In a veritable firework display of digital self-portraits, hundreds of quaint, embarrassing and dreadfully disturbing selfies were arranged in a unique short film composition. Single photos, artistically reworked, consolidate to form a ghastly grin that outshines the abyss of human existence.

SWITZERLAND Animation, 4 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Gentinettafilm, Zurich / SRF WORLD SALES: Ouat Media, Toronto www.ouatmedia.com MORE INFORMATION: gentinettafilm.ch/selfies.html FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Locarno Film Festival 2018 / Filmets Badalona 2018 / Anima Brussels 2019 / Aspen Shortfest 2019 / Trickfilm Festival Stuttgart 2019 / Annecy 2019

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

SELFIES

SUNDAY DIMANCHE written & directed by Gael Kyriakidis, Fanny Dreyer

SWITZERLAND Animation, 10 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Ciné3D Association, Villars-sur-Glâne / RTS WORLD RIGHTS: Ciné3D Association, Villars-sur-Glâne www.cine3d.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Fantoche 2018 / DOK Leipzig 2018 / Festival Européen du Film court de Brest 2018 / Clermont-Ferrand 2019

Animation

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Expelled from the machine-week for incompetence, Sunday meets a mysterious alter ego that takes him on a contemplative stroll. At the end of a dreamlike inner journey, Sunday returns to the machine to reinvent it.

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written & directed by Gabriel Böhmer

A forest hermit tries to prepare for a flood, but he becomes distracted by his noisy neighbour – who happens to be the hermit’s left eye. The film explores the growing anxiety about the state of nature, and our place in it.

SWITZERLAND / UK Animation, 9 min., 2018 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English PRODUCTION: Benjamin Steckel, Zollikon / Rational Vagabund, Wokingham WORLD RIGHTS: Gabriel Böhmer, Workingham www.thingsbygabriel.com FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2018 / Flickerfest 2019 / Clermont-Ferrand 2019 / Oberhausen 2019 / Annecy 2019

FESTIVAL FAVOURITES

THE FLOOD IS COMING

Animation

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SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva / Les Films du Nord, Roubaix / RTS WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Berlinale 2019 / Oberhausen 2019 / ANIFILM Trebon 2019

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THE LAST DAY OF AUTUMN LE DERNIER JOUR D’AUTOMNE written & directed by Marjolaine Perreten A group of forest animals secretly collects parts from abandoned bicycles, with the intention of constructing vehicles adapted to their size. They are preparing for a great race. The Last Day of Autumn race.

COMING SOON

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SUMMER 2019

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During a PowerPoint presentation, statistical diagrams are breaking free from the strait-jacket of their coordinates. A trip into the sensual world of statistics begins. Pie charts are melting, arrow diagrams twisting, scatter plots, bar graphs and stock market curves join in a collective climax.

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Langfilm / Bernard Lang AG, Freienstein / SRF PRODUCER: Olivier Zobrist WORLD RIGHTS: Langfilm / Bernard Lang AG, Freienstein www.langfilm.ch

written & directed by Maja Gehrig

COMING SOON

AVERAGE HAPPINESS

BLACK & WHITE

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Animation

SPRING 2020

SWITZERLAND / GERMANY Animation, 4 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper, stop motion ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Gerd Gockell Filmproduktion, Lucerne / SRF / anigraf UG, Hannover SWISS PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell WORLD RIGHTS: Gerd Gockell Filmproduktion, Lucerne www.anigraf.org

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(working title) directed by Jesús Pérez, Gerd Gockell

An animated children’s film about tolerance towards strangers. The proverbial “black sheep” is mobbed out of the herd, but only the courageous outsider can save the herd from great disaster.

SPRING 2020

SWITZERLAND Animation, 9 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Studio GDS, Schwizgebel, Geneva / RTS PRODUCER: Georges Schwizgebel WORLD RIGHTS: Studio GDS, Schwizgebel, Geneva www.studio-gds.ch

ECTE XP

A free interpretation of an authentic adventure that happened to three Tierra del Fuego natives, kidnapped by a wellmeaning captain in 1829 to be educated for three years in London in order to bring home the benefits of Western civili sation. Young Charles Darwin was part of this return trip.

ECTE XP

written & directed by Georges Schwizgebel

COMING SOON

DARWIN’S NOTEBOOK

DEATH AND THE WINEMAKER

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 15 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Kacey Mottet Klein, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Jacques Roman PRODUCTION: Imaginastudio Sàrl, Lausanne / RTS PRODUCER: Arnaud Gantenbein WORLD RIGHTS: Imaginastudio Sàrl, Lausanne www.imaginastudio.com

Animation

SPRING 2020

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The story of a young winemaker who devoted himself to create the world’s best wine, to win the hand of his beloved Mathilde – the beautiful daughter of his rich neighbour. He created a wine so exquisite, that even Death himself demands to taste it. As he crossed the Alps to Rome, the wine maker learns the devastating truth about Mathilde’s fate; to save her he captures Death in a barrel, believing to have tricked him.

ECTE XP

LE VIGNERON ET LA MORT written & directed by Victor Jaquier

COMING SOON

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SPRING 2020

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Little Ethel lives alone with her father Per in a small house on the outskirts of a town. One day the bright child discovers the secret of her recently deceased mother in the cellar. A dangerous voyage of discovery takes its course.

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Puppet animation, stop motion ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Lina Geissmann PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: prêt-à-tourner Filmproduktion GmbH, Zurich www.pretatourner.ch

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written & directed by Beatrice Jäggi

SPRING 2020

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Animation

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 8 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: YK Animation Studio, Bern / SRF PRODUCERS: Lukas Pulver, Fela Bellotto WORLD RIGHTS: YK Animation Studio, Bern www.yk-animation.ch

written & directed by Joder von Rotz

LITTLE MISS FATE

Little Miss Fate lives in a world driven by fate. When the opportunity arises, she slips into the role of the world leader. Unintentionally she creates a monster, which greedily wants to suck up all the love of the world. Overwhelmed by the rapid development, she loses control.

COMING SOON

LOST BRAIN

SPRING 2020

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Nicolas Burlet PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Nadasdy Film Sarl, Geneva www.nadasdyfilm.ch

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One day, Louise the crocodile accidentally sneezes her brain out. To top it all off, it even escapes! This suddenly makes it difficult for Louise to perform the simplest tasks and nothing works out anymore.

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written & directed by Isabelle Favez

LOVELY RITA

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 4 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Lina Geissmann PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: prêt-à-tourner Filmproduktion GmbH, Zurich www.pretatourner.ch

Animation

WINTER 2019/20

OMED

Rita, 41, is a traffic warden and loves order and power. She moves majestically in her geometric street world. But at some point she is overcome by the hectic pace of unpredictable everyday life and suddenly faces an important decision.

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written & directed by Elena Madrid

WINTER 2019/20

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O-BON, ANECDOTES DE KYOTO written & directed by Jénay Vogel In Kyoto, it is the middle of summer and the O-Bon festival is approaching. Everyone eagerly awaits this annual event, because it is well known that wishes come true. Most of them want wealth, beauty and health. Except Nashi, a homeless man who pollutes the air with his body odour to the point of becoming more and more of a public hazard. His only real wish is to bathe in a public bath.

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Japanese PRODUCTION: Studio GDS, Schwizgebel, Geneva / RTS / Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) PRODUCERS: Georges Schwizgebel, Martin Wiedmer WORLD RIGHTS: Studio GDS, Schwizgebel, Geneva www.studio-gds.ch

ECTE XP

COMING SOON

O-BON, ANECDOTES FROM KYOTO

WINTER 2019/20

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Animation

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, Cutout animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Louise Productions Lausanne, Lausanne / RTS PRODUCER: Elisa Garbar WORLD RIGHTS: Louise Productions Lausanne, Lausanne www.louiseproductions.ch

written & directed by Julien Sulser

OMAR ET PINCETTE

Omar is a freakshow monster with a big soft body and crab claws as his arms. Exploited since the beginning by Mr. Jules, a despicable circus director, Omar has long since resigned himself to his unfortunate fate. But the arrival of Pincette, a mermaid tightrope walker, disrupts his life, giving rise to new feelings in him. Because Omar loves Pincette and Pincette has a crush on him.

COMING SOON

ONLY A CHILD

WINTER 2019/20

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SWITZERLAND Anidoc, 6 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Mixed technique ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English SCREENPLAY: Simone Giampaolo, Severn Cullis-Suzuki PRODUCTION: Amka Films Productions SA, Savosa / RSI PRODUCERS: Gabriella de Gara Bucciarelli, Ursula Ulmi WORLD RIGHTS: Amka Films Productions SA, Savosa www.amka.ch

NIDO

A visual poem created by over 20 animation directors under the artistic supervision of Simone Giampaolo, which gives shape and colour to the original words spoken by Severn Suzuki at the UN Summit in Rio in 1992, a child’s desperate call to action for the future of our planet. With this omnibus film, through eloquent images and powerful animated allegories, the young animators scream their call through art.

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directed by Simone Giampaolo

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: YK Animation Studio, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Lukas Pulver WORLD RIGHTS: YK Animation Studio, Bern www.yk-animation.ch

Animation

FALL 2019

NTAS

How salmon reproduce. A sports film.

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LACHSMÄNNER written & directed by Joel Hofmann, Veronica L. Montaño, Manuela Leuenberger

SALMON MEN

COMING SOON

SIGNS

WINTER 2019/20

An electrician follows his nightly routine setting up signs in the city. He goes through life unnoticed and out of touch with the world, until he realises which signs he should be paying attention to.

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 11 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Virage Film, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Saskia von Virág WORLD RIGHTS: Virage Film, Zurich www.viragefilm.ch

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written & directed by Dustin Rees

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Animation

SPRING 2020

SWITZERLAND Animation, 4 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Schattenkabinett GmbH, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell WORLD RIGHTS: Schattenkabinett GmbH, Bern www.schattenkabinett.com

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THE LITTLE BIRD AND THE BEES DER KLEINE VOGEL UND DIE BIENEN written & directed by Lena von Döhren High up in the maple tree, the little bird is happy about the buds growing on his tree. Everywhere around him there is a buzzing and humming sound and there is a lot to discover. The little bird curiously follows the funny bees and does not notice that the fiery red fox is on his heels.

WINTER 2019/20

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In the hopes of making their queen smile again, the foxes descend on the city each night to rummage through the humans’ trash, searching for all the love letters that were never sent.

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LA REINE DES RENARDS written & directed by Marina Rosset

COMING SOON

THE QUEEN OF THE FOXES

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SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min. ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCTION: Marina Rosset Productions, Lausanne / RTS PRODUCER: Marina Rosset WORLD RIGHTS: Marina Rosset Productions, Lausanne www.marinarosset.ch

SWITZERLAND Animation, 10 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Cinéma Copain Ltd liab Co, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Marcel Derek Ramsay WORLD RIGHTS: Cinéma Copain Ltd liab Co, Zurich www.cinemacopain.com

Animation

SUMMER 2019

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Slugs were not always without limbs. But they have always been slow. In fact they are so slow that they become unbearable for their co-workers, the ever busy bees. During the big financial crisis in the city of insects, the bees see only one way to save their once flourishing business. What follows is a big step in the evolution of animals.

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WARUM SCHNECKEN KEINE BEINE HABEN written & directed by Aline Höchli

WHY SLUGS DON’T HAVE LEGS

SUPPORT MEASURES

FILM SALES SUPPORT Film Sales Support FSS is a scheme by the European Film Promotion (EFP) for the promotion of European films outside of Europe. With support by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, Media Desk Suisse and SWISS FILMS, FSS is also available to European and Swiss sales companies selling Swiss films at selected festivals and markets: Hong Kong Int’l Film & TV Market, Tribeca FF, Hot Docs Toronto, TIFF, Asian Film Market, American Film Market, Sundance FF. Applications must be submitted online by the world sales company.

Guidelines and application: www.efp-online.com/en/project_market/guidlines.php

VOD SUPPORT

Supporting the distribution of Swiss films on selected international VOD platforms. Its aim is to increase the visibility and the online distribution of Swiss films. The subsidies are granted according to the “Guidelines VOD Support”. Applications must be submitted by the Swiss rights holder. A support measure by SWISS FILMS in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC). www.swissfilms.ch/en/vod Contact: support@swissfilms.ch

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“Look who’s back.” Dan’s friend in THE LONELY ORBIT by Frederic Siegel, Benjamin Morard