SWISS 2020 SHORTS
FILMS
WATCH SWISS SHORTS ONLINE: www.swissfilms.ch/shortfilmlibrary
SWISS FILMS Neugasse 6, 8005 Zurich www.swissfilms.ch Published in January 2020 Image campaign by Sophie Brasey
SWISS FILMS SHORTS 2020
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FICTION 22 : 47 LINE 34 ALINE BÉTON AMER BLOCK B HAND IN HAND HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEALING IMAGO KINGDOM L’HOMME JETÉE MARIA COBRA PRETA MENSCHEN AM SAMSTAG REAL NEWS RED ANTS BITE SONG OF THE CRICKETS SOUSAPHONE STILL WORKING TRUMPET TWEETATORS UNDER THE FISH SCALES WINDOWLESS ZENITH
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ANIMATION AVERAGE HAPPINESS FULESEE LITTLE MISS FATE SALMON MEN SIGNS THEM WHY SLUGS HAVE NO LEGS
31 DOCUMENTARY 31 ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK 32 CARBÓN 33 HOME 34 MAMA ROSA 35 SILENT STORM 36 THE GAME 37 THE PEEPUL TREE 38 TRACES 39 EXPANDED CINEMA 39 ALETSCH NEGATIVE 40 MEMBRANE
SWISS FILMS would like to thank John Canciani, artistic director of the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, for contributing to this selection.
YOUR SWISS FILMS CONTACT
SYLVAIN VAUCHER Consultant Short Films svaucher@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 542 83 80
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22 : 47 LINIE 34
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22 : 47 LINE 34 directed by Michael Karrer 2
It’s 10 : 47 pm on a bus somewhere in a city. A few teenagers are listening to music and talking loudly. The other passengers look languidly out the window or at their cell phones. A drunk man gets in and joins the teenagers; the mood starts to shift.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK moritz.schneider@zhdk.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 10 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German SCREENPLAY: Michael Karrer, Pablo Callisaya CAST: Nadim Ben Said, Eddie Rast, Eve Lyn Scheiben, Nadège Kanku, Mina Wehrli, Matia Frei, Pauline Hunziker PRODUCER: Jonas Ballmann
MICHAEL KARRER * 1992. Michael Karrer studied Film at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). 22 : 47 LINE 34 is his Master film which premiered at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage in Winterthur and won the Best Swiss Film Award. In FRAGMENTS OF A FAREWELL (2017) he explored the emptiness after the sudden death of a father. In his BA film GROSS UND STARCH (2016) he recounted a tragicomedy about friendship, letting go and stopping.
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ALINE written & directed by Simon Guélat
SIMON GUÉLAT * 1985. Simon Guélat studied acting at the Haute École de Théâtre de Suisse Romande, graduating in 2007. He subsequently worked with various filmmakers and screenwriters, including Ursula Meier, Lionel Baier, Francis Reusser and Mathieu Bertholet. In addition to his commitment as an actor Simon Guélat wrote and directed his first short film CABANE (2016), which was produced by Les films du Bélier.
FRANCE / SWITZERLAND Fiction, 31 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Paulin Jaccoud, Schemci Lauth PRODUCTION: Les films du bélier, Paris / Box Productions sàrl, Lausanne / RTS / ARTE SWISS PRODUCERS: Elodie Brunner, Elena Tatti
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Alban lives in a ski resort with his mother. Every night, the young teenager sneaks out to join Julien – the older boy who strangely bears the same first name as the hero of the novel he devours.
WORLD RIGHTS: Les films du bélier, Paris www.lesfilmsdubelier.fr WORLD PREMIERE: Locarno Film Festival 2019
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BÉTON AMER written & directed by Margot Lançon, Chloé Simonin 4
A group of teenagers wanders from the rooftops of their neighbourhoods to Hellinikon on the outskirts of Athens. For six decades, Hellinikon was the only airport in the city. In 2004, it hosted the Olympic Games infrastructure. Since then, weeds have invaded the ruins of sports facilities. The young people decide to enter it before the site is razed to the ground, transformed before its memory disappears.
WORLD RIGHTS: Margot Lançon, Geneva chloemargot.films@gmail.com Chloé Simonin, Geneva chloemargot.films@gmail.com Geneva School of Art & Design Fine Arts Department cinema.head@hesge.ch head.hesge.ch/cinema WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
SWITZERLAND Docufiction, 15 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Greek PRODUCTION: Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève) PRODUCERS: Margot Lançon, Chloé Simonin
MARGOT LANÇON, * 1989 in France. 2019 Margot Lançon received her BA in Visual Arts at the Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève). Interested in new forms of documentary writing, she is developing a practice combining films, videos and photographs. CHLOÉ SIMONIN * 1994. Chloé Simonin received her BA in Visual Arts in 2017, specializing in Information/ Fiction at the HEAD – Genève. She is currently studying Anthropology at the University of Neuchâtel.
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BLOC B
written & directed by Nora Longatti
NORA LONGATTI * 1989. Nora Longatti graduated with a BA in Fine Arts and Photography from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2015. Since 2018 she is deepening her passion for films at École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) studying Cinema. BLOC B was awarded with the prize for Best School Film at Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 11 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue CAST: Agathe Lecomte, Brenda Morina, Nicole Golay, Heitor José Almeida, Luìs Gomes and others PRODUCER: Lionel Baier
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How does it feel to be alive? Bloc B is the setting for nine encounters, somewhere in the satellite city “la Bourdonnette”, in the outskirts of Lausanne. The film was written for some of their residents and their neighborhood. In order to know what it feels like to be alive.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne jean_guillaume.sonnier@ecal.ch www.ecal.ch
WORLD PREMIERE: Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2019
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HAND IN HAND
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written & directed by Ennio Ruschetti 6
Only a formal handshake separates two politicians from a sealed contract. But as both stubbornly try to gain the upper hand within the gesture, their unwillingness to compromise takes on a monstrous life of its own.
WORLD RIGHTS: Ennio Ruschetti, Buchs ennio.ruschetti@gmail.com WORLD PREMIERE: Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival 2019
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 4 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue CAST: Jürg Plüss, Urs-Peter Wolters, Jürg Bünzli PRODUCTION: Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK PRODUCER: Filippo Bonacci
ENNIO RUSCHETTI * 1994. Ennio Ruschetti is a cofounder of “das alte Lager”, an independent collective for visual effects, 3D animation, colour grading und visuals. In 2019 he received his BA in Film from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). He works as filmmaker, cinematographer, VFX-Artist and VFX-Supervisor.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY written & directed by Lisa Gertsch
LISA GERTSCH * 1992. Lisa Gertsch is known for her short film ALMOST EVERYTHING (2017), for which she won the prestigious Student Academy Award® 2018 in the category Narrative (International Film Schools). She graduated with a BA in Film from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2017 and is currently pursuing an MA in Film, also at ZHdK. She works as a director, screenwriter and editor in Zurich.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 26 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German CAST: Sophie Hutter, Rebecca Indermaur PRODUCER: Filippo Bonacci
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A young woman is invited to celebrate her birthday with her alcoholic mother. Trying to maintain harmony, the two stumble through a night of bliss and disaster.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK moritz.schneider@zhdk.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
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HEALING written & directed by Adrian Perez 8
Sarah wants to put a stop to Ben’s work as a healer and secretly documents his dubious methods. When Ben finds out, he pushes Sarah down an abyss. To remove all traces, he immerses her body in a mountain lake and finds that miracles actually happen.
WORLD RIGHTS: Project Axel Foley, Bern www.projectaxelfoley.com
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 12 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German CAST: Markus Amrein, Pascale Sauteur PRODUCTION: Project Axel Foley, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Adrian Perez
ADRIAN PEREZ * 1977. Adrian Perez is a Swiss filmmaker with Spanish roots. He studied International Relations at University of Geneva, later worked as a television journalist and editor. At Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), he studied Cast/ Audiovisual Media. 2013 he founded the production company Project Axel Foley. Perez makes auteur films: conceived, directed and edited by himself. He is currently preparing his first featurelength film WINNETONI.
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IMAGO written & directed by Remy Blaser
REMY BLASER * 1987. Started his career working as a clerk at the social welfare office. Remy Blaser studied Film at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), receiving his MA in Film in 2016 with a specialization in Screenplay. He works as a director, screenwriter and sound designer.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 17 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German CAST: Elisa Plüss, Silvio Kretschmer PRODUCERS: Katrin Renz, Corinne Steiner, Stefan Jäger
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Jonathan lives in a world ruled by an inhumane courtship ritual forcing him to find a partner. But he doesn’t want to dance. This will lead to his certain death, sooner or later. A charming neighbour appears to be his last chance, but her only interest is the revelation of his true shape and thus helping him to break free.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: tellfilm GmbH, Zurich www.tellfilm.ch
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KINGDOM directed by Bettina Oberli 10
A vast, rocky desert. A lone woman struggles to preserve the last remaining bit of the last remaining glacier with a crazy patchwork of cloth and rags that she retrieves from the abandoned valleys. Sisyphus’ work. Only at night, when the blazing sun has disappeared, other creatures appear. Wolves and mountain goats drink in unison from the last source of water. And the woman is no longer alone.
WORLD SALES: Ouat Media, Toronto www.ouatmedia.com WORLD PREMIERE: Festa del Cinema Rome 2019
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 11 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue SCREENPLAY: Thomas Ritter CAST: Emily Beecham PRODUCTION: Looping Film GmbH, Zurich PRODUCERS: Bettina Oberli, Martin Joss
BETTINA OBERLI * 1972. Bettina Oberli studied Film at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and is known for her award-winning feature films NORTH WIND (2004), which premiered in San Sebastian and LATE BLOOMERS (2006), which became a huge box office hit in Switzerland. Her last film WITH THE WIND (2018) premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and was honoured with the Variety Piazza Grande Award. Her upcoming feature-length film MY WONDERFUL WANDA is expected for 2020.
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written & directed by Loïc Hobi
LOÏC HOBI * 1997. Loïc Hobi has Swiss and French roots. He developed a passion for cinema very early on. In 2015, aged seventeen, he directed his first short film, which was rewarded at the Schweizer Jugendfilmtage. Motivated to continue along this path, he studied directing at Luc Besson’s École de la Cité in Saint Denis, graduating in 2019 with a master’s degree.
SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Fiction, 21 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Hubert Girard, Youssouf Abi-Ayad PRODUCTION: Tell me the Story SA, Geneva / École de la Cité, Paris SWISS PRODUCER: Loïc Hobi
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Theo is a young docker languishing in his native port. His life flows at the monotonous rhythm of the passing cargo ships. Through his encounter with Giuseppe, a disillusioned sailor ashore for a while, Theo finds the courage to face the waves to escape his dull existence by trying to get onto Giuseppe’s gruff crew.
WORLD RIGHTS: Tell me the Story SA, Geneva contact@tellmethestory.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
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written & directed by Erika Nieva da Cunha 12
In a Lisbon neighborhood worn by gentrification, Maria, a young female rapper, and her old neighbours expect expulsion. Through her songs and by digging in the trauma of her origins, she finds the strength to face the present.
WORLD RIGHTS: Akka Films, Geneva www.akkafilms.ch Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève) head.hesge.ch/cinema WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 26 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Portuguese CAST: Mynda Guevara, Mario Ventura, Isabel Cardoso PRODUCTION: Akka Films, Geneva / Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève) / RTS PRODUCER: Palmyre Badinier
ERIKA NIEVA DA CUNHA * 1988. Erika Nieva da Cunha studies cinema at the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). Both the influence of previously completed apprenticeship in psychiatric care and the filmmaker’s Portuguese and Angolan origin are mirrored in her short MARIA COBRA PRETA. The film premiered at Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and received a special mention from the jury of the Swiss competition.
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MENSCHEN AM SAMSTAG written & directed by Jonas Ulrich
JONAS ULRICH * 1990. Jonas Ulrich is a filmmaker based in Zurich. He’s been working as a writer, director and editor for commercials, music videos and fiction films since 2012, often in close cooperation with his core team at the production company Dynamic Frame, of which he is a cofounder. His short THIN AIR (2018) was nominated for the Zurich Film Prize in 2019. He is a graduate of the University of Zurich, where he studied History and Film.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 10 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Dynamic Frame GmbH, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Nicole Boner
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A sunny Saturday afternoon in Zurich. Ten tableaus show people going about their daily lives – while struggling with small and big challenges.
WORLD RIGHTS: Dynamic Frame GmbH, Zurich www.dynamic-frame.ch
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REAL NEWS written & directed by Luka Popadić 14
Nato bombing of Serbia in 1999. James, a young journalist on his first deployment abroad, is faced with the absurd reality of news production and is forced to choose between his career and his moral code.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: CognitoFilms, Zurich www.cognito-films.ch Prababa Production, Belgrade www.prababa.rs Stanković & Sinovi, Belgrade www.sinovi.rs
SWITZERLAND / SERBIA Fiction, 18 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, Serbian CAST: Ryan Whittle, Jane Slavin SWISS PRODUCERS: Rajko Jazbec, Dario Schoch, Luka Popadić
LUKA POPADIĆ * 1980. Luka Popadić’s films are as varied and surprising as his biography. The Swiss with Serbian roots, film director and captain of the Swiss army studied Political Science and History at the University of Zurich. In 2009 he returned to his parents’ home country, and graduated with a Master’s degree in Film Directing from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade in 2014. Popadić worked as graphic designer in Berlin and as assistant director in Chicago. He is currently preparing his first feature-length documentary film.
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RED ANTS BITE In Georgia, two stranded Nigerians, Obinna and Afame, navigate the sleeping city of Tbilisi after a long night out. However, as day breaks the true colours of their ambiguous affection begin to show. In this way, they find solace despite their hostile environment.
ELENE NAVERIANI * 1985 in Georgia. Elene Naveriani studied Painting at State Academy of Art in Tbilisi. In 2011 she received her MA in Critical Curatorial Cybermedia, in 2014 her BA in Film from Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). Her first feature I AM TRULY A DROP OF SUN ON EARTH (2017) premiered at IFFR and won awards at Entrevues Belfort and Semana Internacional de Cine de Valladolid. Her short RED ANTS BITE celebrated its international premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
WORLD RIGHTS: SWITZERLAND Alva Film Production, Geneva Fiction, 23 min., 2019 www.alvafilm.ch ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: NATIONAL PREMIERE: Pidgin English, Georgian Internationale Kurzfilmtage SCREENPLAY: Winterthur 2019 George Imo Obasi, INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE: Donald Acho Nwokorie, IFFR Rotterdam 2020 Elene Naveriani CAST: George Imo Obasi, Donald Acho Nwokorie PRODUCTION: Alva Film Production, Geneva / mishkin, Geneva / RTS PRODUCERS: Britta Rindelaub, Thomas Reichlin
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directed by Elene Naveriani
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SONG OF THE CRICKETS
LE CHANT DES GRILLONS
written & directed by Maria Nicollier 16
David, a deaf Swiss man, is in love with a hearing woman. He goes to Japan to have a state-of-the-art implant, but during his stay on the island, he decides to abandon his project. A film poised between reality and fiction.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: REC Production, Neuchâtel www.recproduction.com
SWITZERLAND Docufiction, 15 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, French CAST: David Raboud, Pierre Antoine Dubey PRODUCER: Maria Nicollier
MARIA NICOLLIER * 1972. Maria Nicollier is a graduate from New York Film Academy. She has a degree in Literature and Sociology. She directed several documentaries. Her short film IN SEARCH OF A DONKEY (2011), was nominated for the Swiss Film Award, awarded at the London Festival and received the Farel Prize. With the screenplay for VOLCANIC ASH (2015) she won the Prix BCN Culture. She works as producer and filmmaker at Rec Production in Neuchâtel.
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written & directed by Flo Linus Baumann
FLO LINUS BAUMANN * 1987 in Singapore. Flo Linus Baumann was raised in the United States and Switzerland. He worked on film sets across Europe before graduating with a BA in Film from the Zurich University of Arts (ZHdK). He attended NYU’s MFA film programme, in 2014. His Bachelor film CORPUS (2011) was nominated by the German Film Academy for Best Narrative Short. He is preparing his first featurelength film, 50 MILES FROM BOOMTOWN, selected for the Sundance Creative Producing Lab in 2015.
SWITZERLAND / UNITED STATES Fiction, 13 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English CAST: Donavon Dietz PRODUCTION: CognitoFilms, Zurich / BettyStudios, Brooklyn SWISS PRODUCERS: Rajko Jazbec, Flo Linus Baumann
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After the retiree’s instrument inexplicably goes mute, Josef Muller goes on a journey to recover his beloved instrument’s sound in the days leading up to a longawaited performance.
WORLD RIGHTS: CognitoFilms, Zurich www.cognito-films.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Palm Springs International ShortFest 2019
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STILL WORKING written & directed by Julietta Korbel 18
In an abandoned factory destined to be demolished, Pavel’s routine, the guardian, is disturbed by the arrival of a young engineer who discovers an unusual electric activity, a running turbine. Pavel will be faced with the imminent disappearance of the factory and with the end of his universe.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 17 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Beat Wittwer, jean_guillaume.sonnier@ecal.ch www.ecal.ch Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant PRODUCTION: WORLD PREMIERE: Thera Production, Lausanne / Locarno Film Festival 2019 ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne / RTS PRODUCER: Julien Rouyet WORLD RIGHTS: Thera Production, Lausanne www.thera-production.ch ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne
JULIETTA KORBEL * 1996 in Germany. Julietta Korbel is a filmmaker of Swiss and Slovakian origin. She studied film at École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL), graduating with a BA in Cinema in 2019. Her short film STILL WORKING is an intimate reflection on what makes meaning of our lives. An intriguing portrait of a character who refuses the evolution of the world.
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TRUMPET written & directed by Kevin Haefelin
KEVIN HAEFELIN * 1989. Based in New York, Kevin Haefelin graduated from Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève) obtaining a BFA in Film. His short films have participated in over 120 film festivals. He is currently completing an MFA in Directing at Columbia University. Chosen as a script reader for the 2020 Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters Lab, he is writing his first feature film. In 2019 he was nominated for the IMDb New Filmmakers Award and his short HIATUS (2018) won the Best Directing Award at Kyiv Film Festival.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 17 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, Japanese, Spanish CAST: Mao Soné, Didier Flamand PRODUCER: Youmi Haefelin-Roch
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A Japanese trumpet player on a cultural pilgrimage to discover New York City jazz experiences a hell of a night after being lost in Brooklyn.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Kumoshika Productions Sàrl, Geneva info@kumoshika.ch
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TWEETATORS directed by Jonas Meier, Mike Raths
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What if you take some of the most absurd tweets and quotes of certain politicians literally? And how could the statement “If there are no vaginas, it would be useless.” be visualized in this case? A look at the most absurd word creations and phrases from everyday politics.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: zweihund GmbH, Winterthur www.zweihund.com MORE INFORMATION: www.tweetators.com
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 3 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue SCREENPLAY: Jonas Meier PRODUCERS: Jonas Meier, Mike Raths
JONAS MEIER * 1978. Jonas Meier attended Lucerne School of Arts and Design (HSLU), Video department and graduated in 2006. MIKE RATHS * 1980. Mike Raths graduated from EMAF in Fribourg, now Eikon Vocational School for Applied Arts. Since 2009 they own zweihund GmbH, a production company for short films, commercials and music videos. TWEETATORS is the third short film which they have codirected.
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written & directed by Colombe Rubini
COLOMBE RUBINI * 1997 in Paris. Colombe Rubini studied film at the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL). UNDER THE FISH SCALES is her Bachelor film and premiered at Entrevues – Festival International du Film Belfort in the international short film competition.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 18 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Guillaume Chauvin, Philippine Delaire, Maxime Gorbatchevsky, Christian Gregori, Samuel Progin, Mathias Progin PRODUCTION: Thera Production, Lausanne / ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne / RTS PRODUCERS: Kaspar Schiltknecht, Lionel Baier
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Max, 23 years old, works in his father’s fish shop. The arrival of Zoe, an enthusiastic and lively trainee, disrupts Max’s routine and leads him to rethink his future which seemed to him to be a clearly defined.
WORLD RIGHTS: Thera Production, Lausanne www.thera-production.ch ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne jean_guillaume.sonnier@ecal.ch www.ecal.ch
WORLD PREMIERE: Entrevues Belfort 2019
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WINDOWLESS directed by Samuel Flückiger 22
It has been 35 years since Maria left her newborn in a baby window. With the help of the authorities, she tracks down her daughter and meets Caroline for the first time. A DNA test is to prove their kinship. An increasingly close relationship develops between Maria and Caroline. However, unfulfilled expectations and quiet accusations threaten to break it time and again. The two women struggle together – until the result of the DNA test is available.
WORLD SALES: Ouat Media, Toronto www.ouatmedia.com WORLD PREMIERE: International Short Film Festival Drama 2019
SWITZERLAND / UNITED STATES Fiction, 26 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German SCREENPLAY: Joël Louis Jent, Samuel Flückiger CAST: Sarah Spale, Elvira Plüss PRODUCTION: Aaron Film, Zurich / Modernist Films, Los Angeles / Cinegrell, Zurich / Dschoint Ventschr, Zurich / Urakypost Film Production, Zurich SWISS PRODUCER: Joël Louis Jent
SAMUEL FLÜCKIGER * 1982. Samuel Flückiger studied Sociology, Film Studies and Criminology at the University of Zurich, as well as Film Production and Screen Writing at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the screenwriter and director of numerous short films and documentaries which screened at international festivals.
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ZENITH written & directed Camille Tomatala
CAMILLE TOMATALA * 1991. Camille Tomatala studied Visual Arts and Film at Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève). ZENITH is her first short film and premiered at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.
SWITZERLAND Fiction, 22 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French CAST: Léonie Stassen, Majid Imadeddine, Julia Batinova PRODUCTION: Point prod SA, Geneva / RTS PRODUCER: Hélène Faget
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Lucie, 14, was placed into a children’s home to avoid seeing her mother die. In this transitional stage she recognizes a familiar face. Yannis, 19, is a dreamy and clever apprentice gardener who takes care of the garden during the holidays. In him Lucie sees the possibility of something new. It is the end of childhood frozen in the light of summer. The story of a rebirth, the awakening of the first desires and high hopes.
WORLD RIGHTS: Tell me the Story SA, Geneva contact@tellmethestory.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
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written & directed by Maja Gehrig 24
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.
WORLD SALES: Miyu Distribution, Arles www.miyu.fr WORLD PREMIERE: DOK Leipzig 2019
SWITZERLAND Animation, 7 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Langfilm / Bernard Lang AG, Freienstein / SRF PRODUCER: Olivier Zobrist
MAJA GEHRIG * 1978 in Zurich. Maja Gehrig studied at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) as well as Animation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). From 2006 to 2011 she worked as curator of installations and performances at ARM (Artspace Rondeel Maastricht) and founded her own production company Gehrig Trick & Sohn in 2011. Her award-winning shorts LUST TO DUST (2009) and QUEEN BUM (2015) became festival hits. AVERAGE HAPPINESS premiered at DOK Leipzig.
ANIMATION
FULESEE directed by Christina Benz
CHRISTINA BENZ * 1972. Christina Benz graduated in 2004 with a Bachelor in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins College in London. She received her Master of Arts from the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2010. Focussing on the moving image, Christina Benz’ video projects and installations are shown at international galleries, art fairs and festivals. Her work addresses cultural and social aspects of our times.
SWITZERLAND Animation, 4 min., 2020 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawing on paper, sand animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German SCREENPLAY: Patric Marino PRODUCTION: THE BAND GmbH, Zurich / SRG SSR PRODUCER: Marco Leisi
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Sunday, Fulesee. Two people go diving in a lake. They understand each other wordlessly, everything seems okay. But the dive leads them not only to fish and into darkness, it also reaches into the depths of their souls. At a depth of thirty metres, fears and stories for which they cannot find any signs in diving language suddenly rise up.
WORLD RIGHTS: THE BAND GmbH, Zurich theband.cc WORLD PREMIERE: Solothurner Filmtage 2020
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written & directed by Joder von Rotz 26
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.
WORLD RIGHTS: YK Animation Studio GmbH, Bern www.yk-animation.ch
SWITZERLAND Animation, 8 min., 2020 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: YK Animation Studio GmbH, Bern / SRF PRODUCERS: Fela Bellotto, Lukas Pulver
JODER VON ROTZ * 1987. After his apprenticeship as a draughtsman in 2007, Joder von Rotz attended the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU), graduating in 2012 with his first animated short film BIER IM TIER. In 2013 he cofounded the YK Animation Studio. He was part of the production crew for IN A NUTSHELL, COYOTE, LAUGH LINES and THE GERMANS. Apart from animation he loves baking bread and playing the bass guitar.
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written & directed by Joel Hofmann, Veronica L. Montaño, Manuela Leuenberger
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SALMON MEN
JOEL HOFMANN * 1990 VERONICA L. MONTAÑO * 1990 MANUELA LEUENBERGER * 1988
The directing trio consisting of Joel Hofmann, Veronica L. Montaño and Manuela Leuenberger all graduated in Animation from the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU).
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The salmon want to reproduce. While the salmon men are swimming upstream in a testosterone-driven race, the women at the source of the river indulge themselves in a fertility dance. But the roles aren’t set as clearly as the men expect.
SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2020 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation, drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: YK Animation Studio GmbH, Bern / SRF PRODUCER: Lukas Pulver
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WORLD RIGHTS: YK Animation Studio GmbH, Bern www.yk-animation.ch
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SIGNS written & directed by Dustin Rees 28
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.
WORLD RIGHTS: Virage Film, Zurich www.viragefilm.ch
SWITZERLAND Animation, 11 min., 2020 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Virage Film, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Saskia von Virág
DUSTIN REES * 1981. Zurich-born Dustin Rees grew up in the UK before returning to Switzerland in 1991. Following his love for animation he graduated from the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) in 2007. He has since directed and produced numerous commissioned trailers, clips and short films, as well as executing his own projects. He teaches at the HSLU, runs film and animation workshops, and is a film projectionist in various cinemas.
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written & directed by Amélie Cochet, Louis Möhrle
AMÉLIE COCHET * 1996. Amélie Cochet studied 2D Animation at Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and received her BA in 2019. LOUIS MÖHRLE * 1993. Louis Möhrle’s work is rooted in graffiti art. A trained draughtsman, he graduated with a BA in Animation from HSLU in 2019. Together they cofounded the animation and illustration collective Studio Piaf in Berne.
SWITZERLAND Animation, 6 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D Computer animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) / SRF PRODUCER: Gerd Gockell
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The story about a building with an inner courtyard and its inhabitants. While the various characters follow their everyday routines, trash slowly begins to pile up in the courtyard. What seems harmless in the beginning, one night escalates to a total disaster.
WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) animation@hslu.ch www.hslu.ch/animation WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
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WHY SLUGS HAVE NO LEGS
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written & directed by Aline Höchli 30
Slugs have a hard time keeping up with the pace of life in the city of insects. When a financial crisis hits, the industrious bees only see one solution.
WORLD SALES: New Europe Film Sales, Warsaw www.neweuropefilmsales.com FESTIVAL DISTRIBUTION: Some Shorts, Nijmegen www.someshorts.com WORLD PREMIERE: TIFF 2019
SWITZERLAND Animation, 10 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Drawn animation ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCTION: Cinéma Copain, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Marcel Derek Ramsay
ALINE HÖCHLI * 1990. Aline Höchli, aka Tricksfilms, studied Animation at the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). Her diploma film HE SÖ KHERÖ (2016) was selected by numerous international animation film festivals. CUCKOO (2017), her first self-produced film after her studies, premiered at the Locarno Film Festival and was honoured with the Junior Award for the Best Swiss Short Film. WHY SLUGS HAVE NO LEGS first screened at the prestigious TIFF in the Short Cuts competition.
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written & directed by Lasse Linder
LASSE LINDER * 1994. While studying German Literature and Cinema Studies at the University of Zurich, Lasse Linder discovered he would rather make films himself. He worked as an editor and directed several short films. In 2019 he graduated with a BA in Film from the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). His diploma film ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK has already become a festival darling winning numerous prizes, among them Best Short Film at both TIFF and Festival dei Popoli.
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 18 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German PRODUCTION: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) / SRF PRODUCER: Edith Flückiger
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He calls himself Catman. Christian lives with his two cats Marmelade and Katjuscha. They are inseparable. As he yearns to become a father, he has his beloved Marmelade fertilized by an exclusive tomcat abroad.
WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) Video Department www.hslu.ch/video FESTIVAL DISTRIBUTOR: Some Shorts, Nijmegen www.someshorts.com WORLD PREMIERE: Locarno Film Festival 2019
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CARBÓN written & directed by Davide Tisato 32
Nivardo and Ismael, both over seventy years old, survive in the current economic context of Cuba by producing charcoal. Night after night, the two best friends watch over a process of transformation, hidden behind an acrid smoke. Wood is slowly turned into charcoal and at the same time their reality is unwittingly but irrevocably moving away from the revolutionary ideals for which they have been fighting for more than 60 years.
WORLD RIGHTS: Association Ecran Mobile, Geneva www.ecran-mobile.ch
SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Documentary, 25 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish PRODUCTION: Association Ecran Mobile, Geneva / Vendredi Film, Paris PRODUCER: Laura Gabay
DAVIDE TISATO * 1990 in Italy. Davide Tisato is a Swiss and Italian citizen and graduated with an MA “Documental de Creación” from the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Television in Cuba (EICTV). In 2016 he completed an MA in Sociology at the Paul Valery University in Montpellier. He works in between cinema and social sciences and is particularly interested in exploring narratives related to dynamics of exploitation, social imaginaries, migration and nomadism.
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HOME written & directed by Damien Hauser, Djibril Vuille
DAMIEN HAUSER * 2001. Damien Hauser has been making short films with his friends since the age of seven. Since 2016 he studies Digital Film Production at SAE Institute Zurich. He also works for the advertising production company Filme von Draussen. DJIBRIL VUILLE * 1999. Djibril Vuille attended various courses given by filmkids.ch and swissfilmschool. In 2018 he produced his first short film LA FEUMÉE.
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 15 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Arabic, Spanish, Wolof PRODUCER: Djibril Vuille
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A Senegalese immigrant family has settled in a suburb on the Spanish island of Tenerife. While they go about their daily lives, work, go to school, and run the household, they are all looking for the same thing. Home.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Djibril Vuille, Bern djibril.vuille@gmx.ch
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MAMA ROSA written & directed by Dejan Barac 34
A small, darkened apartment, packed with electronic equipment. Rosa takes care of everything here: she goes to work, cooks, hands her sick husband on the couch coffee with four pieces of sugar, provides precarious security. Her children finally want to escape the confinement. Rosa wants to stay.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) Video Department www.hslu.ch/video WORLD PREMIERE: Locarno Film Festival 2019
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 20 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Croatian PRODUCER: Edith Flückiger
DEJAN BARAC * 1985. Dejan Barac attended the University of Teacher Education (PH Luzern), worked in different cinemas in Lucerne and for the Upcoming Film Makers Festival Luzern. He graduated with a BA in Video from Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU). With his diploma film MAMA ROSA, he won the Pardino d’Oro for Best Short Film at the Locarno Film Festival.
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SILENT STORM written & directed by Anaïs Moog
ANAÏS MOOG * 1996 in France. After one year of a preparation course in Cinema Studies in Toulouse and a propaedeutics course with focus on cinema at École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL), Anaïs Moog enrolled in the Bachelor’s programme in Cinema at the Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève) in 2016. Her graduation film SILENT STORM won the Pardino d’argento for the Pardi di domani National competition at the Locarno Film Festival.
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 13 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Arabic PRODUCTION: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva / Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève) PRODUCER: Gabriela Bussmann
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From the shores of the Atlantic to those of the Mediterranean, the director meets the women whose faces and voices bear witness to the loss of loved ones and ruined hopes. The mourning and hopeless waiting of the bodies find in the incessant movement of the waves a dimension of painful meditation.
WORLD RIGHTS: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva www.goldeneggproduction.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Locarno Film Festival 2019
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THE GAME written & directed by Roman Hodel 36
A whistle. It gets loud on the spectator stands of the stadium. The players complain angrily. The presenters follow the action on the field. In the middle of it, the referee. The whole stadium watches him. Now he has to decide, the referee, directing the energy of an entire stadium.
WORLD RIGHTS: Ensemble Film GmbH, Zurich www.ensemblefilm.ch
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 19 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, Turkish PRODUCTION: Ensemble Film GmbH, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Franziska Sonder
ROMAN HODEL * 1989. Roman Hodel studied at the Video Department of the renowned Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and works as filmmaker and cinematographer. His short BLUELIGHT (2014), which he codirected, premiered at the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur. His newest documentary, THE GAME, is expected for Summer 2020.
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THE PEEPUL TREE written & directed by Sonja Feldmeier
SONJA FELDMEIER * 1965. Sonja Feldmeier has a degree in painting from Schule für Gestaltung Basel. Since 1990 she works as a multi-media artist. She holds a Master degree of Fine Arts from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). Her objects, paintings and installations have been shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions in different countries of Europe and in India, and were awarded at various occasions.
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 25 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Stella Händler
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Travelling through India, the filmmaker witnesses the spectacular felling of a tree: A holy peepul tree is being cut down by seven lumbermen using handsaws and axes. Over the course of several days, she is in the thick of the activity with her camera. The language barrier however impedes verbal communication. From this subjective experience she creates audio portraits, which provide each lumberjack with their own musical presence in the film.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: freihändler Filmproduktion GmbH, Basel www.freihaendler.ch
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LES TRACES
TRACES written & directed by Pablo Briones 38
Domitila has been an undocumented domestic worker living in Geneva for more than 20 years. After losing her daughter, she finds herself in an unprecedented economic and social precariousness.
WORLD RIGHTS: Pablo Briones, Geneva wwwpablobriones.ch
SWITZERLAND Documentary, 14 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish PRODUCTION: Earthling Productions, Geneva PRODUCER: Pablo Briones
PABLO BRIONES * 1983 in Argentina. Pablo Briones received his BA in Film Production from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in 2005. He proceeded to study Film Directing and in 2014 graduated with an MA from ECAL / HEAD – Genève. His first feature film BARACOA, codirected with The Moving Picture Boys, premiered in the Generation Kplus section of the Berlinale 2019 and won the Audience Award at the Málaga Film Festival and the Youth Jury award at Shefield Doc/Fest.
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written & directed by Laurence Bonvin
LAURENCE BONVIN * 1967. Laurence Bonvin received her degree from École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie in Arles in 1991. Since 2002 she teaches photography at École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL). Her work has been in numerous national and international exhibits. ALETSCH NEGATIVE celebrates its international premiere at Berlinale Shorts.
SWITZERLAND Expanded Cinema, 11 min., 2019 ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: Stop Motion, other techniques ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Without dialogue PRODUCER: Laurence Bonvin
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The Aletsch Glacier is the longest and largest glacier of the Alps. According to glaciologists, most glaciers will have disappeared by the end of this century, and only bits of the Aletsch will remain. Through a journey into the body of the glacier the film offers a compelling and unsettling visual experience in which our perception of the nature of the images we see, scale and temporality are questioned.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Laurence Bonvin, Switzerland www.laurencebonvin.com WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur 2019
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MEMBRAN
MEMBRANE written & directed by Max Philipp Schmid 40
Has the catastrophe already happened or is it about to? Two men and a woman sit in their bunker-like apartments, as if they were in a waiting room. Overwhelmed by the flood of media information and guidebook words of wisdom, they seek stability in the piano play of the educated middle-class and Far-eastern self-optimization techniques. Their passive bewilderment turns into frenzied activism. Now something has to happen! But nothing does.
PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: freihändler Filmproduktion GmbH, Basel www.freihaendler.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen 2019
SWITZERLAND Expanded Cinema, 14 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German CAST: Karin Minger, Thomas Douglas, David Wohnlich PRODUCER: Stella Händler
MAX PHILIPP SCHMID * 1962. Max Philipp Schmid studied Art History and Visual Arts. He has devoted himself to creating experimental films, musical films and video installations. His works and installations have been featured in solo and group shows and at numerous festivals worldwide. MEMBRANE has been honoured with the Basel Media Art Award.
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Alright, let’s see “ what we’ve got.” Bibi in SOUSAPHONE by Flo Linus Baumann