SWISS FILMS DOCS SPRING 2020

SWISS

FILMS

2020 DOCS SPRING

SWISS FILMS Neugasse 6, 8005 Zurich Switzerland www.swissfilms.ch

Published in April 2020 Image campaign by Sophie Brasey

SWISS FILMS DOCS SPRING 2020

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NEW DOCS FEATURES AMOR FATI IL MIO CORPO KOMBINAT LEOFORIO NEMESIS SAPELO SAUDI RUNAWAY SÒNE: THE WALL OF SHADOWS URBAN AMAZONS WAKE UP ON MARS

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NEW DOCS SHORTS ALASKA BROTHERS – A FAMILY FILM THE PRICE OF HAPPINESS TRIO

17 FESTIVAL FAVOURITES FEATURES 17 BIRD ISLAND 17 RADIO SILENCE 18 FESTIVAL FAVOURITES SHORTS 18 ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK 18 SILENT STORM 19 COMING SOON 31 IN PRODUCTION 32 SUPPORT MEASURES

At time of publication, the following festivals intend to premiere films as mentioned in this booklet but have either been postponed or will run in an alternative form: Visions du Réel Nyon, Hot Docs and Tribeca.

SWISS FILMS TEAM

AIDA SULJICIC Head of Festivals & Markets asuljicic@swissfilms.ch T +41 77 431 87 79

ANDREAS BÜHLMANN Consultant Film & Industry abuehlmann@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 303 58 69

LAURA DANIEL Consultant Film, Talent & Awards ldaniel@swissfilms.ch T +41 76 343 61 16

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

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AMOR FATI

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written & directed by Cláudia Varejão 2

The film seeks out parts that complete each other.

These are portraits of couples, friends, families and animals with their owners. They share the intimacy of daily life, habits, beliefs, tastes and even some physical traits. From their faces, from the choreography of their gestures, we unveil the story that entwines them.

Drawn from everyday life, right before our eyes the film portrays a chorus of affections and the collective memory of a country.

Documentary

WORLD RIGHTS: Terratreme Filmes, Lisboa www.terratreme.pt WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

PORTUGAL / SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Documentary, 102 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Portuguese PRODUCTION: Terratreme Filmes, Lisbon / Mira Film Basel, Basel / La Belle Affaire Productions, Paris / RTP SWISS PRODUCER: Vadim Jendreyko

CLÁUDIA VAREJÃO * 1980 in Portugal. Cláudia Varejão studied film directing and camerawork in Lisbon, São Paulo and Berlin. She continued her studies of photo­ graphy at Centro de Arte et Comunicaçao Visual Lisbon.

With AMA-SAN (2016), she received dozens of awards, followed by IN THE DARKNESS OF THE THEATER I TAKE OFF MY SHOES (2016), a film that shows the intimacy of a group of dancers from a dance company. AMOR FATI is her latest film and premieres in the international competition at Visions du Réel Nyon.

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IL MIO CORPO directed by Michele Pennetta

SWITZERLAND / ITALY Documentary, 85 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Italian SCREENPLAY: Michele Pennetta, Christian Tarabini, Arthur Brügger PRODUCTION: Close Up Films, Geneva / Kino produzioni, Rome / RAI / RSI SWISS PRODUCERS: Joëlle Bertossa, Flavia Zanon

WORLD RIGHTS: Close Up Films, Geneva www.closeupfilms.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

Documentary

MICHELE PENNETTA * 1984 in Italy. Italian citizen­ ship. Michele Pennetta received his BA in Visual Communication from SUPSI in Lugano in 2008 and his MA in Cinema from École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) in 2010. His short documentaries THE BET (2013) and THE DOGS BARK (2010) were selected for numerous international festivals. His first feature-length documentary FISHING BODIES (2016) premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, Cineasti del presente.

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Oscar, not quite a child anymore, scavenges for scrap metal for his father. He spends his life in improvised landfills among what remains of leftovers. Worlds apart, yet close-by, there is Stanley. He tidies the church in exchange for a monetised hospitality, picks fruits, herds sheep: anything that keeps his foreign body busy.

NEW DOCS FEATURES

KOMBINAT written & directed by Gabriel Tejedor 4

Magnitogorsk, an industrial town in the heart of Russia, lives in the backdrop of its gigantic Kombinat’s rusty smokestacks. Lena teaches salsa, one of the many activities organized by the Kombinat. Sasha, a steel worker, finds in dancing an escape from the daily pressures of the steel plant. His brother, Guenia, and his wife have decided to leave the town and its permanent pollution, the cause of their daughter’s mental handicap.

Documentary

WORLD SALES: Filmotor S.R.O., Prague www.filmotor.com WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 75 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Russian PRODUCTION: IDIP Films, Geneva / RTS PRODUCER: Xavier Derigo

GABRIEL TEJEDOR * 1978. Gabriel Tejedor works as director and journalist.

Mainly focused on human history in Russia and the former Soviet Republics, he directed LA TRACE (2014), about Kolyma’s region inhabitants, then MAYSKAYA STREET (2017) which received a special mention at Visions du Réel Nyon and was selected at various festivals such as for IDFA.

NEW DOCS FEATURES

LEOFORIO written & directed by Catherine Catella, Shu Aiello

SHU AIELLO Born in France. After studies in the audiovisual field, Shu Aiello collaborated with “13 Productions” as production manager. She has directed several documentaries.

Their previous film UN PAESE DI CALABRIA (2016) also premiered in Nyon.

FRANCE / SWITZERLAND / GREECE Documentary, 90 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Greek PRODUCTION: Cinéphage Productions, Marseille / JMH & FILO Films, Neuchâtel / Blonde, Athens / RTS SWISS PRODUCER: Florence Adam

WORLD SALES: Urban Distribution International, Paris www.urbangroup.biz WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

Documentary

CATHERINE CATELLA Born in France. As director and editor, Catherine Catella has devoted herself to the issues of exile through various media.

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Leoforio is a journey, a daily bus ride of a hundred kilometres. From the chaotic, overpopulated capital of Athens to the small town of Eritres, the bus – leoforio in Greek – winds between the coast, the mountainous roads and the deserted villages. A brief glimpse into everyday lives, to grasp the resilience of a people in times of crisis.

NEW DOCS FEATURES

NEMESIS written & directed by Thomas Imbach 6

The film explores the destruction of a unique train station in Zurich and the construction of the new prison and police centre in its place. From the perspective of the filmmaker’s window, and with testimony from prisoners awaiting deportation, the film probes how we deal with the extinction of history and its replacement with total security.

Documentary

WORLD RIGHTS: Okofilm Productions, Zurich www.okofilm.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 132 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English PRODUCTION: Okofilm Productions, Zurich / Bachim Film, Zurich PRODUCERS: Thomas Imbach, Andrea Štaka

THOMAS IMBACH As one of Switzerland’s most innovative and internationally renowned filmmakers, Thomas Imbach moves with virtuous mastery between documentary and fiction.

HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN (2001), LENZ (2006) and I WAS A SWISS BANKER (2007) as well as the documentary DAY IS DONE (2011) premiered at the Berlinale. His Englishlanguage period drama MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS (2013) was selected for TIFF. His last fiction film MY BROTHER MY LOVE (2018) premiered in Locarno’s competition.

NEW DOCS FEATURES

SAPELO directed by Nick Brandestini

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 92 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English SCREENPLAY: Taylor Segrest PRODUCER: Vesna Eckert

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Envi Films AG, Zurich www.envifilms.com WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020 MORE INFORMATION: www.sapelofilm.com

Documentary

NICK BRANDESTINI * 1975. Nick Brandestini studied Economics at the University of Zurich. He directed various documentaries, including H.R. GIGER’S SANCTUARY (2007), which screened at the AFI FEST. His film CHILDREN OF THE ARCTIC (2014) won numerous accolades at inter­ national film festivals before airing on PBS World Channel.

DARWIN (2011) screened theatrically in New York and L.A. The film aired on KQED and was nominated for a regional Emmy Award.

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A journey within a unique American island to tell the story of two young brothers, their adoptive mother, and the last remaining enclave of the Saltwater Geechee people.

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written & directed by Susanne Regina Meures 8

Muna is a young, fearless woman from Saudi Arabia.

She is tired of being controlled by the State and patronized by her family. Her arranged marriage is imminent and a life without rights and free will seems inevitable. Muna secretly begins to film. She documents every nuance of her claustrophobic existence and her planned escape.

The film shows unprecedented images from the interior of the most repressive patriarchate in the world.

Documentary

WORLD SALES: Rise and Shine World Sales UG, Berlin www.riseandshine-berlin.de WORLD PREMIERE: Sundance Film Festival 2020

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 88 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Arabic PRODUCTION: Christian Frei Filmproduktion GmbH, Zurich / SRF PRODUCER: Christian Frei

SUSANNE REGINA MEURES * 1977 in Germany. Susanne Meures studied Photography and Art History at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Since 2002 she freelances for print media and television. She holds an MA in Film from Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

RAVING IRAN (2016), her first feature-length documentary, launched her international festival and box-office success.

The film was screened at countless festivals worldwide and won numerous awards.

SAUDI RUNAWAY premiered at Sundance Film Festival.

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SÒNE: directed by Daniel Kemény

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 75 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Italian SCREENPLAY: Erik Bernasconi, Daniel Kemény, Dario D’Amato, Manuel Perrone PRODUCTION: Cinédokké Sagl, Savosa / RSI PRODUCERS: Michela Pini, Silvana Bezzola Rigolini

WORLD RIGHTS: Cinédokké Sagl, Savosa www.cinedokke.ch WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

Documentary

DANIEL KEMÉNY * 1981 in Pietrapaola. Daniel Kemény studied Art and Sculpture in Berlin, Athens and Bologna. He exhibits since over ten years in cultural and art institutions in Europe and around the world, creating spatial installations and videos. Since 2010 he works cinematographically, where he combines expressive skills with his narrative needs, combining different points of view and languages. SÒNE: is his first feature-length documentary.

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Forty years ago 2000 people lived there, today Pietrapaola, in Calabria, is home to 200 people. I was born there, the son of two Germans who ended up there, who knows how, I didn’t come back for twenty years. Where are the others? And the stories? A journey to the origins, in search of lost time. My imagination and a man from my past, guardian of memory, of music, guide me. A tale in which symbols and reality meet and I see the art of living, the “tranquillitudine”.

NEW DOCS FEATURES

THE WALL OF SHADOWS directed by Eliza Kubarska 10

Will your Gods forgive you the sins committed out of love to your child? A Sherpa family breaks a taboo and takes part in the Himalayan expedition to Kumbhakarna – one of the most holy of mountains, to earn money for their son’s school and to save him from a dangerous and degrading work as a porter. The east face of the 7710-metre mountain, is one of the most difficult challenges in alpinism today.

The mountain confronts both the climbers and Sherpas with equal harshness.

Documentary

WORLD SALES: Rise and Shine World Sales UG, Berlin www.riseandshine-berlin.de WORLD PREMIERE: Hot Docs Toronto 2020

POLAND / GERMANY / SWITZERLAND Documentary, 94 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, Polish, Nepali, Russian SCREENPLAY: Eliza Kubarska, Piotr Rosolowski PRODUCTION: Braidmade Films, Krakow / Corso Film, Cologne / Tilt Production GmbH, Zurich / Vertical Vision Film Studio, Lodz / ZDF/ARTE/ TVP SWISS PRODUCERS: Kaspar Winkler, Sabine Girsberger

ELIZA KUBARSKA Eliza Kubarska is a director, alpinist and traveller. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and Wajda Film School in Poland.

Since 2004 she has directed award-winning documentaries, often produced in extreme locations: WHAT HAPPENED ON PAM ISLAND (2010), WALKING UNDER WATER (2014) – Hot Docs Jury Prize and Special Mentions at Los Angeles IFF and Palm Springs IFF – and K2. TOUCHING THE SKY (2015) Since 2008 she is a director of Vertical Vision Film Studio.

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URBAN AMAZONS

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written & directed by Thaïs Odermatt

SWITZERLAND / GERMANY Documentary, 66 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: German, English, Turkish, Ukrainian, Kurdish PRODUCTION: maximage, Zurich / Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Potsdam-Babelsberg / SRF SWISS PRODUCERS: Brigitte Hofer, Cornelia Seitler

WORLD RIGHTS: maximage, Zurich www.maximage.ch Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Potsdam-Babelsberg www.filmuniversitaet.de WORLD PREMIERE: BAFICI Buenos Aires 2020

Documentary

THAÏS ODERMATT * 1980. Thaïs Odermatt studied Film at the video department of the Lucerne School of Art and Design (HSLU) and currently attends a Master programme at Film University Babelsberg, Konrad Wolf.

She is known for her awardwinning short documentaries KURT AND THE CHAIRLIFT (2012), honoured with the Audience Award at the Inter­ nationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur and LEFT BEHIND (2009), both portraying people living in the Swiss Alps.

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Modern Amazons are fierce heroines. They are ready to fight for what is important to them. Without explaining, without compromising, always persisting. They fight for victory in the ring, for acceptance, and also, for fellow sufferers and humanity.

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WAKE UP ON MARS

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written & directed by Dea Gjinovci 12

A 10-year-old Roma boy living in Sweden attempts to come to terms with the mysterious Resignation syndrome that has put his two sisters in a coma. The tight-knit family is trying to rebuild a normal life far from their native Kosovo where they were victims of persecution. While their entire future hangs in the balance of a pending asylum request, the little boy dreams of building a spaceship to leave it all behind.

Documentary

WORLD SALES: CAT& Docs, Paris www.catndocs.com WORLD PREMIERE: Tribeca Film Festival New York 2020

SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Documentary, 74 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Albanian, Swedish PRODUCTION: Alva Film Production, Geneva / Mélisande Films, Paris / Dea Gjinovci, Geneva / RTS SWISS PRODUCERS: Britta Rindelaub, Jasmin Basic, Dea Gjinovci

DEA GJINOVCI * 1993. Dea Gjinovci has an MA in Ethnographic and Docu­ mentary film from University College London. Her first short documentary SANS LE KOSOVO (2017) was awarded Best National Film Award at Dokufest Prizren and screened at several international film festivals. WAKE UP ON MARS is her first feature-length documentary and won the RTS-Perspective d’un doc award at Visions du Réel 2018 for a docu­mentary project in development and received a Sundance Institute develop­ ment grant.

NEW DOCS SHORTS L’ALASKA

ALASKA written & directed by Louis Hans-Moëvi

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 29 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCTION: Close Up Films, Geneva PRODUCERS: Joëlle Bertossa, Flavia Zanon

WORLD RIGHTS: Close Up Films, Geneva www.closeupfilms.ch

Documentary

LOUIS HANS-MOËVI * 1994. Louis Hans-Moëvi has joint Swiss and Spanish citizenship. He first studied acting before he graduated with a BA in Film from the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) in 2018. His bachelor film, INTERCONTI­ NENTAL (2019), screened in the International Competition at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Fes­ tival and at Palm Springs ShortFest.

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From the garden of his house in the Swiss countryside, 19-year-old Luca dreams of another life, deep in the hostile northern wilderness. This fantasized territory could be called Alaska. But around skulls, brains and deer skins, hasn’t he already reached his destination?

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BROTHERS – A FAMILY FILM

BRÜDER – EIN FAMILIENFILM

written & directed by Valentin Merz Tanören 14

After twenty years of not really having spent time together, the brothers Adrian and Valentin go on a trip. Adrian is 32 years old, removed from any social network, he benefits from a disability pension. In Valentin’s eyes, he’s more antisocial than disabled, even if something clearly inhibits his capacity for autonomy. What do you do with someone who is unable to find his or her place within society, unable to adapt to its rhythm, its rules?

Docufiction

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Andrea Film, Zurich www.andreafilm.com WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

SWITZERLAND Docufiction, 18 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Swiss-German PRODUCERS: Valentin Merz Tanören, Maxi Schmitz

VALENTIN MERZ TANÖREN * 1985. Valentin Merz Tanören started to work in film and theatre in Mexico City and Berlin. From 2014–17 he studied cinema at the Geneva School of Art & Design (HEAD – Genève). Today he works as an independent author and filmmaker. In 2018 he cofounded the Zurichbased production company Andrea Film. He is currently working on his first featurelength film.

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THE PRICE OF HAPPINESS

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written & directed by Rodrigo Muñoz

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 18 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCER: Lionel Baier

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: ECAL École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne jean_guillaume.sonnier@ecal.ch

WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

Documentary

RODRIGO MUÑOZ * Rodrigo Muñoz was born in Switzerland and raised between Tanzania and Chile.

Both countries influenced his cinematographic language, combining fantasy, absurdity and reality in his work.

After completing compulsory education in Switzerland, 18 years old, Rodrigo Muñoz sailed off crossing the Atlantic on a 25-foot sailboat. That’s where he discovered his love for filmmaking, while watching movies in the middle of the ocean. He is currently enrolled at École Cantonal d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL).

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A 22-year-old man, who lacks positive role models and values, sets out in search of happiness. During the day he finds strangers in parks and questions them and he hangs around in chemists’. During sleepless nights he explores his town and his memories.

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TRIO

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written & directed by Benjamin Bucher, Agnese Làposi 16

Beyond the scheduled programme of a school trip, three teenagers find ways to pass the time. Between tenderness, boredom and rejection they all try to find their own place in the group.

Documentary

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Quartett Production, Paris www.quartettproduction.com Künstlerkollektiv Revolta, Felben-Wellhausen www.revoltaproductions.com WORLD PREMIERE: Visions du Réel Nyon 2020

SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Documentary, 23 min., 2020 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German SWISS PRODUCER: Jann Kessler

BENJAMIN BUCHER * 1991. Benjamin Bucher worked as a musician and a radio journalist before attending film school. In 2018 he graduated with a BA in Cinema from École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL).

AGNESE LÀPOSI * 1995. Agnese Làposi is a film­ maker from the Ticino. She received her BA in Cinema from the École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne (ECAL) in 2019.

TRIO is the first film they have codirected.

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SWITZERLAND Documentary, 61 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: French PRODUCTION: Close Up Films, Geneva / RTS PRODUCERS: Joëlle Bertossa, Flavia Zanon WORLD RIGHTS: Close Up Films, Geneva www.closeupfilms.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Locarno Film Festival 2019 San Sebastian 2019 DOK Leipzig 2019 RIDM Montréal 2019 Entrevues Belfort 2019 Premiers Plans d’Angers 2020 IFFR Rotterdam 2020

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After a long period of isolation, Antonin, a young man suffering from persisting exhaustion, rediscovers the world at a reha­ bilitation center for birds. In this strange place wounded birds and lost souls cohabit, lulled by the ubiquitous sounds of airplanes.

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L’ÎLE AUX OISEAUX directed by Maya Kosa, Sergio da Costa

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BIRD ISLAND

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SWITZERLAND / MEXICO Documentary, 78 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish PRODUCTION: Akka Films, Geneva / Cactus Docs, Mexico City / RTS / SRG SSR SWISS PRODUCERS: Philippe Coeytaux, Nicolas Wadimoff WORLD SALES: Sweet Spot Docs, Blonay www.sweetspotdocs.com FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Zurich Film Festival 2019 IDFA 2019 FIPADOC Biarritz 2020 Solothurner Filmtage 2020

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Mexico, March 2015. Carmen Aristegui, incorruptible journalist, has been fired from the radio station where she has worked for years. Supported by more than 18 million listeners, Carmen con­ tinues her fight. Her goal: raising awareness and fighting against misinformation. The film tells the story of this quest: difficult and dangerous, but essential to the health of democracy.

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SILENCE RADIO written & directed by Juliana Fanjul

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SWITZERLAND Documentary, 18 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German PRODUCTION: Lucerne School of Art & Design (HSLU) / SRF PRODUCER: Edith Flückiger WORLD SALES: SND Films, Amsterdam www.sndfilms.com FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Locarno Film Festival 2019 TIFF 2019

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ALL CATS ARE GREY IN THE DARK NACHTS SIND ALLE KATZEN GRAU written & directed by Lasse Linder 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.

Curta Cinema – Rio de Janeiro 2019

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IDFA 2019 Biarritz 2020 Tampere 2020

SILENT STORM TEMPÊTE SILENCIEUSE written & directed by Anaïs Moog

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SWITZERLAND Documentary, 13 min., 2019 ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Arabic PRODUCTION: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva / Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève) PRODUCER: Gabriela Bussmann WORLD RIGHTS: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva www.goldeneggproduction.ch FESTIVALS (SELECTION): Locarno Film Festival 2019 IDFA 2019 Go Short Nijmegen 2020

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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.

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BURNING MEMORIES

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written & directed by Alice Schmid 20

At the age of sixteen Alice was a victim of abuse. Fifty years later, this repressed experience unexpectedly makes its way back into her conscience. How is it possible to repress an incident for one’s entire life? Alice is wandering through the desert to find answers. In a letter to her mother she reflects on her childhood, her films, which are always about violence against children and how her experiences have shaped her life.

Documentary

WORLD RIGHTS: Ciné A.S. GmbH, Zurich www.aliceschmid.ch

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 80 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German PRODUCTION: Ciné A.S. GmbH, Zurich / SRF / SRG SSR PRODUCERS: Alice Schmid, Urs Augstburger

ALICE SCHMID * 1951. Alice Schmid studied Screenwriting at the Film Academy New York and founded her own production company Ciné A.S. in 1996.

Her first feature-length documentary THE CHILDREN FROM MOUNT NAPF (2011) opened the Generation Kplus section at the Berlinale 2012, her last film THE GIRL DOWN LOCH ÄNZI (2016) premiered at IDFA (First Appearance Competition) and screened in competition at Hot Docs among others.

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CHILDREN OF THE WIND

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written & directed by Felipe Monroy

SWITZERLAND / FRANCE / COLOMBIA Documentary, 120 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Spanish PRODUCTION: Adok Films, Geneva / Les Films d’Ici, Paris / Totiante DC, Bogota SWISS PRODUCER: José Michel Buhler

WORLD RIGHTS: Adok Films, Geneva www.adokfilms.net

Documentary

FELIPE MONROY * 1983 in Columbia. Felipe Monroy has a BA in Film from the Geneva School of Art and Design (HEAD – Genève).

He draws inspiration from his personal experience to tackle issues such as immigration, marginal life, how the violence of the past affects our present, and resilience. He is especially known for his documentary film TACACHO (2013), which premiered in Nyon and screened at various festivals.

His previous film, LOS FAN­ TASMAS DEL CARIBE (2018) had its debut in Nyon’s International Competition.

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In Colombia, between 2002 and 2010, thousands of young people from the slums were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by the army, who paraded them in front of the media as dead guerrillas, to show that the government was winning the war against the guerrillas. The film recounts the struggle for truth and justice of three mothers of murdered young men and a non-commissioned officer who, at the risk of his life, denounced these abuses.

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SUMMER 2020

MENSCHENSKIND ! written & directed by Marina Belobrovaja Is parenthood the only logical continuation of every life?

Has the traditional concept of the nuclear family had its day? The filmmaker has achieved what many women in a comparable situation think about but never actually do.

In the film, based on her daughter’s procreation story and with the help of a sperm donor, Marina Belobrovaja deals with existing social ideas, role patterns and conven­ tions around parenthood and family.

Documentary

SWITZERLAND WORLD RIGHTS: Documentary, 80 min.

GoldenEggProduction, Geneva www.goldeneggproduction.ch ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: German PRODUCTION: GoldenEggProduction, Geneva / SRF PRODUCER: Gabriela Bussmann

MARINA BELOBROVAJA * 1976 in Kiev. Marina Belobrovaja grew up in the Soviet Union and Israel. She studied Fine Arts and Art Education in Berlin and Zurich.

Her multimedia projects focus on phenomena from the world of work and consumption, questions of legislation and migration. In addition to her artistic work, she is a lecturer and researcher at Lucerne School of Design and Art (HSLU). In 2018 Belobrovaja received her PhD from The University of Art and Design Linz.

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The film takes us on an intriguing foray into the eventful life and creative artistic expressions of contemporary Swiss artist Not Vital. This film essay sheds light on the work of the internationally renowned Grisons artist.

The filmmaker establishes a dialogue between the motifs in Vital’s work, his childhood dreams, and the influences of his most important places of stay such as Beijing, Patagonia, Niger, Sent in the Grisons, and New York.

WORLD RIGHTS: SWITZERLAND RECK Filmproduktion, Zurich Documentary, 77 min. www.reckfilm.ch ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Rumantsch, Tamashek, German PRODUCTION: RECK Filmproduktion, Zurich / SRF / RTR / RSI / SRG SSR PRODUCER: Franziska Reck

Documentary

PASCAL HOFMANN * 1977. Pascal Hofmann studied directing at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

He is known for his diploma film DANIEL SCHMID – LE CHAT QUI PENSE (2010) codirected with Benny Jaberg.

The documentary on the late Swiss filmmaker Daniel Schmid premiered in the Panorama of the Berlinale 2010 and was selected for numerous festivals. NOT ME – A JOURNEY WITH NOT VITAL is Hofmann’s second feature-length documentary.

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written & directed by Pascal Hofmann

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APENAS EL SOL

written & directed by Arami Ullón

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Mateo Sobode Chiquenoi, an Ayoreo native, lived free and nomadic, isolated, without any contact with civilization, until religious missionaries forced him to leave the woods.

Now Mateo Sobode Chiquenoi is getting old. This is when, with the help of the film crew, he decides to embark on a journey through the immense and desolate Paraguayan Chaco, in search of the last living Ayoreo elders who can help him reconstruct the memory of that home that was taken from them.

WORLD SALES: Film Republic, London filmrepublic.biz

Documentary

NOTHING BUT THE SUN

SWITZERLAND / PARAGUAY Documentary, 90 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Spanish, Zamuco PRODUCTION: Cineworx Filmproduktion GmbH, Zurich / Arami Ullón, Asunción SWISS PRODUCER: Pascal Trächslin

ARAMI ULLÕN * 1978. Arami Ullón was born in Paraguay. She received a scholarship from the Boston Film and Video Foundation, to study filmmaking. She has worked on music videos, TV programmes and commercials.

EL TIEMPO NUBLADO (2014) was a most personal first documentary, recounting the story of her sick mother.

She has been part of the pro­ duction team for international feature films such as El TOQUE DEL OBOE (1997), MIAMI VICE (2006) and is the producer of 18 CIGARRILLOS Y MEDIO (2011).

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PARALLEL LIVES

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written & directed by Frank Matter

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 136 min ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, Swiss-German, Xhosa, Chinese PRODUCERS: Madeleine Corbat, Peter Guyer, Frank Matter

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: soap factory GmbH, Basel www.soapfactory.ch Recycled TV AG, Bern www.rectv.ch

Documentary

FRANK MATTER * 1964. Frank Matter works as an independent filmmaker. He lived and worked in New York from 1993 through 2006. In 2006 he founded soap factory GmbH in Basel. He has directed several documenta­ ries and fiction films, among them THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY (2004), which was screened and awarded at numerous international festi­ vals. He is also the producer of a number of award-winning documentaries such as GROZNY BLUES (2015) and LA BUENA VIDA (2015).

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The film follows the stories of five people who were born – like the filmmaker – on June 8, 1964, but under entirely different circumstances. From a radical personal perspec­ tive the film asks what we have gained and lost during the last half century – how utopias, dreams, identities and the consciousness of the protagonists have changed against the backdrop of historic events.

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SUMMER 2020

written & directed by Lesia Kordonets

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During the Paralympics in Sochi, the Russians annexed the Crimean peninsula. As a result, the Ukrainian team loses its training base, some even lose their citizenship.

While the borders around them are constantly being shifted, Ukrainian athletes in the war-torn country have to adapt to the new historical circumstances in order to qualify for the next Paralympics.

WORLD RIGHTS: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich www.dvfilm.ch

Documentary

PUSHING BOUNDARIES

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 100 min ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: Russian, Ukrainian PRODUCTION: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich / Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK / SRF PRODUCER: Karin Koch

LESIA KORDONETS * 1983 in the Ukraine. Lesia Kordonets is deeply influenced by the social turmoil in her home country. While completing her studies at the TheodorHeuss Kolleg she also studied German language and literature (2006). After moving to Switzerland in 2008, she wrote and directed several films in the Ukraine and Switzerland, which received several awards.

She is currently pursuing an MA in Film at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

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SHAPING DANCERS IN THE MANNER OF BÉJART

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written & directed by Laura Elena Cordero

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SUMMER 2020

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 160 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, French PRODUCER: Laura Elena Cordero

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Vivace Films, Lausanne www.vivacefilms.com

Documentary

LAURA ELENA CORDERO Born in Mexico, Laura Elena Cordero currently resides in Switzerland. She graduated with a degree in Computer Science Engineering prior to following her passion and starting a new career path: filmmaking. She initiated at a journalistic agency in London.

After participating in various Europe Media programmes she directed her first short film EINE FRAGE DER ZEIT (2004). SHAPING DANCERS IN THE MANNER OF BÉJART is her first feature-length documentary.

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A captivating immersion into the eclectic universe of Maurice Béjart! This documentary follows aspiring dancers, from different countries, backgrounds, and temperaments, who share the same goal: becoming professional dancers in the unique style of Béjart.

During their two-year journey, they progressively expe­ rience a profound artistic and personal transformation.

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SUMMER 2020

THE BRAIN

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(working title) written & directed by Jean-Stéphane Bron 28

Today, the race is on between human and artificial intelligence. While researchers are slowly uncovering the mysteries of the human brain, dramatic progress is being made in the field of AI.

Documentary

WORLD SALES: MK2 Films, Paris mk2films.com

SWITZERLAND / FRANCE Documentary, 100 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGES: English, French PRODUCTION: Bande à part Films, Lausanne / Les Films Pelléas, Paris / RTS / SRG SSR SWISS PRODUCERS: Lionel Baier, Marie-Lou Pahud

JEAN-STÉPHANE BRON * 1969. Jean-Stéphane Bron is one of Switzerland’s most acclaimed and award-winning documentary filmmakers.

He is especially known for his films CORN IN PARLIAMENT (2003), CLEVELAND VERSUS WALL STREET (2010) and THE BLOCHER EXPERIENCE (2013), which were screened and awarded at numerous international festivals.

THE PARIS OPERA (2017) had a theatrical release in more than twenty countries around the world.

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THE BUBBLE

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written & directed by Valerie Blankenbyl

SWITZERLAND / AUSTRIA Documentary, 91 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: English PRODUCTION: CognitoFilms, Zurich / Golden Girls Filmproduktion & Filmservices GmbH, Vienna / SRF / ORF SWISS PRODUCERS: Dario Schoch, Rajko Jazbec

WORLD RIGHTS: CognitoFilms, Zurich www.cognito-films.ch

Documentary

VALERIE BLANKENBYL * 1984 in Austria. From 2003–08 Valerie Blankenbyl studied Graphics and Advertising at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna.

After a two-year Fabrica Art Residency in Italy, she completed her MA in Film at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). THE BUBBLE is her third feature-length documentary.

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In the “Villages”, the world’s largest retirement community, there are not only supermarkets, bars and restaurants.

From belly dancing to synchronized swimming, everything that a pensioner’s heart desires is offered. But what at first glance appears to be the fulfilment of the American dream, cracks upon closer inspection. After all, main­ taining this bubble has a price not only for its inhabitants, but also for the world around them.

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SUMMER 2020

written & directed by Farida Pacha

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Mani, Sini and Dr. Reena are a team of counselor, nurse and doctor working for a palliative care organization in New Delhi. Within 48 hours of receiving a call through the help­ line, they reach out to provide medical care and emotional support through weekly home visits. Their job is not an easy one because they can’t offer the one thing which patients and their families are desperately looking for – a cure. What they can offer instead is to assist the patient in accepting that dying is a normal process, a part of life.

WORLD RIGHTS: Leafbird Films GmbH, Zurich www.leafbirdfilms.com

Documentary

WATCH OVER ME

SWITZERLAND / GERMANY Documentary, 92 min.

ORIGINAL LANGUAGE: Hindi PRODUCTION: Leafbird Films GmbH, Zurich / Ventana Film- und Fernsehproduktion GmbH, Berlin SWISS PRODUCERS: Lutz Konermann, Farida Pacha

FARIDA PACHA * 1972 im Mumbai, India.

Farida Pacha studied Sociology and Anthropology in Mumbai and received her MFA in Cinema from the Southern Illinois University (SIU) in Carbondale. In 2006 she won the National Indian Film Award for her documentary THE SEEDKEEPERS (2005). She received an IDFA Award for First Appearance for her feature-length debut film MY NAME IS SALT (2013).

The film proceeded to receive 34 international awards.

SPRING 2021

CHAGRIN VALLEY

DREAMERS

(working title)

by Nathalie Berger

SWITZERLAND Documentary, 90 min.

PRODUCTION: Intermezzo Films, Geneva / RTS / ARTE WORLD RIGHTS: Intermezzo Films, Geneva

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SWITZERLAND Documentary, 80 min.

PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK

by Stéphanie Barbey, Luc Peter directors of BROKEN LAND

IN PRODUCTION

SPRING 2021

WINTER 2020 / 21

FALL 2020

IN SEARCH OF EUROPE

THE HEALERS

by Marie-Eve Hildbrand

(working title)

by Vadim Jendreyko, director of THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS

SWITZERLAND Documentary PRODUCTION: Mira Film, Zurich / SRF WORLD RIGHTS: Mira Film, Zurich

SWITZERLAND Documentary PRODUCTION AND WORLD RIGHTS: Bande à part Films, Lausanne

DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT NON-EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Supporting the theatrical release of Swiss feature films in Europe.

Supporting the theatrical release of Swiss feature films in twelve selected non-European countries.

Its aim is to strengthen the visibility and the distribution of Swiss films in Europe. The subsidies are granted according to the “Guidelines Funding for the distribution of Swiss films and coproductions in foreign countries”.

Applications must be submitted by the European distributor via the Swiss producer.

Its aim is to strengthen the visibility and the distribution of Swiss films outside of Europe. Eligible countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Colombia, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, Taiwan and USA. Applications must be submitted by the foreign distributor via the Swiss producer.

A support measure by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC), administrated by SWISS FILMS. www.bak.admin.ch Contact: support@swissfilms.ch

A support measure by SWISS FILMS in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC). www.swissfilms.ch/en/distribution Contact: support@swissfilms.ch

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SUPPORT MEASURES

DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

FILM SALES SUPPORT

VOD SUPPORT

A scheme by the European Film Promotion (EFP) for the promotion of European films outside of Europe.

CLASSIC: A scheme also available to European and Swiss sales companies selling Swiss films at selected festivals and markets.

READY-TO-USE DIGITAL PROMOTION CAMPAIGNS: This scheme encourages the creation of innovative universal digital promotion strategies (B2B/B2C)

by European sales com­panies.

Applications must be submitted online by the European sales company.

A support measure by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC), Media Desk Suisse and SWISS FILMS. Guidelines and application: www.efp-online.com/en/project_market/fss.php

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

DUE TO THE SITUATION SURROUNDING COVID-19, IT IS UNCLEAR IF SWISS FILMS WILL BE PRESENT WITH A BOOTH AT THE FOLLOWING FESTIVALS: Cannes Village International Annecy Mifa Locarno Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market Please consult our website for further information www.swissfilms.ch

SWISS FILMS is supported by

“It’s beauty, it’s peacefulness, it’s pleasure.”

Nicola in SÒNE: by Daniel Kemény