Toronto 2017

SWISS

FILMS

2017 in Toronto

VISIT US at TIFF: Booth # 5 in the Industry Office Location at the Hyatt Regency Hotel King Ballroom, 370 King Street West

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

Swiss films at TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2017

2 Special Presentations 2 The Guardians 3 TIFF DOCS 3 Of Sheep and Men 4 Short Cuts 4 Airport

10 New Releases Fiction 10 Goliath 11 Il colore nascosto delle cose 12 The Song of Scorpions 13 Worst Case We Get Married 14 14 15 16 17

New Releases Doc A Campaign of their own Cahier africain Favela Olímpica Gotthard – One Life One Soul 18 The Paris Opera

5 Wavelengths 5 A Skin So Soft 6 BELOW-ABOVE 7 TIFF CINEMATHEQUE 7 Picture of Light

19 Coming Soon 8 TIFF PRIVATE SCREENING 8 Blue my mind

27 In Production

9 OFFICIAL ENTRY FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 9 The Divine Order

28 SWISS FILMS at 41st São Paulo International Film Festival

your swiss films contact at tiff sept 7–12

Selina Willemse Head of Festivals & Markets swillemse@swissfilms.ch T +41 79 286 51 88

Special Presentations

THE GUARDIANS

Les Gardiennes

by Xavier Beauvois 4

1915. The Paridier farm. A mother and her daughter take over when their men leave for the front. They work tirelessly, their lives marked by hard work and their men’s rare visits on leave. Hortense, the oldest, hires a young ward of the state to help: Francine, who believes that she has finally found a family.

Fiction

World sales: Pathé International, Paris T +33 1 71 72 33 05 www.patheinternational.fr World Premiere: TIFF 2017

France / Switzerland / Monaco / Belgium Fiction, 138 min., 2017 Original language: French cast: Nathalie Baye, Iris Bry, Laura Smet, Cyril Descours, Gilbert Bonneau, Olivier Rabourdin, Nicolas Giraud Production: Les Films du Worso, Paris / Rita Productions, Geneva / KNM, Monte Carlo / Versus Production, Brussels / RTS

Xavier Beauvois * 1967 in France. French citizenship. Xavier Beauvois works as a screenwriter, actor and director and is especially known for his award-winning film OF GODS AND MEN (2010), for which he was honoured with numerous awards such as the Grand Prize of the Jury at the Festival de Cannes and the César for Best Film.

His latest film THE PRIZE OF FAME (2014) was also coproduced by Rita Productions, Geneva. The film premiered in Competition in Venice at the 71st Mostra Internazionale d’Arte Cinematografica.

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Of Sheep and Men

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Des moutons et des hommes

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by Karim Sayad

Switzerland / France / Qatar Documentary, 78 min., 2017 Original language: Arabic Production: Close Up Films, Geneva / Norte Productions, Paris / Doha Film Institute, Dakar

World Sales: Autlook Filmsales GmbH, Vienna T +43 720 34 69 34 www.autlookfilms.com World Premiere: TIFF 2017

Documentary

Karim Sayad * 1984 in Lausanne. Joint Swiss and Algerian citizenship. After getting a Master’s degree in International Relations from Geneva’s Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID), Karim Sayad directed his first short documentary film, BABOR CASANOVA (2015), also produced by Close Up Films. It was awarded at doclisboa, the Festival dei Popoli in Florence and the International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand among others.

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The vacant lot next to El Harrach is witness to unusual thrill and agitation on this late summer afternoon. Large amounts of cash are circulating among the loud crowds.

To the side rams, held on leashes by some proud-looking young men, are bleating. Habib and his sheep are getting ready for combat. Once all the bets are in, the referee asks the owners to bring their rams to the ring. The fight may now begin.

Short Cuts

Airport

by Michaela Müller 6

Airports – the pinnacle of modern society, places where the limits of borders, security and tolerance are constantly tested. While for some the journey starts, for others it abruptly ends.

Animation

World rights: Schick Productions, Zollikon T +41 79 400 62 60 ruedi.schick@gmail.com World Premiere: Animafest Zagreb 2017 More information: www.airportanimation.com

Switzerland / Croatia Animation, 11 min., 2017 Animation Technique: Painting on glass Original language: Without dialogue Production: Schick Productions, Zollikon / Kinorama, Zagreb / SRF

MICHAELA MÜLLER Born in St. Gallen. She graduated with an MA in Animation and New Media from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb and holds a diploma as drawing and crafts teacher from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Müller’s multiple awarded animated film MIRAMARE (2009) made its international premiere at the Festival de Cannes and has been screened at more than 100 international film festivals, winning 18 awards.

Wavelengths Ta peau si lisse

A Skin So Soft

by Denis Côté

Canada / Switzerland / France Documentary, 85 min., 2017 Original language: French Production: Denis Côté, Montreal / Close Up Films, Geneva / 9338-6233, Montreal / The Addiction, Paris

World sales: Films Boutique, Berlin T +49 30 69 53 78 50 www.filmsboutique.com World Premiere: Locarno Festival 2017

Documentary

Denis Côté * 1973 in Canada. Canadian citizenship. Denis Côté studied film at Collège Ahuntsic in Montreal and directed numerous short films, screened and honoured with awards at several prestigious festivals. Côté is especially known for his films ALL THAT SHE WANTS (2008) and CURLING (2010) for which he won the Silver Leopard for Best Directing at the Locarno Festival, CARCASSES (2009), screened in the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes as well as VIC + FLO SAW A BEAR (2013), awarded with the Alfred Bauer Prize at Berlinale.

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Jean-François, Ronald, Alexis, Cédric, Benoit and Maxim are modern-day gladiators. A strong man, a professional bodybuilder or a veteran turned trainer, they all share the same obsession. In wait of their next competition, they train hard and they diet harder. This is a free exploration of the over regulated lives of these misunderstood monsters.

Wavelengths

Below-Above

by André Lehmann 8

A disorienting and hypnotic work that renders the natural world at once familiar and alien. The film is a staccato montage of trees, rocks, and water, alternating between both sides of real and imagined horizons.

Experimental

World Rights: André Lehmann, Riehen lehm.and@bluewin.ch World Premiere: TIFF 2017

Switzerland Experimental, 14 min., 2017 Original language: Without dialogue Production: André Lehmann, Riehen

André Lehmann André Lehmann was a leading figure of the experimental film movement of the 70s and 80s in Switzerland. He is especially known for his films WESTSIDE HIGHWAY NY 77 (1977), GING (1997) and his previous film BER-LIN 99/00 (2003), which also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

TIFF Cinematheque

PICTURE OF LIGHT An hallucinatory tale of a filmmaker’s journey to Canada’s Arctic in search of the Northern Lights – an encounter with the gulf between the knowable and the ineffable, between humankind’s need to capture and control Nature, and Nature’s refusal to be caught … aurora borealis, the lights with no bodies pouring colours from the sky … more special than any special effect …

World rights: Canada Grimthorpe Film Inc., Toronto Documentary, 83 min., 1994 www.petermettler.com Original language: Distribution USA: English First Run Features, New York Production: marcm@firstrunfeatures.com Grimthorpe Film Inc., Toronto / World Premiere: Andreas Züst Rotterdam 1994

Documentary

PETER METTLER * 1958 in Toronto, Canada.

Joint Swiss and Canadian citizenship. Peter Mettler is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. GAMBLING, GODS AND LSD (2002) won many prestigious awards such as the Grand Prix at Visions du Réel, his latest film THE END OF TIME (2012) became a festival hit. The newly remastered version of PICTURE OF LIGHT (1994) is screened at TIFF, curated by the Cinematheque.

It was selected as one of the 150 essential works In Canadian History and won numerous awards at renowned festivals.

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by Peter Mettler

TIFF PRIVATE SCREENING E Fir ur

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Blue my Mind

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by Lisa Brühlmann 10

15-year-old Mia faces an overwhelming transformation which puts her entire existence into question. Her body is changing radically, and despite desperate attempts to halt the process, Mia is soon forced to accept that nature is far more powerful than she is.

Fiction

World Sales: Be For Films, Brussels T +32 4 89 80 21 23 www.beforfilms.com World Premiere: San Sebastian 2017

Switzerland Fiction, 97 min., 2017 Original language: Swiss-German Cast: Luna Wedler, Zoë Pastelle Holthuizen, Regula Grauwiller, Georg Scharegg Production: tellfilm GmbH, Zurich / Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK / SRF / SRG SSR

Lisa Brühlmann * 1981 in Zurich. Lisa Brühlmann studied acting in Berlin and directing at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). Recurring themes in her work are young female perspectives, coming of age stories and gender issues, like in her shorts SPRING AWAKENINGS (2010) and HYLAS AND THE NYMPHS (2013). She has recently codirected PERIPHERY (2016), which premiered at the Zurich Film Festival. Her first feature film BLUE MY MIND will premiere in San Sebastian in the competitive section New Directors.

by Petra Volpe “A feel-good drama about the fight for women’s suffrage in Europe’s last patriarchal holdout.” The Hollywood Reporter “The film is a socially relevant salute to feminism.” Indiewire US Release: October 27 Canadian Release: November 3

Switzerland Fiction, 96 min., 2017 Original languages: Swiss-German Production: Zodiac Pictures, Zurich international Premiere: Tribeca Film Festival 2017

international Sales: US Distribution: TrustNordisk ApS, Zeitgeist Films Ltd., New York T +1 212 274 1989 Hvidovre Nancy Gerstman: Susan Wendt susan@trustnordisk.com nancy@zeitgeistfilms.com T +45 6029 8466 Emily Russo: www.trustnordisk.com emily@zeitgeistfilms.com Canadian Distribution: Films We Like, Toronto T +1 416 971 91 31 Ron Mann: ron@filmswelike.com

Tribeca Film Festival Audience Award 2017

Swiss film award Best Screenplay 2017

Swiss film award Best Actress 2017

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The Divine Order

Best Actress in an International Narrative Feature Film 2017

Swiss film award

Best Performance in a Supporting Role 2017

Traverse city Film Festival Audience Award Best Fiction Film 2017

Traverse city Film Festival Founders Award Best Foreign Fiction Film 2017

Fiction

Switzerland’s official submission to the 90th academy awards

Tribeca Film Festival

OFFICIAL ENTRY FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Tribeca Film Festival Nora Ephron Prize 2017

New Release Fiction

Goliath

by Dominik Locher 12

When Jessy tells David she’s pregnant, he breaks out in panic. A few days later the two are assaulted in the city train, and when David realises he is unable to protect his girlfriend, his fears of inadequacy as a man take hold.

Frantic, he resorts to steroids and begins with excessive gym workouts. Initially, the muscles give him selfconfidence. Within a short time, however, David develops erratic behaviour and becomes a threat to Jessy and the unborn child.

Fiction

World Sales: WIDE, Paris T +33 1 53 95 04 64 www.widemanagement.com World Premiere: Locarno Festival 2017

Switzerland Fiction, 85 min., 2017 Original languages: German, Swiss-German Production: CognitoFilms, Zurich / Zurich University of the Arts ZHdK / SRF / SRG SSR Cast: Sven Schelker, Jasna Fritzi Bauer, José Barros, Michael Neuenschwander

Dominik Locher * 1982 in Aarau. Dominik Locher studied theatre at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and film at the renowned American Film Institute in Los Angeles. His award-winning first feature TEMPO GIRL (2013) premiered at the Hofer Filmtage and was screened in com­petition at numerous inter­national festivals.

GOLIATH premiered in the International Competition at the Locarno Festival 2017.

New Release Fiction

Il colore nascosto delle cose Teo is a creative in a trendy ad agency. Nice and charming he enjoys life as an elusive womanizer. Emma is blind since the age of 16 but that has not stopped her from becoming an osteopath. She is pretty, vibrant and has great friends. When they first meet, Teo is mesmerized by her sexy voice. Intrigued and attracted, by her as he has never been with a blind woman, he takes her on a date. Emma is too smart and sharp to give into the illusion, but against all odds it’s Teo who is hooked.

Italy / Switzerland World Sales: Fiction, 116 min., 2017 Celluloid Dreams, Paris Original language: T +33 1 49 70 03 70 Italian www.celluloid-dreams.com Cast: World Premiere: Valeria Golino, Adriano Venice 2017 Giannini, Arianna Scommegna, Laura Adriani, Anna Ferzetti, Andrea Pennacchi Production: Lumière & Co., Milan / ventura film sa, Meride / RSI / RAI Cinema

Fiction

Silvio Soldini * 1958 in Milan, Italy. Joint Swiss and Italian citizenship.

Silvio Soldini studied film at the New York University and is especially known for his award-winning films WHAT MORE DO I WANT (2010), DAYS AND CLOUDS (2007) and BREAD AND TULIPS (2000), which premiered at the Director’s Fortnight in Cannes, was then screened at the TIFF as well as at the International Film Festival Rotterdam among many others and won nine prizes at the David di Donatello Awards.

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by Silvio Soldini

New Release Fiction

The Song of Scorpions

by Anup Singh 14

A story of twisted love, revenge and the redemptive power of a song. Nooran, carefree and defiantly independent, is a tribal woman learning the ancient art of healing from her grandmother, a revered scorpion-singer. When Aadam, a camel trader in the Rajasthan desert, hears her sing, he falls desperately in love. But even before they can get to know each other better, Nooran is poisoned by a treachery that sets her on a perilous journey to avenge herself and find her song.

Fiction

World sales: The Match Factory, Cologne T +49 221 539 70 90 www.the-match-factory.com World Premiere: Locarno Festival 2017 MORE INFORMATION: thesongofscorpionsfilm.com

Switzerland / France Fiction, 119 min., 2017 Original language: Hindi Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Irrfan Khan, Waheeda Rehman, Sara Arjun, Shashank Arora, Kritika Pande Production: Feather Light Films, Geneva / KNM, Monaco / Ciné Sud Promotion, Paris / Aurora Media, Singapore / M!Capital, Singapore

Anup Singh * 1961 in Tanzania. Anup Singh graduated from the Film & TV Institute of Pune, India. He is a British citizen and resides in Switzerland since more than 16 years. His first feature film EKTL NADL NAAM (2001) was invited to more than 30 festivals and awarded Best Debut Film in India. His second feature QISSA had its world premiere at TIFF 2013 and opened the IFF Rotterdam 2014. The film received more than fifteen awards to date. THE SONG OF SCORPIONS premiered on the Piazza Grande at the 70th Locarno Festival.

New Release Fiction ET AU PIRE ON SE MARIERA

Worst Case We get Married

by Léa Pool

CANADA / SWITZERLAND Fiction, 90 min., 2017 Original language: French Cast: Sophie Nélisse, Karine Vanasse, Jean-Simon Leduc, Gilles Tschudi, Mehdi Djaadi, Mohcine Besri Production: Lyla Films, Montreal / Louise Productions Lausanne

World Sales: Seville International, Toronto T +416 646 24 00 www.sevilleinternational. eonefilms.com

Fiction

LÉA POOL * 1950 in Geneva. Léa Pool emigrated to Quebec in 1975, where she has worked as a filmmaker since 1978. Pool is known for her award-winning fiction films ANNE TRISTER (1996), A CORPS PERDU (1987) and SET ME FREE (1999) as well as for her last fiction film LA PASSION D’AUGUSTINE (2015). Her documentary DOUBLE SENTENCE (2017) screened at the Fribourg International Festival.

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Aïcha, 13 years old, masks her fragility behind a generous portion of insolence and arrogance. Impetuous and obstinate, she vacillates awkwardly between childhood and womanhood.

New Release Doc

A Campaign of Their Own

by Lionel Rupp and Michael Mitchell

Documentary

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Jonathan is convinced that Bernie Sanders is the only hope for transforming America. Swept up by his enthusiasm for the Socialist Senator, he joins thousands of activists in New York City to get him on the 2016 presidential ballot.

But as the primaries come to an end, Jonathan accuses the Democratic Party of cheating and being responsible for the defeat of “Bernie”. A political documentary by Lionel Rupp and producer Michael David Mitchell.

World sales: Rushlake Media GmbH, Cologne T +49 221 58 83 21 80 www.rushlake-media.com US Distribution: Juno Films Inc., New York Elisabeth Sheldon T +1 609 933 18 06 www.junofilms.com World Premiere: Visions du Réel Nyon 2017 MORE INFORMATION: acampaignoftheirown.com

Switzerland Documentary, 74 min., 2017 Original language: English Production: Zooscope Production, Lausanne

Lionel Rupp * 1983 in Meyrin. Lionel Rupp attended the film school HEAD in Geneva and cofounded Zooscope Production in 2008.

Rupp was one of the ten directors of WONDERLAND, which premiered at the Locarno Festival 2015 (International Competition). A CAMPAIGN OF THEIR OWN is his first feature documentary film, it premiered in the International Competition at Visions du Réel 2017.

New Release Doc

Cahier africain

by Heidi Specogna

Switzerland / Germany Documentary, 119 min., 2016 Original languages: French, Arabic, Sango Production: PS Film GmbH, Zurich / Filmpunkt GmbH, Cologne / ZDF / 3sat

World Sales: Rushlake Media GmbH, Cologne T +49 221 58 83 21 80 www.rushlake-media.com US Distribution: Juno Films Inc., New York Elisabeth Sheldon T +1 609 933 18 06 www.junofilms.com World Premiere: Locarno Festival 2016 International premiere: DOK Leipzig 2016 (Int’l Competition)

Documentary

Heidi Specogna * 1959 in Switzerland. Heidi Specogna worked as a journalist before studying film at the DFFB Berlin. She is known for her award-winning documentaries CARTE BLANCHE (2011), THE GOALGETTER’S SHIP (2010) and THE SHORT LIFE OF JOSÉ ANTONIO GUTIERREZ (2006). CAHIER AFRICAN was honoured as Best Documentary at the Swiss Film Awards 2017 as well as at the German Film Awards 2017 and was awarded at the Locarno Festival and DOK Leipzig.

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It all started with a school exercise book, which revealed the crimes of Congolese mercenaries against Central African women, girls and men. On their own initiative, they gathered their testimonies to record the crimes committed against them. The film is a long-term observation that begins in 2008. While the victims try to master their difficult daily lives with confidence – and while the legal prosecution of war crimes committed is still in progress – the next war breaks out.

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Favela Olímpica

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by Samuel Chalard The film unfolds in Rio de Janeiro on both sides of the wall separating the new Olympic Stadium and the favéla Vila Autódromo. Nothing prevents the co-existence of these two worlds but some judge them “incompatible” including Rio’s Mayor. His wish to reclaim this area, reserved for Rio’s poor since the 1990s, sets off a lopsided power struggle as people with little means fight to keep their home. Meanwhile, the Opening Ceremony approaches.

Documentary

World Rights: Switzerland Frédéric Gonseth Productions, Documentary, 93 min., 2017 Grandvaux Original language: T +41 21 351 05 11 Portuguese www.fgprod.ch Production: World Premiere: Frédéric Gonseth Productions, Locarno Festival 2017 Grandvaux

Samuel Chalard * 1973 in Lausanne, joint Swiss and French citizenship.

Samuel Chalard studied film at ECAL (École Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne) and works as an independent director since 2000. He is especially known for his latest short fiction film THE PRINCE OF JAPAN (2010), which premiered at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. His first feature FAVELA OLÍMPICA premiered at the 70th Locarno Festival (Critic’s Week).

New Release Doc

Gotthard – One Life One Soul

by Kevin Merz

Switzerland Documentary, 95 min., 2017 Original languages: Swiss-German, German, English, Italian Production: Amka Films Productions SA, Savosa / Bunkerville Sagl, Lugano / RSI

World sales: The Open Reel, Torino open@theopenreel.com www.theopenreel.com World Premiere: Locarno Festival 2017

Documentary

KevIn merz * 1978 in Zurich. Kevin Merz studied film at the Los Angeles Film School and is especially known for his award-winning documentaries GLORIOUS EXIT (2008) and AN AFRICAN ELECTION (2010), which premiered at IDFA and screened at Sundance Film Festival, Visions du Réel and Locarno Festival among others.

GOTTHARD – ONE LIFE, ONE SOUL premiered on the Piazza Grande at the 70th Locarno Festival.

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In the early 1990s, two young rockers – Steve Lee and Leo Leoni – founded one of the most successful Swiss bands of all time: Gotthard. Twenty-five years later, Leo, Hena, Marc and Freddy, together with Nic, the new singer, still play gigs all over the world with the same passion.

Between concerts, recording studios and with the help of very rich archives, they tell us their turbulent story.

New Release Doc

L’Opéra de Paris

The Paris Opera

by Jean-Stéphane Bron 20

In turn ironic, light-hearted and cruel, encompassing music and ballet, the film turns the spotlight on great passions, and tells the story of life behind the scenes at one of the most prestigious performing arts institutions in the world.

Documentary

World sales: Les Films du Losange, Paris T +33 1 44 43 87 28 b.vincent@filmsdulosange.fr www.filmsdulosange.fr US Distribution: Film Movement, New York info@filmmovement.com

France / Switzerland Documentary, 110 min., 2017 Original language: French Production: Les Films Pelléas, Paris / Bande à part Films, Lausanne / RTS / Orange Studio / France 2 Cinéma

Jean-Stéphane Bron * 1969 in Lausanne. JeanStéphane 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 was selected for film festivals in San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Belgrade, Warsaw, Moscow and Melbourne among others.

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Spring 2018

Baghdad in my Shadow

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by Samir 22

Taufiq, an old failed writer, Amal, a wife in hiding, and Muhanad, a clandestine gay IT-specialist all meet at Abu Nawas, a cosy café and popular hangout for Iraqi exiles in London. Instigated by the preacher of a Salafist mosque, the writer’s nephew Nasseer, a fanatic religious youth, attacks his uncle and turns everyone’s life upside down.

Fiction

World Rights: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich T +41 44 456 30 20 www.dvfillm.ch

Switzerland / Germany / United Kingdom Fiction, 100 min.

Original languageS: English, Arabic Cast: Haytham Abdulrazaq, Zahraa Ghandour, Waseem Abbas, Shervin Alenabi, Kae Bahar, Ali Daim Maliki, Awatif Salman, Taro Bahar, Maxim Mehmet, Lachlan Nieboer, Farid Elouardi, Felix Scott Production: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich / Coin Film, Cologne / SRF / Ipso Facto Productions, London

samir * 1955 in Baghdad, raised in Switzerland. Samir belongs to Switzerland’s most acclaimed filmmakers. He cofounded the production company Dschoint Ventschr in 1994 and has been directing and producing both fiction and documentary films.

After his renowned documentaries BABYLON 2 (1993), FORGET BAGHDAD (2002) and the award winning IRAQI ODYSSEY (2014), which premiered at TIFF and was selected for Berlinale Panorama 2015, Samir returns with a fiction film set among Iraqi exiles in London.

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Chris the Swiss

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by Anja Kofmel

SWITZERLAND / CROATIA / GERMANY Anidoc, 85 min.

ANIMATION TECHNIQUE: 2D computer animation Original languages: German, Swiss-German, English, Spanish Production: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich / Nukleus Film, Zagreb / MA.JA.DE. Filmproduktion, Leipzig

World Rights: Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion AG, Zurich T +41 44 456 30 20 www.dvfilm.ch

Anidoc

ANJA KOFMEL * 1982 in Lugano. Anja Kofmel studied animation at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. Her Bachelor’s degree film CHRIGI (2009) has been awarded at numerous international film festivals. Since 2010 she has been working as animation and documentary filmmaker and illustrator. CHRIS THE SWISS is her first feature length anidoc film.

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Why are young men so fascinated by war? Today just as back in the nineties when war was raging in Ex-Yugoslavia? On January 7th 1992, the young Swiss journalist “Chris” Christian Würtenberg was found dead in Croatia.

Strangled with his scarf, still wearing the uniform of a platoon of international fighters. Twenty-five years later his cousin, director Anja Kofmel, researches Chris’ murder and tries to get to the bottom of these questions.

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Spring 2018

Der Unschuldige

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by Simon Jaquemet 24

Ruth loves Jesus and works in cutting-edge neuroscience.

When her past lover reappears after twenty years in prison her fragile reality comes undone.

Fiction

World Rights: 8horses GmbH, Zurich T +41 44 500 50 81 www.8horses.ch

Switzerland / Germany Fiction, 120 min.

Original language: Swiss-German Cast: Judith Hofmann Production: 8horses, Zurich / Augenschein Filmproduktion GmbH, Cologne / ZDF / SRF / ARTE / Teleclub

Simon Jaquemet * 1978 in Zurich. Simon Jaquemet studied film at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). His award-winning first feature film CHRIEG, which was developed at the renowned Torino Film Lab, was selected for numerous international festivals such as San Sebastian, São Paulo and Karlovy Vary. It was awarded at the Max Ophüls Festival and at the Marrakech Inter­ national Film Festival. DER UNSCHULDIGE is Jaquemet's second feature film.

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Eldorado

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spring 2018

by Markus Imhoof

Switzerland / Germany Documentary, 100 min.

Original languages: Italian, English, French, German, Arabic, Swiss-German, Wolof Production: Thelma Film AG, Undervelier / SRF / zero one film GmbH, Berlin / BR

World Rights: Thelma Film AG, Undervelier T +41 32 426 73 04 meier@thelmafilm.ch and zero one film GmbH, Berlin T +49 30 390 66 30 www.zeroone.de

Documentary

Markus Imhoof * 1941 in Winterthur. Markus Imhoof is the director of the award-winning documentary MORE THAN HONEY (2012), which was screened and awarded at numerous film festivals worldwide. It was awarded as Best Documentary at the Swiss Film Award as well as at the German Film Award LOLA. Imhoof is also known for his fiction film THE BOAT IS FULL (1981), which was nominated for an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.

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Drawing inspiration from his personal encounter with the Italian refugee child Giovanna during World War II, Markus Imhoof tells how refugees and migrants are treated today: on the Mediterranean Sea, in Lebanon, in Italy, in Germany and in Switzerland.

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spring 2018

Glaubenberg

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by Thomas Imbach 26

Bright and beautiful, Lena feels more for Noah than she should as a sister. She struggles with her dark passion by dating other boys. When she reveals her feelings, Noah rejects her. Lena chases him to Turkey but finally, in desperation returns to the Swiss mountain that is full of childhood memories. When Noah returns to what was once their special place, he finds a fountain instead of Lena.

Fiction

World Rights: Okofilm Productions, Zurich info@okofilm.ch www.okofilm.ch

Switzerland Fiction, 130 min.

Original languageS: Swiss-German, German, English Cast: Zsofia Körösi, Francis Meier, Milan Peschel, Bettina Stucky, Nikola Sosic, Morgane Ferru, Ilayda Akdogan, Erol Afsin Production: Okofilm Productions, Zurich / SRF / SRG SSR

Thomas Imbach * 1962 in Lucerne. With WELL DONE (1994) and GHETTO (1997) Imbach has won nume­ rous awards. He established his trademark style based on a combination of cinema-­ verité camera-work and fastpaced computer-controlled editing. His fiction feature films HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN (2001), LENZ (2006), I WAS A SWISS BANKER (2007) and DAY IS DONE (2011) all premiered at the Berlinale.

His first English-language film MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS was selected for Special Presentations at TIFF 2013.

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Hannes Baumgartner * 1983. Hannes Baumgartner studied film at F+F and Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). His award-winning short film TENERIFFA (2012) was honored with the Zurich Film Award and selected for festivals such as Max Ophüls Prize in Saarbücken and the International Short Film Festival Winterthur. MIDNIGHT RUNNER is his first feature film.

Switzerland Fiction, 90 min.

Original language: Swiss-German Cast: Max Hubacher, Annina Euling, Sylvie Rohrer, Christophe Sermet, Saladin Dellers, Luna Wedler Production: Contrast Film Bern GmbH / SRF / Teleclub

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The true drama about a well-known top athlete, who evolves into a serial offender: The Swiss marathon runner Jonas Widmer is looking for a way to overcome his tragic past and as a result, becomes more and more entangled in an ominous double life.

World Rights: Contrast Film Bern GmbH T +41 78 654 30 38 www.contrastfilm.ch

Fiction

by Hannes Baumgartner

spring 2018

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Midnight Runner

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spring 2018

Stray Bullet

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by Jean-Cosme Delaloye 28

Hundreds of deaths are caused by stray bullets every year in America … innocent lives caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. In Paterson, New Jersey a town 20 minutes from New York City, gangs rule the streets.

The film chronicles the fall and attempt at redemption of Paterson citizens after the killing of 12-year-old Genesis Rincon. It explores the many connections between the people impacted by this tragedy.

Documentary

World sales: Cargo Film & Releasing, New York T +1 212 995 81 39 www.cargofilm-releasing.com

Switzerland Documentary, 71 min.

Original language: English Production: Tipi’mages Productions sàrl, Geneva / RTS

JEAN-COSME Delaloye * 1975 in Switzerland. JeanCosme Delaloye works as a journalist and director in New York City. Since 2009 he specializes in radio documentaries on Central America.

LA PRENDA (THE PAWN), his previous documentary film premiered at Hot Docs in 2015 and was selected by many festivals including FICG in Guadalajara, Mill Valley and the FIFDH in Geneva. STRAY BULLET is his third feature film.

spring 2019

Becoming Animal

The Brain

by Jean-Stéphane Bron

by Peter Mettler, Emma Davie

Switzerland / SCOTLAND Documentary Production: maximage GmbH, Zurich / Scottish Documentary Institute, Edinburgh

In Production

SPRING 2018

Switzerland / FrancE Documentary Production: Bande à part Films, Lausanne Les Films Pelléas, Paris

SPRING 2018

MARE

MARIO

by Andrea Štaka

by Marcel Gisler 29

WINTER 2019

Switzerland / Croatia Fiction Production: Okofilm Productions, Zurich / Dinaridi Film, Zagreb

SUMMER 2018

The Wind Turns Le vent tourne

by Bettina Oberli

SWITZERLAND Fiction PRODUCTION: Triluna Film AG, Zurich / Carac Film AG, Bern

Spring 2018

Wolkenbruch’s WONDROUS Journey into the Arms of ShiksA

by Michael Steiner

Switzerland / FRANCE Fiction Production: Rita Productions, Geneva / Silex Films, Paris

Switzerland / Germany Fiction Production: Turnus Film AG, Zurich / DCM Productions, Berlin / SRF

Switzerland IS guest of honor at 41 st São Paulo International Film Festival October 19 – November 1, 2017 Films, guests, Q & As, masterclasses, panels, matchmaking-events, get-togethers and an Alain Tanner retrospective!

The Swiss focus at the 41�� São Paulo International Film Festival is an initiative by SWISS FILMS and the Mostra Internacional de Cinema in São Paolo in collaboration with the Swiss Diplomatic and Consular Representations in Brazil.

Follow-up programmes are planned among others for the festivals Curta Cinema and Anima Mundi in Rio de Janeiro as well as for the International Short Film Festival in São Paolo.

Contact SWISS FILMS: Aida Suljicic Head of Programmes & Consultant Documentaries asuljicic@swissfilms.ch

Visit us at our stands at : Berlinale European Film Market Short Film Market in Clermont-Ferrand Cannes Village International Locarno Festival

SWISS FILMS is supported by

“It’s a good harvest.”

Hortense in THE GUARDIANS by Xavier Beauvois Coproduced by Rita Productions