Awards for Swiss documentary films at festivals in Italy and Austria

Swiss documentary films were honoured with awards at film festivals in Italy and Austria last weekend.

27.08.2012

Swiss documentary films were honoured with awards at film festivals in Italy and Austria last weekend. While the internationally successful film “Die Kinder vom Napf” attracted attention for the first time in Italy, Swiss film director Stefan Schwietert (“Balkan Melodie”) was presented the Honorary Award in Freistadt for his documentary film.

The Swiss documentary film “Die Kinder vom Napf” by Alice Schmid won the Prize from the Province of Verona at the 18th Lessinia Film Festival in the Veneto Region (August 18-26, 2012). The award is endowed with EUR 1,000 and honours a film that examines life, history and traditions in mountain regions. In addition, Marcel Barelli’s short animation film “Gypaetus Helveticus” – a documentary film fake about the extinction of a domestic bird of prey – won the Jury Prize at the same festival.

Stefan Schwietert honoured in Freistadt
At the 25th Festival “Der Neue Heimatfilm” in Austria (August 22-26, 2012), the Honorary Award of the City of Freistadt went to the Berlin-based Swiss filmmaker Stefan Schwietert, who presented his current film “Balkan Melodie. The Swiss documentary film “Hiver Nomade” by Manuel von Stürler was presented an Honourable Mention from the jury. Among the seven films screened in competition was also the German-Austrian-Swiss coproduction “More Than Honey” by Markus Imhoof. His film will be released in cinemas in Austria in mid-October.

Zurich, August 27, 2012