Berlinale 2019: AFRICAN MIRROR in the Forum, six Swiss films in the Generation sections

Mischa Hedinger’s AFRICAN MIRROR (ton und bild) addresses the historical reception and idealization of the African continent, using archival footage of the Swiss filmmaker René Gardi (1909-2000) from West Africa. With his films, television reports and photographs, Gardi shaped the image of Africa for a broad spectrum of the population in Switzerland and Germany. Hedinger’s debut film provides access to Gardi’s impressive footage once again, while simultaneously revealing it as an extended form of colonialism.

Also screened in the Forum will be DELPHINE AND CAROLE by Callisto McNulty. Carole Roussopoulo’s granddaughter portrays the work between the actress Delphine Seyrig and Roussopoulos, who made use of the new video technique in the 1970s and 1980s to fight alongside the women’s movement. The documentary film was coproduced by Alva Film.

WHERE WE BELONG and BARACOA selected for Generation Kplus

The Generation programmes focus on films told through the eyes of children and teenagers. BARACOA, the first feature-length documentary film by Pablo Briones (C-Side Productions), and WHERE WE BELONG by Jacqueline Zünd (real Film) will both celebrate their world premiere within Generation Kplus. BARACOA tells about the unique friendship between two Cuban boys torn between games and fights, conversations about everyday life and existential questions, as well as simple pleasures and boredom. The heart-warming docufiction is also nominated for the Glashütte Original – Documentary Award, endowed with EUR 50,000.

In WHERE WE BELONG, Jacqueline Zünd portrays five children and teenagers whose parents have all separated. The young protagonists describe their reality living between two separate worlds and their relationship with both parents in atmospheric settings. Zünd won the 5^th Migros Culture Percentage CH-Dokfilm Competition with WHERE WE BELONG and had previously made a name for herself with her award-winning documentary films ALMOST THERE (2016) and GOODNIGHT NOBODY (2010).

Four shorts in the Generation programmes

No less than four Swiss short film productions will be screened in the Generation Kplus and 14plus sections. KIDS by Michael Frei and Mario von Rickenbach (Playables) will launch its international festival career in Berlin within Generation 14plus. The animated short film about group dynamics is accompanied by an interactive computer game, which is set to release later this year. Michael Frei’s short film PLUG & PLAY (2013) was an international festival hit and honoured with numerous awards. Also screened in the 14plus section will be THE SISTERS JARARIJU by Jorge Cadena (GoldenEggProduction), a graduation film from the Master programme at ECAL/HEAD – Genève. The film just recently celebrated its premiere in the International Competition at the Kurzfilmtage Winterthur. In addition, two animation films produced by Nadasdy Film in Geneva will be screened in the Kplus section: THE LAST DAY OF AUTUMN by Marjolaine Perreten and ZIBILLA by Isabelle Favez.

Dan Wechsler at Co-Production Market, Kacey Mottet Klein in the spotlight

Dan Wechsler’s production company Bord Cadre films, with its main office in Geneva, will be presented at the Company Matching programme of the Berlinale Co-Production Markets (February 9-13). Five outstanding internationally active production companies were selected for this exclusive programme. In addition, Wechsler has coproduced three films, which will be screened in this year’s Berlinale programme: THE OPERATIVE by Yuval Adler, Competition programme: MONOS by Alejandro Landes and DIVINO AMOR by Gabriel Mascaro, both Panorama.

Within the Co-Production Market and the Drama Series Days of the Berlinale, Ivan Madeo and Stefan Eichenberger from Contrast Film take part in the exclusive pitch event "Co-Pro Series" with their series project DAVOS. Ten new series projects were selected for the pitch.

Furthermore, three Swiss filmmakers have been selected to participate in this year’s Berlinale Talents, the international networking platform for up-and-coming young talent in the film industry: director Felipe Monroy; production designer Nicole Hoesli; and composer Matteo Pagamici.

Actor Kacey Mottet Klein performs alongside Catherine Deneuve in André Techiné‘s L’ADIEU À LA NUIT in the Competition programme (out of competition) this year. In 2016 he represented Switzerland as the EFP Shooting Star and starred in a leading role in Techiné’s film QUAND ON A 17 ANS, which was screened in competition. Seven years ago Mottet Klein was already seen in Berlin in Ursula Meier’s SISTER, which was screened in competition and honoured with a Silver Bear.

Numerous Swiss productions at EFM

Eight films with Swiss participation will be presented at the European Film Market EFM in Berlin, including MIDNIGHT RUNNER by Hannes Baumgartner (Contrast Film), which celebrated its premiere in San Sebastian (New Directors); THE REFORMER – ZWINGLI A LIFE’S PORTRAIT by Stephan Haupt (C-Films), which already garnered approximately 80,000 box-office entries within the first two weeks in cinemas in German-speaking Switzerland; MY LITTLE ONE by Frédéric Choffat and Julie Gilbert (Intermezzo Films), which has just been screened at the Solothurn Film Festival; and MY BELOVED ENEMY by Denis Rabaglia (Turnus Film), which celebrated its premiere on the Piazza Grande in Locarno in 2018.

SWISS FILMS is present at the European Film Market EFM with a stand (#124) from February 7-14. The promotion agency is assigned by the Federal Office of Culture to implement measures, consultations and promotional activities aimed at strengthening the market potential and visibility of Swiss film productions abroad.

SWISS FILMS, January 29, 2019