Cannes 2019: Swiss coproductions and networking events for producers
Two Swiss coproductions will premiere at the Festival de Cannes this year: THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL by Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec and Zabou Breitman in the Un Certain Regard section and PARTICLES by Blaise Harrison in the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs section. Several Swiss producers will be presenting their films and projects in Cannes.
24.04.2019
The animated film THE SWALLOWS OF KABUL by Eléa Gobbé-Mévellec and Zabou Breitman, coproduced by the Geneva based production company Close Up Films with France and Luxembourg, will screen in the renowned Un Certain Regard section of the festival. The debut film PARTICLES by Blaise Harrison celebrates its world premiere in the parallel section Quinzaine des Réalisateurs. This feature film by the French-Swiss director was coproduced with France by Lausanne-based Bande à part Films.
LE DAIM by Quentin Dupieux, coproduced by Garidi Films in Geneva, will open the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs. Garidi Films was represented in last year’s competition with KNIFE + HEART by Yann Gonzalez. With his company Bord Cadre films, Geneva producer Dan Wechsler coproduced two films on this year’s Cannes programme: THE WHISTLERS by Corneliu Porumbuiu (in competition) and CANCIÓN SIN NOMBRE by Melina León (Quinzaine des Réalisateurs).
Two Swiss actors, Joel Basman and the late Bruno Ganz, can also be seen in the Cannes competition in A HIDDEN LIFE by US director Terrence Malick.
Sereina Gabathuler is a Producer on the Move
Zurich producer Sereina Gabathuler has been selected by the European Film Promotion for the renowned programme Producers on the Move on the recommendation of SWISS FILMS. Gabathuler produced the award-winning animated documentary CHRIS THE SWISS by Anja Kofmel at Dschoint Ventschr: the anidoc celebrated its world premiere last year in Cannes and won three awards at the Swiss Film Awards in March 2019. Previously the producer made a name for herself with films like YENISH SOUNDS and ENNEMIES IN LOVE. For the 20th time, the European Film Promotion is offering 20 up-and-coming European producers the opportunity to present their projects and make international contacts at the film festival. In Cannes, Sereina Gabathuler will also present her new project FROZEN SOIL, the second long animated film by director Anja Kofmel.
Four Swiss producers attending the Producers Network
Thanks to the new SWISS FILMS partnership with the Marché du Film in Cannes, four Swiss producers are able to take part in the Producers Network Events and Industry Workshops this year for the first time, where they will be looking for coproducers in development and financing for their new projects: Noah Bohnert (Letterbox Collective Film Production), Sara Born (Catpics), Mauro Mueller (Fidelio Films) and Michela Pini (Cinédokké). Maja Zimmermann, a Swiss producer based in Los Angeles, will assist them in the role of mentor.
The 72nd Cannes Film Festival takes place from 14 to 25 May 2019. On behalf of the Federal Office of Culture, SWISS FILMS, the international promotion agency for Swiss filmmaking, will be present at the Marché du Film with the Pavilion Suisse in the Village International.