“In tune with the present”

The International Feature Film Competition will present 15 premieres, three of which are from Switzerland: Vadim Jendreyko embarks on a journey through Europe in his personal essay THE SONG OF OTHERS – A SEARCH FOR EUROPE, tracing the continent’s turbulent history. In THE LANDSCAPE AND THE FURY, Nicole Vögele draws on her encounters in the Bosnian-Croatian border region to examine the scars of war and links them to the refugees of today. In FAR WEST, Pierre-François Sauter illustrates the effects of international tourism on Cape Verde in adeptly composed frames, almost without words. Swiss director Carmen Jaquier (FOUDRE) is on the jury of this competition.

Burning Lights with two Swiss world premieres

In the Burning Lights International Competition, filmmaker Tobias Nölle – honoured at the Berlinale in 2016 for his feature film ALOYS – will present the world premiere of PREPARATIONS FOR A MIRACLE. In his sci-fi documentary film, a friendly android travels back in time and observes human customs – those of our present day. The film TAMINA – WILL THERE EVER BE WHAT USED TO BE? by the directing trio Beat Oswald, Lena Hatebur and Samuel Weniger portrays a cinematic hike in the idyllic Tamina Valley and examines existential questions about our place in nature.

GOING SOUTH by Alan Sahin and EXIT THROUGH THE CUCKOO’S NEST will celebrate their world premieres in the International for Medium-Length and Short Film Competition.

Diversity in the National Competition

The National Competition is a clear demonstration of the diversity of Switzerland’s non-fiction filmmaking. The eleven films by Swiss filmmakers or production companies are set in Switzerland, Tanzania, Ruanda, Myanmar and Sicily, among other places. Swiss editor Gabriel Gonzalez, the editor of this year’s winner at the Berlinale DAHOMEY, is a member of the three-person jury.

• All films in the National Competition

ROSE ON THE FARM by Giulia Goy (ECAL) and the anidoc MAWTINI (MY HOMELAND) by Tabarak Abbas (HEAD – Genève) have been selected for screening in the Opening Scenes section dedicated to short films from film schools. The Berlinale film REAS by Lola Arias and THERE WAS NOTHING HERE BEFORE by Yvann Yagchi, which has already been screened at the Rotterdam and Copenhagen festivals, will celebrate their Swiss premieres in the non-competitive Highlights and Grand Angle sections, respectively.

SWISS FILMS Previews

As part of the VdR-Industry Days (April 14-17), SWISS FILMS will present its annual Previews in collaboration with Visions du Réel: The producers of six Swiss documentary films with international potential will present their projects to sales agents, international distributors and festival delegates

Three Swiss projects will participate in the VdR-Pitching, the international coproduction and financing forum: THE LAST DAYS OF THE HOSPITAL by Mehran Tamadon; TO THE MOON AND BACK by Elisa Gómez Alvarez; and TOTEMIC by Stéphanie Barbey.

• All Swiss films in the official festival programme