Montreal shows ten new Swiss films and honors Bruno Ganz

16.08.2006

At the 30th edition of the Festival des Films du Monde (FFM), taking place in Montreal from August 24 – September 4, 2006, Swiss film production is again receiving strong attention. In the international competition, the film “Ultima Thula” by Hans-Ulrich Schlumpf, which was shot on the Canadian border in Alaska, will be presented (Production: Ariane Film, Zurich). On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the festival, the renowned Swiss actor Bruno Ganz will be honored with an homage, with the film “Vitus” by Fredi M. Murer, among others, in the program.
In the “Regards sur les cinémas du Monde” section, the film “Nachbeben/Going Private” by Stina Werenfels (Production: Dschoint Ventschr, Zurich), which premiered at the Berlinale, along with the film “Mon frère se marie” by Jean-Stéphane Bron (Box Productions, Renens), which was shown in Locarno for the first time, and “La vraie vie est ailleurs” by Frédéric Choffat (Rita Productions, Geneva) will be presented. In the same section, the short films “De la part de Jules” by Thibaut Kahlbacher, “Männer am Meer/Pale Pals” by Reto Caffi, as well as the new animated film “Jeu/Play” by Georges Schwizgebel will be shown.



Outside of competition, the Italian-Swiss co-production “Volevo solo vivere” by Mimmo Calopresti (Co-production: Ventura Film, Meride) will be presented, while in the competition for first-time films, the film “La cathédrale” by Harrikrisna Anenden, which is co-produced with Mauritius, will be screened.



Aside from “Vitus” (Hugofilm, Zurich), the homage to Bruno Ganz includes four selected works by the actor himself: the Swiss movie classic “Der Erfinder/The Inventor” by Kurt Gloor (1980), the Italian-Swiss co-production “Pane e tulipani/Bread and Tulips” by Silvio Soldini (2000), as well as the German films “Messer im Kopf/Knife in the Head” by Reinhard Hauff (1978), and “Der Untergang/The Downfall: Hitler and the End of the Third Reich” by Oliver Hirschbiegel (2004). As part of honoring the French actress Bulle Ogier, the festival also features Alain Tanner’s masterpiece “La Salamandre/The Salamander” (1971).



The Festival des Films du Monde, which is the largest film festival in Montreal and the only festival with competition in North America that is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), is again emphasizing Swiss filmmaking. Among the previous festival’s award winners are Fredi M. Murer, who won the Grand Prix des Amériques ex aequo with his film “Vollmond/Full Moon”, as well as Peter Volkart, whose short film “Terra incognita” received the Grand Prix du court métrage in 2005.



Zurich, August 16, 2006