Cinemania 2023

Nine feature films and documentaries as well as six short animation films have been selected for the festival programme: Director Carmen Jaquier and producer Flavia Zanon will introduce Switzerland’s Oscar entry THUNDER. Also present will be director Maxime Rappaz and producer Gabriela Bussmann of LET ME GO; director Hugues Hariche with producer Aline Schmid (RIVIÈRE); director Yamina Zoutat and producer Joëlle Bertossa of BLOODHOUND; filmmaker Patrick Muroni (FIERCE: A PORN REVOLUTION); as well as Stéphane Goël (director DE LA CUISINE AU PARLEMENT, production FIERCE: A PORN REVOLUTION).

Director Anna Luif will accompany the Canadian premiere of her new film THE LOVE STORIES OF LIV S. with leading actress Agnès Delachair and producer Aline Schmid. Producer Nicolas Burlet will present a programme comprised of six animation films from his production company Nadasdy Film and will participate in the animation panel discussion.

The virtual dance performance COSMOGONY by Gilles Jobin will be performed live by dancers from Geneva and projected in Montréal’s urban space. In addition, Cinemania has produced LÉA DEVANT LA CAMÉRA, a documentary portrait honouring the Canadian-Swiss director Léa Pool, and will present it on the big screen in the Place des Festivals.

Industry exchange linking Québec and French-speaking Switzerland

In partnership with the Swiss Consulate General in Montreal and SODEC (Société de développement des entreprises culturelles), SWISS FILMS has organised a networking event for film producers from Quebec and Switzerland interested in pursuing coproductions on November 3.

Three panel discussions with Canadian and Swiss guests will take place at Cinémathèque québécoise: following the screening of the film LAISSEZ-MOI, which was shot in Valais, the Valais Film Commission has organised a panel discussion on producing in peripheral regions and the  role of regional film commissions (“Film commissions, rôles et challenges en régions périphériques”, November 2).

An event in collaboration with the Swiss Consulate General in Montreal, Presence Switzerland and the Bureau du Cinéma et de la Télévision du Québec will examine the issue of sustainable production (“Tournages écoresponsables: entre mode et réalité”, November 4). The discussion will be moderated by Marcel Müller (consultant films, VOD and programmes at SWISS FILMS).

Another panel discussion will be devoted to the relationship between craft and technology in animated film (“Un monde entre animation et technologie”, November 4), moderated by Marco de Blois, curator at Cinémathèque québécoise and artistic director of Sommets du cinéma d'animation.

Further information on the Swiss Focus