900 guests and Eva Herzog at the opening of the Swiss film exhibition
Published: Wednesday, Jan 17th 2024, 18:20
Volver a Live Feed
The 59th edition of the Solothurn Film Festival has opened. Eva Herzog, President of the Council of States, and around 900 invited guests walked the red carpet. The power of cinema was emphasized at the opening.
Eva Herzog, President of the Council of States, was the guest of honor at the opening. In her speech, Herzog said that watching and discussing films together helps us to better understand and shape the way we live together, according to the Solothurn Film Festival's press release. Places like the film festival are needed, Herzog said, where Switzerland can also look at itself from the outside.
The artistic director of the Solothurn Film Festival, Niccolò Castelli, referred to the power of film in his speech. "As long as there are taboos, the task of cinema will not be exhausted", Castelli is quoted as saying in the press release.
As part of the festival, the film "Frauennot - Frauenglück" from 1930 will be shown, which deals with secret and forbidden abortions in Switzerland. The film deals with a taboo subject at the time and was censored after its release.
The opening film of the 59th Solothurn Film Festival was "Les paradis de Diane" by Carmen Jaquier ("Foudre") and Jan Gassmann ("99 Moons", "Europe, She loves"). The film tells the story of a woman who escapes from the maternity ward after the birth of her child and goes into hiding on an odyssey through Benidorm in Spain.
Thematically, the programmed films - documentaries, feature films and short films - address current topics such as migration. For example, the documentary "Die Anhörung" (The Hearing), in which director Lisa Gerig accompanies four rejected asylum seekers.
Animated films in the special program
The special program "Rencontre" is dedicated to the Geneva studio GDS. In five short film programs, the Film Days show the complete works of the renowned studio for animated films.
The awards ceremony at the Solothurn Film Festival next Wednesday (January 24) includes the presentation of the "Prix de Soleure". The opening film, five documentaries and a further feature film have been nominated for this film prize, which has the highest prize money in Switzerland at CHF 60,000.
The showcase of Swiss filmmaking will also address the challenges facing the industry, including the opportunities and dangers of artificial intelligence and the shortage of technicians on sets.
The 59th Solothurn Film Festival runs until January 24. A total of 238 films will be shown.
©Keystone/SDA
Spanish 
English 
German 
French 
Arabic