17/12/2012 - The Swiss film promotion agency is to lose its director of 15 years.

Micha Schiwow (photo), the director of the Swiss Film Centre and then of the organisation that took over from it, Swiss Films, is to resign at the beginning of 2013. His decision reflects “a wish for a new professional orientation” after 15 years spent promoting Swiss cinema.

Under the leadership of Schiwow, Swiss Films has become one of the Swiss film sector’s main institutions. As well as promoting Swiss films abroad, the agency is also one of the organisers of the Swiss Film Awards. It is also associate editor for professional publication Ciné-Bulletin.

Schiwow was also president of the MEDIA Desk Switzerland, the MEDIA Programme’s office in Switzerland, as well as the vice-president of European cinema news website Cineuropa.

The man will however not leave the world of cinema, as he is to manage Prochaine, a Zurich-based cinema promotion agency, from 2013. The name of the person to succeed him as head of Swiss Films is not yet known.

(Translated from French)