email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

Christof Neracher • Producer

Producer on the Move 2006 – Switzerland

by 

Co-founder of Hugofilm based in Zurich, Christof Neracher’s most important productions include the new fiction feature Vitus [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Davi
interview: Fredi M. Murer
film profile
]
, co-produced with Christian Davi by prestigious director Fredi M. Murer. Not only was this film very successful in Swiss cinemas, but it was also well received at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival and has been sold to several territories.

Cineuropa: Can you tell us about your production company?
Christof Neracher: Hugofilm is unique in the sense that it is directed by three partners who each have very different skills. I come from a commercial and marketing background, while Thomas Thümena and Christian Davi studied cinema and worked as directors. We are very involved in the development and production of our films, not only in a traditional sense, but also in terms of content: we follow our projects very closely and a film’s story is really important for us.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Vitus is the first fiction feature produced by Hugofilm…
Fredi M. Murer called us at the very moment we decided to start working on the production of fiction features. As we weren’t interested in producing films by amateur directors – what has always been the case with our documentaries – we thought the production of our first “big film” with a director and an experienced team would be an ideal opportunity to learn more. Then Fredi turned up…

Why do you think you were chosen to participate in Producers on the Move?
Ever since Hugofilm was created in 2002, each time our films have been better and more successful. The documentary Jo Siffert - live fast die young was the most successful film of the season in Switzerland. Having said that, I think I was chosen primarily for Vitus, which was not only successful in Switzerland but was also sold to several territories – quite rare for a Swiss fiction in recent times!

Xavier Ruiz, Lukas Hobi and Tiziana Soudani are the only Swiss directors to have participated in this programme. What do you have in common with these three “producers on the move”?
I don’t really know Tiziana and Xavier’s work very well, but I can say that Zodiac Pictures (Lukas Hobi’s company) and Hugofilm are two new set-ups that haven’t been afraid to hide their ambitions to produce successful films – not only in Switzerland but also abroad by trying, in particular, to find universal themes.

What do you expect from your participation in this programme?
I hope that Producers on the Move will allow me to develop our international network, find co-production partners and pre-sell some of our films.

Switzerland has finally rejoined the MEDIA programme on April 1. Will your company benefit from European funding?
I would hope so. In my opinion, MEDIA represents a big opportunity since we are now in competition with Europe. I also think that our generation of filmmakers is in the process of proving that we are up to this task.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy