07/03/2016 - For the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Mexico, Switzerland has been chosen as guest of honour at the 31st edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival

Wonderland, which was filmed by ten young Swiss directors

The current edition of the Guadalajara International Film Festival (4-13 March), one of the most important film gatherings in Latin America, places Switzerland centre stage thanks to a wide-ranging and prestigious programme (comprising 30 titles) and a delegation of renowned guests. The film Heidi [+see also:
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making of
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film profile] by Nicolas Steiner, Broken Land [+see also:
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film profile] by Stéphanie Barbey and Luc Peter, Wonderland [+see also:
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interview: Carmen Jaquier and Lionel R…
film profile], filmed by ten young directors who were headed up by Michael Krummenacher and Jan Gassmann, The Miracle of Tekir [+see also:
film review
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film profile] by Ruxandra Zenide, A Bell for Ursli [+see also:
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film profile] by Xavier Koller, Horizontes [+see also:
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Lionel Baier and Léa Pool will receive the prize in the LGBT section (the Maguey Award) for their commitment to promoting sexual diversity in film, and their latest films Vanity [+see also:
film review
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interview: Lionel Baier
film profile] and La Passion d’Augustine will also be presented at Guadalajara. As for the other awards, Marc Forster will be crowned with the Guadalajara International Award and will present his movie Monster’s Ball (an Oscar candidate) during the gathering.

There are currently more than ten Swiss co-productions (either being planned or now in production) with Latin American countries, including Una historia invisible by Arami Ullón (Cineworx) and A Stray Bullet, the new project by Jean-Cosme Delaloye and Francine Lusser (Tipi’mages). In December last year, Swiss Films, in conjunction with the Swiss Embassy in Mexico, launched the “Joyas del cine suizo” (lit. “Gems of Swiss Cinema”) programme at the National Film Library of Mexico, an initiative that offers a range of classic Swiss films. In addition, and thanks to the presence of Switzerland as guest of honour at the Guadalajara Film Festival, a selection of current films will be presented, in partnership with the Swiss Embassy in Mexico, again at the National Film Library.

In the context of the activities organised to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, the Mexican Film Institute (IMCINE) and the Swiss Federal Office of Culture (FOC) have signed a letter of intent intended to foster co-productions between the two countries. Negotiations are still under way, with the aim being to conclude an agreement (to be signed in 2017) regarding co-productions. The objective is to increase the number of co-productions and facilitate access to Swiss and Mexican films. In doing so, the two parties will contribute to building mutual relations between the two countries in the areas of art and culture.

(Translated from Italian)