01/02/2019 - It would appear that members of the Swiss Film Academy highly approve of Michael Steiner's comedy, while young directors Simon Jaquemet and Antoine Russbach follow close behind

Ninety-nine films (feature and short films) were released in twelve categories registered for the Swiss Film Award, with the lucky films due to compete for a prestigious Quarz Award announced during Solothurn Film Festival (the ceremony is due to take place on 22 March in Geneva at the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices).

This year's big favourite is Michael Steiner's Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (produced by Turnus Film AG, which is also handing its international sales, along with DCM Pictures and Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen), which received five nominations for Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actor for the young and enamoured Jewish student Motti, played by Joel Basman, and Best Supporting Actress (with two nominations out of three!) for Sunnyi Melles and Noémie Schmidt. Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa, presented in world premiere at the 14^th Zurich Film Festival, was the biggest Swiss film success of the year. Michael Steiner’s comedy has won over a growing audience, imposing itself as a strong contender at the box office. Proof perhaps that the Swiss still crave escapism and light-heartedness.

A film with a completely different tone, The Innocent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Simon Jaquemet
film profile], by the young director Simon Jaquemet, picked up the second largest number of nominations after the fantastic Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa, taking home four nominations for Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Actress – which goes to the enigmatic and intense Ruth, played by Judith Hofmann – and Best Photography (Gabriel Sandru). The unclassifiable and intriguing The Innocent (already screened at a multitude of festivals such as Toronto, San Sebastian and recently Rotterdam) represents the most interesting Swiss fiction feature of the year, along with the three other films nominated in the Best Film category (Midnight Runner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hannes Baumgartner
film profile] by Hannes Baumgartner, Those Who Work [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antoine Russbach
film profile] by Antoine Russbach, and Fortuna [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Germinal Roaux) – a welcome breath of fresh air for the Swiss film industry.

The Romandy film, Those Who Work also received four nominations, delving into the daily life of a seemingly perfect family before revealing its disturbing past. In addition to its Best Film nomination, it is also nominated for Best Screenplay, Best Photography (Denis Jutzeler) and Best Supporting Actress for Pauline Schneider. 

The documentary genre includes #Female Pleasure [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Barbara Miller, with the most nominations, including those for Best Documentary, Best Film Score (Peter Scherer) and Best Editing (Isabel Meier).

Tune into the Geneva event to find out which of these films scoop up the most Quarz Awards.

The 2019 Swiss Film Award nominations:

Best Film
Those Who Work [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Antoine Russbach
film profile]- Antoine Russbach (Switzerland/Belgium)
Midnight Runner [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hannes Baumgartner
film profile]- Hannes Baumgartner
The Innocent [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Simon Jaquemet
film profile]- Simon Jaquemet (Switzerland/Germany)
Fortuna [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Germinal Roaux (Switzerland/Belgium)
Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Michael Steiner (Switzerland/Germany)

Best Documentary
Chris The Swiss [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Anja Kofmel
film profile] - Anja Kofmel (Switzerland/Germany/Croatia/Finland)
Eldorado [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Markus Imhoof (Switzerland/Germany)
#Female Pleasure [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Barbara Miller (Switzerland/Germany)
Genesis 2.0 [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Christian Frei, Maxim Arbugaev
Ladies [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Stéphanie Chuat, Véronique Reymond

Best Screenplay
Those Who Work - Antoine Russbach
The Innocent - Simon Jaquemet
Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa - Thomas Meyer

Best Actress
Julia Föry – Pearl [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elsa Amiel
film profile] (France/Switzerland)
Judith Hofmann - The Innocent
Sarah Sophia Meyer – Zwingli [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Switzerland/Germany)

Best Actor
Joel Basman - Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa
Max Hubacher - Midnight Runner
Max Simonischek - Zwingli

Best Supporting Actor or Actress
Sunnyi Melles - Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa
Noémie Schmidt - Wolkenbruch's Wondrous Journey into the Arms of a Shiksa
Pauline Schneider – Those Who Work

Best Film Score
Chris The Swiss - Marcel Vaid
Eldorado - Peter Scherer
#Female Pleasure - Peter Scherer

Best Photography
Those Who Work - Denis Jutzeler
The Innocent - Gabriel Sandru
Eldorado - Peter Indergand

Best Editing
Chris The Swiss - Stefan Kälin
#Female Pleasure - Isabel Meier
The Image Book [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Jean-Luc Godard (Switzerland/France)

Best Animated Film
Coyote - Lorenz Wunderle (short film)
Selfies - Claudius Gentinetta (short film)
The Flood is Coming - Gabriel Böhmer (short film)
Best Thesis Film
Fast Alles - Lisa Gertsch (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste ZHdK)
Hamama & Caluna - Andreas Muggli (HSLU Studienbereich Video)
Les heures-ecre - Wendy Pillonel (Zürcher Hochschule der Künste ZHdK)

Best Short Film
All Inclusive - Corina Schwingruber Ilić
Bacha Posh - Katia Scarton-Kim (France/Switzerland)
Bonobo - Zoel Aeschbacher
Schächer - Flurin Giger
Valet noir - Lora Mure-Ravaud

(Translated from Italian)