07/12/2006

Actor Nils Althaus – who is making his big screen debut with Breakout – will represent Switzerland at the 2007 edition of Shooting Stars in February.

In so doing, he will succeed Carlos Leal – currently in the latest James Bond film, Casino Royale [+see also:
trailer
film profile] – and join the tenth generation of young European talents brought to the fore by European Film Promotion at the Berlin Film Festival.

A photo model and commercials actor, Althaus is currently starring in his first cinema role in Breakout (Zodiac Pictures Ltd.), in which he heads the bill as a young gang leader in the outskirts of Zurich.

The director of the drama – set against a backdrop of hip-hop and which opens in German-speaking Switzerland in January – Mike Eschmann (behind hit comedy Ready, Steady, Charlie!) spares no praise for his actor: "Few actors are able to use such a diversified range of emotions while remaining convincing, like Althaus succeeds in doing in Breakout. Although the character he portrays may be very ambivalent and quite sombre by nature, Althaus rises to the challenge and gives a sense of humanity and emotional credibility to his character using a disconcerting lightheartedness."

(Translated from French)