Winners of 2013 Swiss Film Award ceremony announced
Bern, 26.03.2013 - The 16th Swiss Film Award was held on the evening of 23 March in the Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva. This gala event, which was also streamed live for the first time on www.schweizerfilmpreis.ch, honoured outstanding Swiss cinematic achievements over the last year. Three films dominated this year’s awards. Sister won in the Best Fiction Film and Best Screenplay categories. More than Honey took the Best Documentary Film and Best Film Score awards, while Hiver Nomade won the Best Cinematography Award as well as the Special Award of the Academy. The 2013 Best Actress/Actor awards went to Sibylle Brunner, Kacey Mottet Klein and Antonio Buil. All winners received a “Quartz” trophy, designed by French artist and sculptor, Jean Mauboulès.
Sister won two categories: Best Fiction Film and Best Screenplay. Ursula Meier and Antoine Jaccoud were presented with their “Quartz” trophy by Swiss actor Anatole Taubman, who starred in the James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, and Geneva-based actress Isabelle Caillat. Graphic designer Roger Pfund presented the winner of Best Documentary Film, Markus Imhoof, with his award for More than Honey. The documentary also won Best Film Score. Composer Peter Scherrer was on hand to receive his award. A third film, Hiver Nomade, also won two categories: Camille Cottagnoud took home the Best Cinematography award, while Karine Sudan was named as the recipient of the Special Award of the Academy for her editing work on the film. Therese Affolter presented Kacey Mottet Klein with the Best Actor award for his performance in Sister, and Antonio Buil with the Best Performance in a Supporting Role award for Opération Libertad.
The Best Short Film award went to Einspruch VI by Rolando Colla, and recipients of the Best Animated Film award were Frédéric and Samuel Guillaume for La nuit de l‘ours. Bernese comedian, Müslüm, presented both awards.
All winners were voted for by the members of the Swiss Film Academy. The Swiss Film Award, which officially recognises the work of the Swiss film industry, is organised by the Federal Office of Culture in partnership with SRG SSR, the Association “Quartz” Genève Zürich, SWISS FILMS, the Swiss Film Academy and the Solothurn Film Festival.
Special Award of the Academy
The Special Award of the Academy went to Karine Sudan for her editing work on Hiver Nomade, a touching road movie that follows two shepherds as they drive their flock of sheep cross-country to their winter pastures. Christian Frei, President of the Swiss Film Academy, presented the award.
Honorary Award
The 2013 Honorary Award went to 83-year-old director and producer Jacqueline Veuve. Through her outstanding body of work, which include films such as Jour de Marché (Market Day), Chronique vigneronne (Vineyard Chronicle) and Chronique paysanne en Gruyère (A Peasant Chronicle in Gruyère), the film-maker has become an important custodian of Switzerland’s collective memory (see media release of 19 February 2013). Unfortunately, ill-health prevented Ms Veuve from attending the ceremony. Her husband, Léopold Veuve, received a standing ovation when he accepted the award on her behalf from Federal Councillor Alain Berset.
Award ceremony and side-events
The award ceremony was co-hosted by Fabienne Hadorn and Alain Croubalian. Music was provided by the Bolivar Soloists and Efrain Oscher. This year, the event was streamed live for the first time on the official Swiss Film Award website www.schweizerfilmpreis.ch.
This year was also the first time that a series of associated public events were held in the run-up to the award ceremony. All nominated films were screened at the Cinémas du Grütli in Geneva, and at the Filmpodium in Zurich, allowing the public to discover the strength and diversity of Swiss film-making today. The side programme was made possible by the association “Quartz” Genève Zürich, which was founded by the canton and city of Geneva and the city of Zurich to promote Swiss film-making.
The next Swiss Film Award will be held on Friday, 21 March 2014, in Zurich.
Media documentation
An information pack on all 2013 winners is available at www.schweizerfilmpreis.ch (Media section).
Address for enquiries
Ivo Kummer, Head of the Film Department, Federal Office of Culture, +41 (0)79 251 22 40, ivo.kummer@bak.admin.ch
Christian Frei, President of the Swiss Film Academy, +41 (0)79 287 81 27
Susanne Goldschmid, Head of Communication 2013 Swiss Film Award, Federal Office of Culture, +41 (0)31 322 92 34
Publisher
Federal Office of Cultural Affairs
http://www.bak.admin.ch
