Honorary award 2026

2026 Swiss Film Awards: Honorary award presented to Villi Hermann

The 2026 Swiss Film Honorary Award goes to director, screenwriter, and producer Villi Hermann, who was born in Lucerne and now lives in Lugano. With a career spanning more than half a century, he has had a profound impact on Swiss filmmaking. His work, acclaimed for its boldness, social commitment, and artistic refinement, has made him an essential reference point for Swiss cinema on the international stage.

Driven by a strong sensitivity to social issues, Villi Hermann began his career in the 1970s by directing works that blurred the line between documentary and fiction. His first feature film, San Gottardo (1977), was presented at the Cannes Film Festival in the “L'Air du temps” section and won the Silver Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival. In the 1980s, thanks to his films Matlosa (1981), Innocenza (1986), and Bankomatt (1989), featuring international casts, he established himself as an undisputed figure of Swiss cinema at major international festivals, notably the Venice Film Festival and the Berlinale.

In 1981, Villi Hermann founded his production company, Imagofilm Lugano, and initially devoted himself to his own film projects. At the same time, he became increasingly involved in promoting young talent, creating a growing community of local professionals. Since the late 2000s, he has been providing targeted support for the work of young Ticino filmmakers – such as Alberto Meroni, Erik Bernasconi, Niccolò Castelli, and Francesco Rizzi – and has made a decisive contribution to the emergence of a “new wave” of Ticino cinema.

By awarding the Honorary Prize to Villi Hermann, the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) is recognizing not only the work of a great director, but also the artistic strength of a man who has helped to strengthen Italian-language Swiss cinema and define its identity.