Swiss Films in Bali

Bali has a Swiss film festival currently showing. Opening night was Sunday March 25th at the Sofitel on Jl. Dhyana Pura in Seminyak. Monday night I joined one of the event organizers, Jane Chen from OnStage, for 2 Swiss movies. The event is sponsored in part by the Swiss Consulate and runs till Thursday, March 29th.

Last night’s films were Heidi, the story of a young girl from the Alps who is taken to the city to live in a rich household. She eventually makes it back to her home, kind of like a ‘Lassie Come Home’ type of story. The film is based on a Johanna Spyri book, directed by Luigi Comenci and running 96 minutes. Voice overs were used for this black and white film.

The second movie was Les Petites Fugues, the story of an eccentric in a Swiss village who becomes adventurous now that he has reached retirement. The film was directed by Yves Yersin and ran for 138 minutes, this time with subtitles.

Admission to the event is free. Drinks are on sale in the lobby.

The rundown of upcoming films is as follows.

•Tuesday, March 27th

6pm
Die Schweizermacher – 104 minutes – (Classic Film)
Directed by Rolf Lyssi

The romantic drama follows 2 policemen whose job it is to investigate the live of foreigners who have applied for Swiss citizenship. Among the applicants they must screen are a French psychiatrist and his wife, and a ballet dancer.

8pm
Sternenberg – 88 minutes – (New Film)
Directed by Christoph Schaub

After 30 years of living abroad Franz Enge returns to his hometown. A lot of things have changed over the years. There are only a few families with kids left in the village and that is why the school is about to be closed down. Franz decided to save the school and teacher Eva’s job in a very unusual way: he maintains he had not the time to go to school when he was a child and is claiming his ‘right to education’ now.

•Wednesday, March 28th

6pm
Mein Name Ist Eugen – 97 minutes – (New Film)
Directed by Michael Steiner

From the literary classic by Klaus Schaedelin, the movie tells of 12 year old Eugen and Wrigley’s last summer of adventure. When Wrigley’s parents announce their intention to pack him off to boarding school, the boys run off hoping to find the ‘King of the Rascals’, Fritz Buehler, in Zurich.

8pm
Hirtenreise Ins Dritte Jahrtausend – 120 minutes – (New Film – Documentary)
Directed by Erich Langjahr

This film unfolds the panorama of a life that follows the rhythm of the four seasons. Individuals who were not born into the tradition of a shepherds existence, who freely choose to make the sacrifice of this demanding lifestyle, experience the order of nature as personal freedom.

•Thursday, March 29th

6pm onwards
White Magic – (Action Film)
Directed by Willy Bogner

Famous ski stunt cameraman Willy Bogner’s 3rd movie features breathtaking pictures of extreme skiing, snowboarding and a lot of other things you don’t want to try on your next skiing holiday. Willy Bogner’s most famous work are probably the ski stunts in most of the Bond movies.

Signers Koffer – 85 minutes – (Art Film)
Directed by Peter Liechti

Signers Koffer is a kind of road movie across Europe. He determines the route that we are moving on and the film improvises along the way. ‘Simple’ poems being transmitted into space with instruments as gunpowder, fuse, balloons and a 3 wheeled Piaggo.

Irene Schweizer – 85 minutes – (Music Film)
Directed by Gitta Gsell

‘If there were no such thing as Jazz I would never have become a musician’. The film gives a fascinating insight into the life of a great artist, where friendship and relationship always take second place to the music. Music was and is Irene Schweizer’s life.

The Sofitel is located at the end of Jl. Dhyana Pura. Parking is available for movie goers and some most of the films are suitable for kids and adults.