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The three-day movie bonanza, held in collaboration with Swissnex India, included a wide variety of movies which provided an insightful view on the Swiss society. Movie buffs in the City were treated to diverse styles of cinema and were seen throughly enjoying the screening.
The first day of the film festival was dedicated to documentaries. Farewell My Mountain, a fascinating 55-minute documentary by Hugues De Wurstemberger and Didier Schmutz was the first to be screened. It told the story of Robert Guillets’ family, a farmer who is rendered landless after years in the pastures.
This thought-provoking work mulled over the fast declining Alpine way of life, where farmers live in the Alps year after year producing the finest Alpine cheese. It also gave the Bangaloreans some know-how on how cheese is tested for quality and took the audience on a wonderful journey to the Alps.
The cinematography requires special mention as it was able to capture the Alps in all its essence.
The sadness the family experienced while leaving the pastures was delicately handled and the audience could relate to the agony Robert’s wife experienced as she sets all their belongings on fire.
The first day also included ID Swiss, a documentary in seven episodes. This work by seven young film-makers spoke of diverse societal issues. One of the main themes was the identity crisis faced by many Swiss nationals due to cross-cultural influences.
A humourous take on the issue was a story that spoke of the confusion of an Italian-Swiss, who is at crossroads, when it comes to making a decision on which football team to support, in a match between Italy and the Swiss team.
The documentary was interspersed with facts which gave the audience a lot of knowledge on the social set-up of the Swiss.
The second day was a true delight for theatre lovers. Home, a theatrical feature by Ursula Meier, speaks about the problems faced by a family when a busy highway is opened right next to their isolated property.
The third and final day of the festival too left a lasting impression on the audience with Return to Goree, a musical road movie by Pierre-Yves Borgeaud.