The SP Federal Councilor Alain Berset, responsible for culture, recalled last year’s “34 1⁄2” in his speech. Edition to which the audience had been unloaded due to the corona. Because spectators can now be there again this year, the FIFF celebrated the start of its 35th edition with a spectacle of music, pictures and a sung speech.
The idea for “this unique opening ceremony” came about during the pandemic, the FIFF officials wrote in advance in a communiqué.
The two Freiburg filmmakers Julien Chavaillaz and Mark Olexa have produced two short films that “stand for the long standstill of cultural life”, as the press release says. The audio-visual artist Cee-Roo then took over the stage with a montage of images that was underlaid with music; The highlight was the live performance by Landwehr singers and musicians.
The official start of the FIFF marked the speech of the artistic director Thierry Jobin – who sang his speech to a tune by the chansonnier Joe Dassin. In this way, a spectacle was created that “merged pictures, live music and official speeches into one big whole”, according to the announcement.
This musical prelude fits in with what this year’s FIFF edition has planned in terms of content: With the Genre Cinema: Music! and the new section “The audience’s favorites” should focus on music.
In addition, the audience is to be sent on a cinematic world tour with a total of 139 films from 51 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. And of course, with the Passeport Suisse section, whose program includes 27 Swiss productions, Swiss filmmaking should also have an appearance. The 35th edition of the FIFF lasts until July 25th. (SDA)