FESTIVALS & AWARDS
TRAILER
SYNOPSIS
A film about the unprecedented Swiss grassroots movement of regular citizens who rise to aid thousands of refugees stranded at the European borders. In rich and safe Switzerland people from all backgrounds leave their regular life behind to support people in need. There is a Swiss farmer and his wife who keep cows in the Swiss Alps, a former commander of the Swiss Army, an elder rich lady residing at the lakeside, and a successful comedian and entertainer. These unexperienced volunteers take on an adventure that will change their lives for ever.
PROTAGONISTS
LINKS ORGANIZATIONS
DIRECTED BY
Anna Thommen was born in 1980 and grew up in Maisprach, Basel-Country. After initially training as a primary school teacher, Anna Thommen begins a bachelor’s degree in film in Lucerne, before switching to Zurich University of the Arts where she graduates with a master’s in film directing with her award-winning cinema documentary “NEULAND” (Uncharted Territory) in 2013.
Since then she has worked as a freelance director, author and editor on both her own projects and other films. She also teaches at numerous institutions in the field of film education.
Lorenz Nufer (*1976 in Zürich) studied acting at the renowned Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. After spending many years in ensembles at theatres in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, he founded an independent theatre company and started to develop and direct his own material. “Volunteer” is his first project as a film director. He currently works as a director, actor and author for film and theatre, and also gives regular lectures at Zurich University of the Arts.
CREDITS
WITH
Michael Grossenbacher
Michael Räber
Ileana Heer Castelletti
Thomas Hirschi
Sarah Hirschi-Gerber
Taha Alahmad
Lisa Bosia
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY
Anna Thommen & Lorenz Nufer
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Severin Kuhn
SOUND
Patrick Becker
Mathias Hefel
EDITING
Simon Gutknecht
Claudio Cea
Anna Thommen
MUSIC
Fabian Gisler & Victor Moser
PRODUCER
Peter Zwierko
EDITING CONSULTANT
Vadim Jendreyko
SOUND DESIGN AND MIX
Daniel Almada, TSL Studio
COLOR GRADING / ONLINE / DCP
Hannes Rüttimann
TOTLE & POSTER DESIGN
Hauser Schwarz
PRODUCTION
Sulaco Film GmbH
IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH
Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen SRF / SRG SSR
COMMISSIONING EDITOR SRF
Urs Augstburger
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
Bundesamt für Kultur (BAK)
Fachausschuss Film und Medienkunst BS/BL
Suissimage Kulturfonds
Ernst Göhner Stiftung
Alexis Victor Thalberg Stiftung
Fondation Suisa
Stiftung Corymbo
FOCAL / Mentoring for DOCS
TECHNICAL DETAILS
FORMAT
DCP (2K)
YEAR
2019
DURATION
93min
ORIGINAL LANGUAGES
Schweizerdeutsch, Deutsch, Französisch, Italienisch, Arabisch, Englisch
COLOR
Ja
SUBTITLES
Deutsch, Französisch, Englisch
ISAN
0000-0004-51E5-0000-L-0000-0000-B
