A Swiss film fest

Caltech has long been known for its scientific advances, but it’s also a leader in hosting significant cultural events. Beginning April 11 and continuing through May 23, the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences will offer a rare opportunity to see the work of Xavier Koller, one of Switzerland’s most renowned filmmakers.

Although Switzerland may not enjoy as eminent a position in film history as other European countries, one of the most famous directors of the French New Wave, Jean-Luc Godard, was actually born and raised in Switzerland. In fact, not only have the Swiss earned more Nobel Prizes and registered more patents per capita than any other nation, their culture also offers a rich mosaic of Italian, French, and German influences in a beautifully rugged landscape.

Xavier Koller was born in the canton of Schwyz in 1944, and studied precision tool-making before graduating from the Academy of Drama in Zurich. Working as an actor in television and the theater, Koller directed his first movie in 1969, the award-winning, experimental short film Fanny Hill. In 1991, he won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film for Journey of Hope (Reise der Hoffnung) and enjoys an ongoing relationship with Hollywood.

The organizer of the film series, Andreas Aebi, a Caltech lecturer in German, describes Koller as “a great storyteller” and “a careful observer of people, with a commitment to the individual’s right to be what they need to be.”

In conjunction with the Consulate General of Switzerland, in Los Angeles, and Pro Helvetia, the Arts Council of Switzerland, Caltech will present four of Koller’s works. Each movie will be screened in Baxter Lecture Hall at 7:45 p.m. Admission is free. The dialogue will be in German or Swiss-German with English subtitles. Koller, will be in attendance on opening night.

Featured on April 11 will be the first film of the series, The Frozen Heart (Das gefrorene Herz) (1979), a provincial comedy about two rival villages that refuse to bury a man who dies on the border between them. Based on a story by Swiss author Meinrad Inglin, the film is admired for its evocative wintry setting.

Screening on April 25, Tanner, the Rebellion (Der schwarze Tanner) (1985) depicts a battle of wills between the Swiss government and a dairy farmer (stoically played by Otto Machtlinger) when the authorities dictate the use of his farmland for the public good. Screenwriter Walter Deuber (currently a visiting professor at Cal State Long Beach) will be in attendance.

Journey of Hope, on May 9, is based on the true story of a Kurdish family who, traveling from Turkey to Switzerland, face a never-ending series of setbacks and difficulties. A critical and commercial hit, the film may be the most famous Swiss film to date.

The last film of the series, Gripsholm (2000), details the experience of the German-Jewish satirical writer Kurt Tucholsky (Ulrich Noethen) in 1932, just before the Nazi oppression. Noted for its cinematography and nuanced performances, the movie portrays the clash of ideals and interpersonal relationships.

Envisioned as part of an ongoing series of international films, the Xavier Koller retrospective promises to be an important stepping-stone in Caltech’s ongoing cultural life.
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