Swiss president underlines film’s power in a ‘post-fact’ world
Alain Berset is Switzerland's culture minister and current sitting president
Keystone
Switzerland’s Culture Minister and President Alain Berset opened the 53rd edition of the Solothurn Film Festival, one of the country’s top cinematic showcases, by highlighting film’s role in combating fake news and misinformation.
This content was published on
1 minute
SDA-ATS/vdv
Português
pt
Presidente suíço ressalta o poder do cinema num mundo ‘pós-factual’
As a “post-fact wave” sweeps the world, Berset said that “film can turn us into participating observers, without commentary or ideological coding”.
As an example, he cited this year’s opening film for the festival, the French-language documentary “A l’école des Philosophes” or “At the philosophers’ school”, which explores everyday life at a school for children with disabilities.
Berset said he views film as a way to bring Swiss society together, adding that the upcoming so-called “No Billag” initiative to do away with radio and TV license fees endangers that coherence. The outcome of the vote will affect the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, of which swissinfo.ch is a part.
The Solothurn Film FestivalExternal link will show 159 films over eight days, of which 28 will be world premieres. The festival is considered the year’s main event for featuring and debuting Swiss-made films.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland is no longer a cinematic island
This content was published on
International co-productions have become the norm and a significant number of young Swiss film-makers have foreign backgrounds.
‘Maybe films should be subtitled in SMS language!’
This content was published on
Film festivals are some of the last dubbing-free places to watch films in Europe. Are original versions and subtitles facing extinction?
This content was published on
Dimitri Stapfer won a trophy for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in the drama film Left Foot Right Foot, which also received the Quartz trophy for Best Cinematography. The Best Actress award went to Ursina Lardi for her performance in the feature film Traumland, while Marcus Signer who played the eponymous “Goalie” got the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.