Rolf Lyssy, director of the most successful Swiss film ever, has been awarded the Career Achievement Award at the Zurich Film Festival. His new film, Eden für Jeden (Eden for Everyone), celebrated its world premiere afterwards.
Several of Lyssy’s films will be shown at the festival, including his first feature film Konfrontation (1974), the documentaries Ein Trommler in der Wüste (A Drummer in the Desert) (1992) and Ursula – Leben in Anderswo (Ursula – Life Elsewhere) (2011). And, of course, the comedy Die Schweizermacher (1978).
Die Schweizermacher (The Swissmakers) is by far the most successful Swiss film ever (in Switzerland) – it’s estimated that a fifth of the population saw it in the cinema on its release in 1978. Inspired by a practice that still continues, the satire focuses on two cantonal police officers responsible for checking out people who are trying to become Swiss – and the bureaucratic hurdles these people have to overcome.
In 2016 Lyssy told swissinfo.ch why the film remains so popular and why it stands the test of time:
On Tuesday Lyssy, 84, will talk about his career in a masterclass at the Zurich Film Festival.
Eden for Everyone is a feel-good comedy about multicultural Switzerland. It is set in a Zurich allotment called Eden in which a cultural kaleidoscope of Italians, Kosovars, Portuguese, Swiss, Christians and Muslims all rub shoulders on their own little patch of Switzerland, experiencing various ups and downs along the way.
More
More
Construction casts shadow over city gardens
This content was published on
Basel and Bern city authorities recently approved new building projects that will force the closure of dozens of allotment gardens. These green spaces are a colourful addition to urban landscapes, with vegetable and flower patches, garden sheds and national flags. The gardens are so popular in bigger Swiss cities, that there’s often a waiting list.…
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
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.
This content was published on
To mark Swiss National Day this year, we asked you to put on your nostalgic hats and think of anything that reminded you of Switzerland.
This content was published on
With audiences of half a million in Switzerland and 2.4 million worldwide, Alain Gsponer’s remake of Heidi has been hailed as the most successful film in the history of Swiss cinema. This claim is hard to verify, due to the lack of statistics. Anyway, what makes a Swiss film?
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.