Swiss Films, Visions du Réel Give Voice to the Discriminated at First Cannes Docs Swiss Showcase

variety.com:

Annika Pham According to the European Audiovisual Observatory, Switzerland is ranked third in Europe for its yearly output of documentaries, with more than 70 titles in 2023.

On May 19, it will unveil four of its most promising features at the Swiss Cannes Docs Showcase. The event is jointly organized by the national promotional agency Swiss Films, Visions du Réel —the country’s sole non-fiction film festival—and Cannes Docs. “It’s actually the very first Swiss Showcase of docs-in-progress ever at Cannes Docs!” said Pierre-Alexi Chevit, head of the sought-after doc industry event. “We’ve been talking about it with Swiss Films for many years, and it’s now finally happening in the framework of Swiss Country of Honour at the Marché du Film this year,” he added. “It is fabulous to have Visions du Réel as a key collaborator for this Showcase, as it is such a great festival, run by amazing people, and always bringing together such talented filmmakers and so many passionate industry professionals.

I love going there every year (though it’s so close to Cannes!), and I very much enjoy moderating the feedback roundtables with the Visions du Réel–Pitching project-holders!”, said Chevit.

Making their debuts are four wide-ranging titles jointly selected by Swiss Films and Visions du Réel. “The Swiss doc panorama is, of course, representative of the various linguistic and cultural areas of the Confederation, so that makes it particularly diverse in form and content,” Chevit continues. “If you add the country’s strong tradition of international co-productions, you end up with a very stimulating and multifaceted Swiss doc scene.