Switzerland’s Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF) has unveiled the programme for its 29th edition, with festival hits including Polite Society and The Sweet East, and a new format for its international series competition.
The festival includes 110 works, of which 53 are films, 27 are series, 28 are immersive experiences and two are installations.
Scroll down for the feature and series competition titles
GIFF includes four competition sections: international feature, international series, international immersive and the convergent competition – the latter section featuring projects from all three formats.
All 12 titles in the international feature competition are having a Swiss premiere at the festival. Films include Polite Society by Screen Star of Tomorrow 2021 Nida Manzoor, which launched at Sundance in January; and Sean Price Williams’ Cannes Directors’ Fortnight entry The Sweet East starring Talia Ryder. Filmmaker Stephanie Chuat will head the jury, alongside a selection of film students.
The festival has made changes to its international series competition, making all 10 series available in their entirety through a hybrid presentation format. Whereas most festivals play one or two episodes of a series, GIFF will present the first episodes in cinemas; while making the rest of the series available through personalized viewing links. Titles include the international premieres of Teenage Kiss: The Future Is Dead and Adriano Cappelletta’s Australian series In Our Blood.
The jury for the series competition consists of three festival-goers, who were selected via a social media callout. Potential jurors first answered a quiz on television series; before a smaller group were asked to send letters demonstrating their motivation for taking part.
The festival will award three honorary prizes, to the Kourtrajme school founded by Ladj Ly; to electronic musician Jean-Michel Jarre; and to Swiss invention the Nagra, a portable recorder, with Nagra board member Marguerite Kudelski accepting that prize.
Guests attending the festival will include filmmakers Ly, Matteo Garrone, Ramata-Toulaye Sy and Romain Gavras. The festival will also hold the 11th edition of the Geneva Digital Market (GDM), which set its programme last month, opening with a talk on artificial intelligence.
”This third edition has given me the opportunity to refine the role of GIFF and the GDM as places to reflect on and experiment with the potential of audiovisual media,” said Anais Emery, executive and artistic director of GIFF. ”This approach requires constant research and an ability to adapt easily to change. This latest edition of the GIFF offers content and encounters that illustrate the scope of contemporary audiovisual whilst showcasing important movements in Swiss cultural history.”
GIFF will run from November 3-11.
Geneva International Film Festival 2023
International feature competition
After The Fire (Fr) dir. Mehdi Fikri
Banel & Adama (Fr-Sen-Mali-Qat)
Blaga’s Lessons (Bul-Ger) dir. Stephan Komandarev
The Universal Theory (Austria-Ger-Swiss) dir. Timm Kroger
Holly (Bel-Neth-Lux-Fr) dir. Fien Troch
Spirit Of Ecstasy (Fr) dir. Helena Klotz
Polite Society (UK) dir. Nida Manzoor
Sidonie In Japan (Fr-Ger-Swiss-Jap) dir. Elise Girard
Snow Leopard (China) dir. Pema Tseden
The Sweet East (US) dir. Sean Price Williams
Upon Entry (Sp) dirs. Alejandro Rojas, Juan Sebastian Vasquez
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (Can) dir. Ariane Louis-Seize
International series competition
Agent (Den) cre. Nikolaj Lie Kaas
A Propos D’Antoine (Can) cre. Cathleen Rouleau
Boat Story (UK) cres. Harry Williams, Jack Williams
Chanshi (Isr) cre. Aleesa Chanowitz
In Our Blood (Australia) cre. Adriano Cappelletta
Poemas Malditos (Chile) cre. Juan Ignacio Sabatini
Prisoner (Den) cres. Kim Fupz Aakeson, Frederik Louis Hviid, Michael Noer
Teenage Kiss: The Future is dead (Braz) cres. Peppe Siffredi, Mariana Yousef
The Actor (Iran) cre. Nima Javidi
The Club (Bel) cres. Zita Theunynch, Leander Verdievel
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