MOVIES - DOCUMENTARIES
WELCOME TO SWITZERLAND
by Sabine Gisiger
VOD
In the summer of 2015, one million refugees seek sanctuary in Europe. 40,000 manage to reach Switzerland and 10 are allocated to Oberwil-Lieli, the wealthiest municipality in the Canton of Aargau. But Andreas Glarner, mayor and representative of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, intends to set an example and refuses to take in any refugees in his village. Johanna Gündel, student and daughter of a local vegetable farmer, fights this policy together with like-minded villagers. Meanwhile, mayor Glarner quickly ascends to the National Council and is promoted to become Head of Migration of his party. The Green Aargau Councillor Susanne Hochuli, who is responsible for the housing of asylum seekers, is worried that fear and ideology prevent us from finding wise solutions.
Based on the events in Oberwil-Lieli, «Welcome to Switzerland» tells the story of Switzerland in times of the so-called refugee crisis, showing what this country in the middle of Europe was, wants to be or could become.
Credits
Year: 2017
Country: Schweiz
Running Time: 83 Min.
Director: Sabine Gisiger
Author: Sabine Gisiger
Producer: Karin Koch
Camera: Helena Vagnières
Editor: Barbara Weber
Sound: Reto Stamm (u.a.)
Music: Balz Bachmann
Festivals 70. Locarno Film Festival 2017
41. São Paulo International Film Festival 2017
41. Duisburger Filmwoche 2017
9. Oregon State International Film Festival 2017
53. Solothurner Filmtage 2018
Festival du Film et Forum International sur les Droits Humains 2018
Human Vision Festival 2018
32. Bolzano Film Festival Bozen 2018
7. Swiss Film Festival Brazil 2018
17. Filmfestival in Radstadt