30/05/2008

The 11th Brooklyn International Film Festival – which is being held in New York from May 30-June 8 – has selected two Swiss features to screen in competition: Fulvio Bernasconi’s Out of Bounds (Ventura Film) and Lukas Erni’s Save Angel Hope (Vanquish Alliance Entertainment) [www.saveangelhope.com].

Out of Bounds was unveiled last summer at the Locarno Film Festival, where lead actor Michele Venitucci won the Silver Leopard for Best Actor. The film recounts the descent into hell of a young boxer from Trieste who is tempted by the easy money to be gained from illegal matches. This debut narrative feature by the young Tessin-born filmmaker is co-produced by Italy (ITC Movie and Bianca Film).

Very different in genre, Save Angel Hope centres on three crooks – played by Billy Boyd, Eva Birthistle and Luke Mably – who are caught in their own trap after launching a fundraising collection for a fictitious humanitarian organisation. This co-production between the UK (IMS 6 LLP) and Luxembourg (T-Films) had its premiere at the Cologne Comedy Festival in October 2007.

Reto Caffi’s Auf der Strecke – which won the Quartz for Best Short Film at the Swiss Film Awards and the 2008 Oscar for Best Foreign Student Film (see news) – is also on the line-up.

(Translated from French)