The 61st edition of the Solothurn Film Festival (21–28 January), showcasing the best of Swiss cinema, came to a close with a documentary from French-speaking Switzerland and a feature film from Ticino taking top honours. The coveted Solothurn Prize, worth CHF 60,000 (the most lucrative film prize in Switzerland), went to Who Is Still Alive [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nicolas Wadimoff
scheda film], the latest feature film by Geneva-based filmmaker Nicolas Wadimoff. Presented as a world premiere in the Giornate degli Autori at the Venice Film Festival last year, the film is an ensemble piece featuring nine refugees who recount their former lives, when life in Gaza was still possible. Who Is Still Alive is an essential document that keeps track of those who are disappearing under the horrified, yet indifferent, gaze of the entire world. The jury, composed of economist and diplomat Jean-Jacques de Dardel, filmmaker and producer Danae Elon, and actress Sarah Spale, praised “the way in which, through its form and content, the film has managed to tackle one of the most difficult tasks: creating a context far removed from the theatre of war in order to bring about a better understanding of physical destruction and human sacrifice.”

The Audience Award, worth CHF 20,000, was awarded to an Italian-language film for the second year running. Following on from Nicola Bellucci's touching Quir [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nicola Bellucci
scheda film], it is now the turn of Erik Bernasconi, from Ticino, and his coming-of-age film Becaària [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] to win the trophy. Adapted from the 2021 novel Il becaària by Ticino writer Giorgio Genetelli, the film tells the story of 16-year-old Mario, who leaves home alone for the first time to discover life. Clumsy and very endearing, the film's protagonist awakens the contrasting emotions of adolescence that we have all experienced. Deeply rooted in Ticino, yet universal in nature, the film touched the hearts of audiences in Solothurn.

Finally, the awards for Best Short Film and Best Animated Film complete the list of winners. The former, worth CHF 10,000, went to Attempt to cut down a tree in Zurich by Lara Alina Hofer, a wildly imaginative story combining toxic love, cyber comments, ecology and personal healing. The short film I'm Not Sure by Luisa Zürcher won the award for Best Animated Film, which also comes with a prize of CHF 10,000.

The winners:

Solothurn Prize
Who Is Still Alive [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Nicolas Wadimoff
scheda film] – Nicolas Wadimoff (Switzerland/France/Lebanon)

Audience Award
Becaària [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] – Erik Bernasconi (Switzerland)

Best Short Film
Attempt to cut down a tree in Zurich - Lara Alina Hofer (Switzerland)

Best Animated Film
I’m Not Sure - Luisa Zürcher (Switzerland, short film)