GIFF charts the production of Swiss series

The 29th edition of the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF, 3 – 12 November) will present an out-of-competition selection of brand-new Swiss series showcasing the country’s thriving production scene. Charting the impressive variety of the Swiss series landscape, the program will present three productions chosen to illustrate the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity, including two world premieres: the Ticinese dark thriller Alter Ego, the return of Swiss-German super-cop Bax in Tschugger III and the hotly anticipated adaptation of the Jura-based comic Les Indociles. Collectively, these works demonstrate the impressive breadth of ambition in Switzerland’s approach to audiovisual production. The artistic teams and cast involved in these series will be in attendance during the Festival.

Les Indociles

Les Indociles (S1, ep. 1-2) | Created by Joanne Giger, Camille Rebetez and Delphine Lehericey I 2023 | CH | 5×50’ | Production: Box Productions and RTS | Sales: Oble | RTS and Play Suisse broadcast: November 2023 | Swiss premiere

Inspired by the eponymous comic created by Loitchou Camille Rebetez and Porrentruy-based cartoonist Pitch Comment, Les Indociles follows the exploits of three friends who, over four decades in the heart of the Jura region, unshackle themselves from societal constraints to create a pioneering community. The series deals not so much with idealism as with the notion of an atypical community’s commitment to its members – in particular the most disadvantaged – under the crumbling roof of an ancient farm. This commitment and the friendships it fosters withstand the ravages of time in the form of relentless crises, including the AIDS epidemic, the explosion of drug addiction and innumerable broken hearts. This is a rare opportunity to discover what promises to be one of this autumn’s defining series before it airs on RTS.

Alter Ego

Alter Ego (S1, ep. 1-2) | Created by Claudia Bellana, Carlotta Balestrieri, Erik Bernasconi, Andrea Valeri | 2023 | CH | 6×45’ | Production: Amka Films Productions and RSI | RSI and Play Suisse broadcast: December 2023 | World premiere

What is hiding in the shadows of the sunniest part of the country? What shocking secrets lie beneath the innocent façade of a community that considers itself above suspicion? Such are the questions posed by the first national series filmed entirely in the canton of Ticino, a police thriller jam-packed with plot twists. Brutal murders and gripping investigations are in plentiful supply from Erik Bernasconi and Robert Ralston, who also directed the series. The GIFF is delighted to be presenting the series ahead of its broadcast in three languages on SRG SSR channels and platforms. 

Tschugger III

Tschugger III (S3, ep. 1-2) | Created by David Constantin & Mats Frey | 2023 | CH | 5×30’ | Production: Shining Film and SRF | SRF and Play Suisse broadcast: November-December 2023 | World premiere

Not content with having gained nationwide public renown, David Constantin and Mats Frey return with a new series which has caused an international stir by provoking hilarity among our German and Austrian neighbors. Will it hit the spot with French-speaking viewers? That’s surely what the casting of Vincent Kucholl and Vincent Veillon – two of the best-loved mischief-makers in French-speaking Switzerland – looks set to do, with the duo starring as J.-P. Rudaz and J.-C. Clavien, two officers based at police headquarters in the Valais. With a fourth series already in the pipeline, expect the Pennine Alps to be alive with the sound of laughter for some time to come!