Thomas Haemmerli is about to celebrate his fortieth birthday when he learns of his mother’s death. A further shock follows when he and his brother Erik discover her apartment, which is filthy and full to bursting with junk. It takes the brothers an entire month to clean out the place. Among the chaos, they find films going back to the 1930s, photos and other memorabilia. Gradually they piece together a strange and unique family saga, in which baronesses and counts, Latin Lovers and Nazi officers play a role, and even the young Kofi Annan makes an appearance. A fast-paced and surprisingly funny story about an unusual legacy.
Born in Zurich. Joint Swiss and German citizenship. Studied Philosophy and Jurisprudence. Worked in advertising and for television stations. Works as French correspondent, author and columnist.
Mirjam von Arx studied journalism and worked for close to two decades as a writer for various magazines. In 1991, she moved to New York and started directing her first films. She founded ican films in 2002, through which she has produced several award-winning theatrical documentaries, including VIRGIN TALES, winner of the Zurich Film Prize 2012 and finalist of the Maysles Brothers Award 2012, and THE SCENT OF FEAR (2022) which is narrated by Katja Riemann and Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo and won the Migros Culture Percentage Swiss Documentary film competition. Her latest film HOME IS THE OCEAN (2024, directed by Livia Vonaesch) had its world premiere at the Int. Documentary Competition of the 20th Zurich Film Festival 2024.
Mirjam von Arx is a member of the European Film Academy and the Swiss Film Academy.
Born in Zurich. Joint Swiss and German citizenship. Studied Philosophy and Jurisprudence. Worked in advertising and for television stations. Works as French correspondent, author and columnist.
Daniel Cherbuin learned audio-video electronics ab initio. At the beginnings of commercial television he was the creative force of Sputnik-TV, an innovative and experimental channel emerging from Zurich’s underground techno scene. Cherbuin has been converting music into clips and visuals in ingenious ways for numerous bands, namely Yello and Division Kent. Various collaborations with Thomas Haemmerli, for art and experimental films and even one cine-film. For umpteen years Cherbuin has been staging the intersection of alternative art spaces and underground parties with his video installations. In doing so Cherbuin’s oeuvres impress with highly innovative montages, idiosyncratic alliances of images, as well as an anarchic tenor: with irony, and pastiche Cherbuin is mocking the blasé in commerce and culture and smoothes the sublimes and ponderous of the art system away.
Born 1971. Studied Set Decoration at the Zurich University of the Arts. Since 1991, Frutiger has composed soundtracks for numerous theatrical and TV productions; in addition he has contributed music to various music concepts, shows, animations and postproduction. He has been honored with 6 Awards for his film compositions.
