Martin Witz

The story of the great Swiss engineer Othmar H. Ammann, who moves away in 1904 and redefines the rules of bridge construction in America - for decades and in a spectacular way. The beginning of motorisation, the post-war years, urbanisation and the consumer society: Ammann is not only in the middle of it, he is with his bridges a dynamic player, an agent of progress - and the belief in it.

The story of the great Swiss engineer Othmar H. Ammann, who moves away in 1904 and redefines the rules of bridge construction in America - for decades and in a spectacular way. The beginning of motorisation, the post-war years, urbanisation and the consumer society: Ammann is not only in the middle of it, he is with his bridges a dynamic player, an agent of progress - and the belief in it.

While managers of Swiss banks in the USA ruefully apologize for their tax evasions practices and customer data is disclosed to the American authorities, Rudolf Elmer, former auditor at bank Julius Bär, is indicted for violating the Swiss banking secrecy law on the Cayman Islands. Rudolf Elmer: from insider to critic.

El 16 de abril de 1943 en Suiza, el químico Albert Hofmann se encontraba trabajando en su laboratorio de ciencias naturales cuando se topó con algo completamente nuevo, la dietilamida de ácido lisérgico, el LSD. Tres días más tarde, el científico decidió experimentar consigo mismo, primero con dosis muy pequeñas. La sustancia resultó ser mucho más fuerte que cualquier cosa conocida por la ciencia. Su experimento se convirtió en un viaje hacia lo desconocido. Sus efectos no tardaron en despertar el interés de los psiquiatras de todo el mundo para tratar enfermedades como la esquizofrenia y otras psicosis.

El 16 de abril de 1943 en Suiza, el químico Albert Hofmann se encontraba trabajando en su laboratorio de ciencias naturales cuando se topó con algo completamente nuevo, la dietilamida de ácido lisérgico, el LSD. Tres días más tarde, el científico decidió experimentar consigo mismo, primero con dosis muy pequeñas. La sustancia resultó ser mucho más fuerte que cualquier cosa conocida por la ciencia. Su experimento se convirtió en un viaje hacia lo desconocido. Sus efectos no tardaron en despertar el interés de los psiquiatras de todo el mundo para tratar enfermedades como la esquizofrenia y otras psicosis.

Zurich-born Hugo Koblet was the first international cycling star of the post-war period. He was a stylist on the bicycle and in life, and a huge heartthrob. Koblet had a meteoric rise and won the Giro d'Italia in 1950. Once he had reached the zenith of his career, Koblet was put under pressure by overly ambitious officials and ended up ruining his health with drugs. In 1954, he married a well-known model and they became a celebrity dream couple. After his athletic career ended, Koblet began to lose his footing. Threatened by bankruptcy, he crashed his Alfa into a tree.

A documentary. David Sieveking takes the advice of his idol, David Lynch and tries out Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's transcendental meditation technique.

Max Frisch was the last big Swiss intellectual widely respected as a “voice” in its own right – a character hardly found today. The film retells Frisch’s story as a witness of the unfolding 20th century, wondering if such “voices” are needed at all, or if we could do without them.

Documentary about Swiss grocery store pioneer Gottlieb Duttweiler

Documentary about Swiss grocery store pioneer Gottlieb Duttweiler

A documentary feature about architect Santiago Calatrava.

The Futurist dream of architecture in motion here becomes reality: the Casa Girasole-its name describing its project-follows the light of the sun, for it is so constructed that it is capable of completely turning on its own axis. Fictional characters, joined by the old mechanical operator of the house and the daughter of the engineer, create a connection with this work of architecture and its history (Swiss Films).

Directed by Christoph Schaub

A Swiss documentary