Christoph Schaub

How can structures, which take up defined, rigid portions of space, make us feel transcendence? How can chapels turn into places of introspection? How can walls grant boundless freedom? Driven by intense childhood impressions, director Christoph Schaub visits extraordinary churches, both ancient and futuristic, and discovers works of art that take him up to the skies and all the way down to the bottom of the ocean. With the help of architects Peter Zumthor, Peter Märkli, and Álvaro Siza Vieira, artists James Turrell and Cristina Iglesias, and drummer Sergé “Jojo” Mayer, he tries to make sense of the world and decipher our spiritual experiences using the seemingly abstract concepts of light, time, rhythm, sound, and shape. The superb cinematography turns this contemplative search into a multi-sensory experience.

How can structures, which take up defined, rigid portions of space, make us feel transcendence? How can chapels turn into places of introspection? How can walls grant boundless freedom? Driven by intense childhood impressions, director Christoph Schaub visits extraordinary churches, both ancient and futuristic, and discovers works of art that take him up to the skies and all the way down to the bottom of the ocean. With the help of architects Peter Zumthor, Peter Märkli, and Álvaro Siza Vieira, artists James Turrell and Cristina Iglesias, and drummer Sergé “Jojo” Mayer, he tries to make sense of the world and decipher our spiritual experiences using the seemingly abstract concepts of light, time, rhythm, sound, and shape. The superb cinematography turns this contemplative search into a multi-sensory experience.

Mona’s marriage with Gieri has gone a bit stale after twenty years. Inspired by the unorthodox proposals of the new parish priest, she tries to revive her marriage, which causes great turmoil, not only for Gieri but the entire village community.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian men and women – indigenous inhabitants and landless farmers – demand their right to existence by making a 400 kilometre protest march from Gwalior to Delhi. How can one fight for one’s rights without using violence? With such an important contemporary question, the film spreads far beyond the borders of India. It shows the multiple facets of this imposing protest march and focuses as well on the daily realities of these proud people.

Hundreds of thousands of Indian men and women – indigenous inhabitants and landless farmers – demand their right to existence by making a 400 kilometre protest march from Gwalior to Delhi. How can one fight for one’s rights without using violence? With such an important contemporary question, the film spreads far beyond the borders of India. It shows the multiple facets of this imposing protest march and focuses as well on the daily realities of these proud people.

Life could be wonderful for Livia and Marco: good-looking, young, and Tim's parents. Tim is nine months old. His screaming every night drives his parents around the bend, although he was supposed to cement their relationship. But instead of slumber and sex, it's the same every night: jump out of bed and into the wobbly old Golf whose engine sound is the only thing that calms Tim down. One night, the unbelievable happens…

A comedy about aging, youth and other eternal truths. Of all days, precisely on her fiftieth birthday, Julia has to experience that age makes you invisible. Frustrated, she goes shopping and makes an acquaintance, spontaneously deciding to spend the evening with this stranger, rather than with the guests of her own birthday party. They wait for her in a restaurant, all dressed up and groomed, lively debating the years that have passed. The truths and wisdom of Julia's closest friends on aging and growing old are drowned increasingly in sufficient quantities of alcohol. In the mean time, on her eightieth birthday, Leonie, sulking over the loss of youth, is rebelling against her daughter, the senior citizen's home, conventions, and old age in general - and joyfully sabotaging the party in her honor.

Five stories, all taking place on New Year's Eve in Zurich, Switzerland.

Five stories, all taking place on New Year's Eve in Zurich, Switzerland.

Schaub and Schindelm’s documentary follows two Swiss star architects, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, on two very different projects: the national stadium for the Olympic summer games in Peking 2008 and a city area in the provincial town of Jinhua, China.

Schaub and Schindelm’s documentary follows two Swiss star architects, Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron, on two very different projects: the national stadium for the Olympic summer games in Peking 2008 and a city area in the provincial town of Jinhua, China.

Finally adult and free? You wish! His father sees him as a future boss of the family-owned printing firm and his mother only wants the best for him. Sebastian can’t take it any more. On his eighteenth birthday he announces his departure to Geneva to work as an au pair in a family, looking after children and doing the household chores. To improve his French, of course! His father flips his lid, his mother is distraught. Only his sister Kathrin thinks her little brother is really cool… Very few men would be up to the challenge!

Finally adult and free? You wish! His father sees him as a future boss of the family-owned printing firm and his mother only wants the best for him. Sebastian can’t take it any more. On his eighteenth birthday he announces his departure to Geneva to work as an au pair in a family, looking after children and doing the household chores. To improve his French, of course! His father flips his lid, his mother is distraught. Only his sister Kathrin thinks her little brother is really cool… Very few men would be up to the challenge!

Franz Engi returns to his hometown after being away for 30 years. A lot of things have changed in that time. There are only few families with children left in the village and that is why the school is about to be closed down. Franz decides to save the school and teacher Eva's job in a very unusual way....

Молодая глухая послушница Антония, попавшая в монастырь еще девочкой, готовится стать монахиней. А пока каждый день она ездит в город в приют для бедных, чтобы помогать хозяину приюта готовить еду и убирать комнаты. Случайное знакомство с Микасом, иммигрантом из Литвы, знающим язык жестов, становится для нее большим, чем дружба. Но скоро Антония выясняет, что Микас зарабатывает на жизнь, промышляя карманным вороством. Ей предстоит сделать трудный выбор: остаться в монастыре или навсегда уйти в противоречивый мир, полный людских страстей.

Молодая глухая послушница Антония, попавшая в монастырь еще девочкой, готовится стать монахиней. А пока каждый день она ездит в город в приют для бедных, чтобы помогать хозяину приюта готовить еду и убирать комнаты. Случайное знакомство с Микасом, иммигрантом из Литвы, знающим язык жестов, становится для нее большим, чем дружба. Но скоро Антония выясняет, что Микас зарабатывает на жизнь, промышляя карманным вороством. Ей предстоит сделать трудный выбор: остаться в монастыре или навсегда уйти в противоречивый мир, полный людских страстей.

A documentary feature about architect Santiago Calatrava.

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).

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).

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

David has got himself pretty well organized, he’s got friends, jobs – not bad. Broods a little, but who doesn’t. Occasional political activity. He never really grasped why Wendel, his best friend for years, had left. Just took off. The fool. Emigrated. Back in the seventies, they had shared their lives, their love, their apartment and sometimes even the same woman. And now, what happens? Wendel comes back, out of the blue. They spend the day together.