Swiss competition 2026
Animal lovers can look forward to the sensual appeal of an erotic bestiary (“Sensual”), the audacity of an intrusive frog (“Cold Bathroom”), a forest inhabited by haunting creatures (“The Rootman”) and even the sudden decline of our messengers of yesteryear (“Pigeons”).
More profoundly human themes are also explored, ranging from the endeavours of a devoted caregiver (“Stärneschii”) to an exile’s tribute to her grandfather (“The Taste of Pineapple Bread”). Some of the action takes place on wheels, such as during a solitary road trip in a converted bus (“Bedrooms Make No Sense”), a high-speed car chase in a convertible (“Chaos Ex Machina”) and even in the realm of the absurd (“To Kill a Velofahrer”). In addition, a number of formally ambitious works are likely to leave a lasting impression: a reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s work (“The Picture of Dorian Gray”), a tribute to London from unexpected perspectives (“My Peckham Experiment”), abstract movements (“Symbionts”) and the luminous doe set against an electro-pop backdrop (“Miserere Mei”).
Can coming to terms with grief jeopardise survival in space (“Lost Touch”)? Can viewing figures replace justice (“What’s Your Verdict”)? And how do you get rid of the goblins that have taken up residence in your own body (“Vilain Jardin”)? The answers can be found in the two programmes, which comprise the 19 films selected for the Swiss Competition.