Swiss Filmmakers Debate English-Language Pivot at Venice — SkimNews
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- Tim Fehlbaum revealed his next project is a historical film set in Berlin, to be shot in both German and English, integrating an American perspective by adding a character who doesn't understand German to tip scenes into English and ease financing.
- Ursula Meier is in pre-production on "Quiet Land," an English-language film starring Bill Murray and Léa Seydoux, set in Montana but shooting in Alberta, with plans to shoot next year; she wrote the script in French before having it translated.
- Michael Koch recently shot "Erosion" with Peter Sarsgaard — an introduction made by Fehlbaum after their "September 5" collaboration — pairing a major American actor with non-professional Swiss mountain villagers to explore an outsider's perspective on a closed community.
- Fehlbaum warned against using AI to translate scripts, saying the human linguist on "September 5" did more than translate — he gave the dialogue "a different perspective and made it much more American" — emphasizing authenticity over speed.
- The panel "Beyond Borders: English as the New Language in Swiss Cinema?" took place at the Venice Production Bridge, where Switzerland is the 2026 country of focus, moderated by Variety's Nick Vivarelli.
- Fehlbaum argued language must be diegetically driven, pointing to the lukewarm reception of English-shot "The Colony" versus the German-language debut "Hell" and the English-language "September 5," which was justified by its American broadcaster POV.
Why it matters: Fehlbaum's Berlin-set reveal shows the concrete calculus Swiss directors now apply: English expands market reach, but only when the story demands it — here, an inserted non-German-speaking character is the lever. With Meier landing Bill Murray and Koch casting Peter Sarsgaard through Fehlbaum's introductions, the pipeline from Swiss cinema to Hollywood-scale talent is becoming routine rather than exceptional.
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