Swiss Directors Weigh In on Trend of English-Language Films at Venice

At the Venice Production Bridge, where Switzerland was the featured country, three prominent Swiss filmmakers convened to discuss a growing trend in their cinema: the shift toward producing films in English. Tim Fehlbaum, known for his acclaimed historical thriller “September 5,” joined directors Ursula Meier and Michael Koch for a panel titled “Beyond Borders: English as the New Language in Swiss Cinema?” moderated by Variety Italy and Middle East Correspondent Nick Vivarelli.

The discussion highlighted how several notable Swiss breakouts in recent years, including films by Petra Volpe, Damien Hauser, and Denis Rabaglia, have featured significant English dialogue or were shot entirely in the language. Fehlbaum revealed that his next project is a historical drama set in Berlin, which will utilize a bilingual approach of German and English.

“It’s set in Germany, and it’s historical, but it also has an American perspective on it,” Fehlbaum explained. “By changing one character to a person who doesn’t understand German, you suddenly have much more English, and it’s much easier to finance.”

Ursula Meier, currently in pre-production on “Quiet Land,” shared her experience working on an English-language film starring Bill Murray and Léa Seydoux. Although the story is set in Montana, production will take place in Alberta. Meier noted that while her English proficiency required a year of dedicated work during the scriptwriting process, the decision allowed her to tackle larger-scale narratives.

“For me, it’s interesting for my work to tell a bigger story, and everything in the U.S. is bigger,” Meier said. She also praised the physical approach American actors bring to roles, recalling her positive collaboration with Gillian Anderson on “Sister.”

Michael Koch recently explored similar dynamics in “Erosion,” which stars Peter Sarsgaard alongside non-professional actors from Swiss mountain villages. Koch described the casting choice as a deliberate creative decision to view the local world through the eyes of a stranger. He noted that the presence of a major American actor streamlined the financing process, comparing the experience to driving a “Ferrari” due to the increased budget and faster funding turnaround.

Fehlbaum emphasized that the choice to shoot in English must stem from the story itself. He reflected on his earlier career, noting that while he was urged to make his debut “Hell” in English, he trusted his instinct to keep it in German, a decision that paid off both domestically and internationally. Conversely, he admitted that shooting his follow-up “The Colony” in English was a misstep because the language did not serve the narrative diegetically.

The directors also touched upon the linguistic advantages of English for screenwriters, with Fehlbaum pointing out that English offers a vocabulary roughly three times larger than German, allowing for more concise scripts and richer subtext. However, he cautioned against relying on AI for translations, advocating instead for seasoned linguists to ensure authenticity and cultural nuance.

While acknowledging the challenges of communicating in a second language under the pressures of production, the filmmakers agreed that English remains just one tool in Switzerland’s multilingual repertoire. With German, French, Italian, and Romansh as official languages, Swiss directors view the adoption of English not as a replacement, but as an additional strategic option.