Beresina oder Die letzten Tage der Schweiz (1999)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Daniel Schmid

Writer:

Martin Suter (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 1999 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Political | Military | Fetish | Folklore | Coup D'état

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Elena Panova	...	Irina
Geraldine Chaplin	...	Charlotte De
Martin Benrath	...	Alt-Divisionär Sturzenegger
Ulrich Noethen	...	Dr. Alfred Waldvogel
Iván Darvas	...	Direktor Vetterli
Marina Confalone	...	Benedetta Hösli
Stefan Kurt	...	Claude Bürki
Hans-Peter Korff	...	Nationalrat Tschanz
Joachim Tomaschewsky	...	Alt Bundesrat von Gunten
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ulrich Beck
Ivan Desny	...	Rudolf Stauffacher
Schuyler Landolt
Hilde Ziegler	...	Frau Vetterli

Directed by
Daniel Schmid

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Martin Suter		writer

Produced by
Karl Baumgartner	....	co-producer
Marcel Hoehn	....	producer
Michael Seeber	....	co-producer
Heinz Stussak	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Carl Hänggi

Cinematography by
Renato Berta

Film Editing by
Daniela Roderer

Production Design by
Kathrin Brunner

Costume Design by
Birgit Hutter

Production Management
Antje Paul Leinberger	....	executive in charge of production (as Antje Paul)
Peter Spoerri	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcel Just	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Thérèse Traber	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Sören Blüthgen	....	foley recordist
Stefan Korte	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kai Storck	....	sound re-recording mixer assistant
Luc Yersin	....	sound
Guido Zettier	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Meyer	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Catherine Schneider	....	wardrobe

Production Companies

• Cinema Projects GmbH
• Pandora Filmproduktion
• Prisma Film
• T&C Film AG

Distributors

• Pegasos Film (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Connaissance du Cinéma (France)

Also Known As:

Beresina (Switzerland: German title) (short title)
The Last Days of Switzerland (Hong Kong: English title)

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Switzerland | Germany | Austria

Language:

German | Swiss German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:U | Germany:12 (f) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud)

Company:

Cinema Projects GmbH

That's Switzerland

One of my favourite playwrights is Friedrich Dürrenmatt who came from Switzerland and wrote plays of some let's say political-philosophical significance. He used to turn the world (especially the Swiss one) around and examine it from a rather twisted point of view, but usually he hit the nail on the head. This movie transfers in a hilarious way the Swiss mentality as Dürrenmatt would have presented it. Daniel Schmid gives a wonderful satirical portrait of his country although there aren't almost any Swiss actors speaking the „Schwytzerdytsch` other German speaking citizens usually spoof about Switzerland, and although the two leading characters are not Swiss but Russian and from another country (I couldn't filter out which). Weird jokes, surprisingly good actors and a satirical plot that gets better and better in course of the movie make „Beresina` a sadistic pleasure for every viewer. Of course, the ending and the message of the movie are somewhat exaggerated, but that's what satires are supposed to be. And people who know Switzerland will admit that in the main most things are not too far-fetched. I would be happy, if anybody would produce such a fine movie about my country.