Experience the Dark Side of Singing: VERRÄTER Premieres in Lucerne
50 members of SRG Zentralschweiz experienced the preview of VERRÄTER at the Bourbaki in Lucerne on Sunday, October 20, 2024. This is a Swiss film you have to see! It carries a weighty moral lesson that seems sadly relevant in our current climate.
Now, when you think of a film that paints a grim picture of World War II, you don’t typically picture Swiss yodelers and chocolate factories, do you? Meet Ernst Schrämli, the man who mistook his aspirations of becoming a Beethoven for a ticket to a firing squad. Talk about a short-lived career!
In a tale that could only evoke a sense of bitter irony, Schrämli, believing he had the vocal chops to rival the likes of Pavarotti, ends up selling Swiss military secrets to a Nazi spy. Because nothing screams “future opera star” like a side gig in treason, right? His misguided ambitions lead him straight to the texts of history—first Swiss sentenced to death for espionage. Don’t worry, there’s no need to Google “how to be an opera singer” after this escapade.
The Plot Thickens
VERRÄTER isn’t your standard bingo night emotional rollercoaster. It’s a film that excavates the story of a young dreamer who gets wrapped in the cloak of betrayal. It provides a riveting, if not cautionary, tale of how misplaced dreams can lead one down a path of annihilation—both personal and national. It’s that kind of film that has you questioning your own life choices while shaking your head at Schrämli’s failure to differentiate between ambition and utter foolishness.
Inside the Creative Process
After the film, there was an engaging Q&A session with the film’s creators, including Michael Krummenacher (the director), Dimitri Krebs (who plays Ernst), and Björn Magnusson (music). Yes, that’s right, they all came together to explain how such a profound narrative could be researched and filmed in just 27 days! That’s like cramming for an exam you didn’t study for—except if you fail it, you can’t blame the professor.
Dimitri Krebs, celebrating his film debut, amusingly shared his revolutionary method of acquiring the St. Gallen dialect: lots and lots of podcast binge-listening. So, if you’re looking for tips on mastering dialects, folks, get your earbuds ready. Forget about taking acting classes—this is the new masterclass!
The Financial Backbone of Swiss Cinema
VERRÄTER is brought to life by Contrast Film in conjunction with SRF and SRG/SSR, proving that Swiss filmmaking isn’t all about quaint tales of cuckoo clocks and chocolate. With around 34 million francs funneled into the industry every year, thanks to SRG’s Pacte de l’audiovisuel, it’s clear that the Swiss aren’t shy about supporting riveting cinematic tales—as long as they don’t involve yodeling.
Catch the Screening
Good news for film buffs! There are still a few places available for the screening at the Zug Film Festival on October 25th. But hurry up—the registration deadline is looming on October 23, 2024. Trust me; you don’t want to witness this piece of cinematic craftsmanship through a blurry camcorder in someone’s living room.
50 members of SRG Zentralschweiz experienced the preview of VERRÄTER at the Bourbaki in Lucerne on Sunday, October 20, 2024. It is a Swiss film that you have to see. He tells an important, impressive story that fits only too well into today’s times.
St. Gallen in World War II: Misguided in the belief that he could become a great singer in Germany, drifter Ernst Schrämli sells Swiss military information to a manipulative German Nazi spy. When his crime was discovered, Ernst became the first Swiss man to be sentenced to death for espionage and treason.
TRAITOR is a film based on true events about a young daydreamer from the provinces who is exploited and betrayed during the Second World War. Schrämli was the first of 17 traitors in Swiss history to be executed.
In conversation with the makers
Michael Krummenacher (director), Dimitri Krebs (main actor, Ernst Schrämli) and Björn Magnusson (music) answered questions from the audience after the film and gave insight into the process of creating their work, which was created in just 27 days of filming, but as an idea and The project had been in preparation for years. This also includes historical research in order to comprehensively examine the story of Ernst Schrämli. Dimitri Krebs, who is celebrating an impressive film debut with the role of Ernst Schrämli, described, among other things, how he acquired the St. Gallen dialect: listening to the radio and podcast and repeating it.
Co-produced with SRF and SRG
The historical feature film is produced by Contrast Film, among others, in co-production with SRF and SRG/SSR. As part of the SRG’s Pacte de l’audiovisuel with the Swiss film industry, around 34 million francs flow into Swiss filmmaking every year. The SRG is one of the most important sponsors of Swiss filmmaking.
