Films

In development

Calabria

by Pierre-François Sauter

117 min. documentary 2016

CALABRIA is a road movie in a hearse. After the death of a Calabrian emigrant who came to Switzerland to find work, two undertakers, Jovan and José, emigrants themselves, travel from the north to the south of Italy to repatriate the deceased to his home village. Jovan, a gypsy who was singer in Belgrade, believes in life after death, while José, a Portuguese man with a passion for culture, believes only what he sees. Together, all of them face the trip’s surprises and contingencies. Their voyage at once pays tribute to the dead person and celebrates Life.

DVD for sale at the boutique RTS, at Obsession Records, or by sending an email to info@lelaboratoirecentral.com

  • Award for Best International Competition Film, Doclisboa 2016 (Lisbon – Portugal)
  • Award for Best International Competition Film, FIDBA 2017 (Buenos Aires – Argentina)
  • “Big Golden Nanook”, Award for the best film of the festival, Flahertiana 2017 (Perm – Russie)
  • Award for Best International Competition Panorama Film, SANFICI 2018 (Santander – Colombia)
  • Excellence Award, Feature International Documentary Film, ConstruirCine Festival 2018 (Argentina)
  • Special Jury Mention, Visions du Réel 2016 (Nyon – Suisse)

Summer 2017 in German-speaking Switzerland
Fall 2017 in French-speaking Switzerland
Fall 2018 in Argentina, Premiere at cinema Cosmos UBA, Buenos Aires

Press kit
(to download photos and documents, please ask us the password)

Articles (selection)

With Jovan Nikolic and José Russo Baião
Written and directed by : Pierre-François Sauter
DOP : Joakim Chardonnens, Pierre-François Sauter
Sound : Patrick Becker, Masaki Hatsui
Picture editing : Anja Bombelli
Sound editing : Jérôme Cuendet
Sound design : Étienne Curchod

Production : Nadejda Magnenat, Le Laboratoire Central, Hercli Bundi, Mira Film.
In coproduction with RTS Radio Télévision Suisse, documentary unit.
With the financial support of the Federal Office of Culture, Cinéforom and Loterie Romande, Zürcher Filmstiftung, Fonds culturel Suissimage, Succès Passage Antenne, Succès Cinéma.
Project development supported by a grant from the Société Suisse des Auteurs (SSA)
(working title : En chair et en os)