Swiss films travelling on wheels
On the occasion of '70 years of Swiss-Indian friendship', the Swiss representations in India presented the event series "70 Years of Swiss Indian Friendship: Connecting Minds – Inspiring the Future" (SIF70).
The event was officially launched by the President of the Swiss Confederation, Doris Leuthard, during her State visit to India on September 1, 2017. The events and activities started in April 2017 and will continue to take place in various cities across India to highlight this important landmark until the end of 2018.
As a part of the event, Swiss representations in India initiated to bring the best of children's movies from Switzerland to various regions in India. The films 'Heidi' and 'My Life as a Zucchini' are travelling on a special bus to spread the message of friendship, understanding, respect, and inclusiveness. The 'Swiss Films on Wheels' has been touring India since March 6. Screening the films for school students and for communities, the bus has visited more than 30 cities so far.
On November 3, the bus arrived in Kolkata and was welcomed by Umesh Chowdhary, Honorary Consul, Consulate of Switzerland. Three NGO founded schools hosted the movies – Hamari Muskan South Kolkata, Ektara on the same day and Future Hope Foundation featured the films on November 4.
Heidi directed by Alain Gsponer is a fiction film released in December 2015. The story is about Heidi, a five-year-old orphan who is taken to live with her grumpy, outcast grandfather in the Swiss mountains.
Ma Vie de Courgette (My Life as Zucchini) by Claude Barras was released in 2016 and is about a little boy again. 'Zucchini' - an unusual nickname for a 9-year-old boy, yet his unique story is surprisingly universal. After his mother's sudden death, Zucchini is befriended by the kind police officer Raymond, who accompanies Zucchini to his new foster home filled with other orphans his age.
With this initiative, the Swiss diplomatic network in India is connecting Swiss and Indian minds that are actively shaping the future of both countries. The focus lies on creating opportunities for innovation in business, research, and technology, but also in the fields of governance, art or social inclusion.
