Hollywood Talks Shop with Swiss director/producer Claudio Fäh

Congratulations to Claudio Fäh, the Goethe Institut and the Consul General of Switzerland’s Cultural Department for a successful SOLD OUT soiree, screening “Sniper: Reloaded” (release to Blue Ray DVD April 2011). What a great evening! Thank You!

Here’s what you missed in case  you couldn’t make it:

The Goethe Institut’s Hollywood Talks Shop is in its seventh season and features Swiss director/producer Claudio Fäh and a sneak preview of his new film “Sniper: Reloaded”. Claudio will be the first guest in the 2011 series, where industry insiders share their thoughts on Hollywood and provide an entertaining and informative look behind the scenes.

Claudio Fäh was born in Central Switzerland’s Altdorf. He later moved to Zürich where he completed a MA of Arts in German Literature and Linguistics and English Literature. Then followed professional studies in Film/Television at the UCLA in Los Angeles.

Most recently, Claudio has produced and directed SNIPER: RELOADED,  the fourth installment of the SNIPER franchise, starring Billy Zane, Richard Sammel and introducing Chad Michael Collins. The movie will be released worldwide in 2011 by Sony’s Stage 6 Films.

Before that, Claudio has produced THE HOLE for legendary director Joe Dante and Bold Films. THE HOLE  was in the official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival and was invited to the International Film Festival Venice, where it took home the “SD Persol Award” for best 3D feature film of the year. A vivid experiment in 3D, Claudio was supervising the multiplicity of challenging effects in which he is so well versed.

Prior to THE HOLE, Claudio directed HOLLOW MAN 2 for Dough Wick and Lucy Fisher’s Red Wagon Entertainment and Sony Pictures. The sequel to Paul Verhoeven’s blockbuster “Hollow Man” starred Christian Slater and Peter Facinelli, now of “Twilight” fame. The movie premiered to outstanding sales and was nominated for a Saturn Award.

On the heels of the success of HOLLOW MAN 2, Claudio continued his relationship with Sony by assuming Executive Producer duties on STARSHIP TROOPERS 3: MARAUDER. The movie was written and directed by Ed Neumeier, writer/creator of “Robocop” and writer of the first “Starship Troopers”. The third installment of Sony’s wildly successful Sci-Fi saga starred Caspar Van Dien and earned Claudio another nomination for a Saturn Award.

For CBS a Sander/Moses Productions Claudio directed the award-winning original web series GHOST WHISPERER: THE OTHER SIDE, a scripted online companion series to CBS’s “Ghost Whisperer”, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The web series was the winner of the TV Guide Online Award for “Best Online TV Drama”. CBS quickly followed up with a second season, also directed by Claudio Faeh.

Produced on a shoe string budget in 2003, CORONADO, featuring John Rhys-Davies, was Claudio’s feature film debut as a director and co-writer. The movie, a tour de force of humorous action and well-rendered special effects, sold successfully to 35 countries and was acquired for domestic release by DEJ Distribution.

Prior to his feature film debut, Claudio wrote and directed several short films for which he received numerous international awards including the “Young Spielberg Award” at Fast Video Competition, the “Gold Medal” at the JVC Tokyo Film Festival, 3time “Finalist Award” at the World fest Houston, “Prix des Industries Techniques” at the Film festival Geneva, “Filmfluss Award” Zurich, etc. ..

In between feature films and TV work, Claudio has directed award winning commercials in his native Europe (winner of Swiss Advertising Award for Best Director “EDI” 2009, winner of Silver Medal at New York Festivals 2008).

Hollywood Talks shop:

The Consulate General of Switzerland is proud to present together with the Goethe Institut Los Angeles this young Swiss filmmaker with his “fresh out of the oven” finished  feature “SNIPER: RELOADED”. The Film will be released on DVD beginning March. If you think you are not into action movies, come out anyway and see this action film with an interesting political plot, hear Claudio’s stories about the shooting in South Africa, about Elephants assisting to create an authentic film set and giraffes helping him to get the most beautiful shot of the African sunset sky free of charge.

Take the opportunity to meet this distinguished Swiss filmmaker, who is an excellent natural storyteller.

Synopsis Sniper: Reloaded:
A squad of US marines, stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is ambushed by an unknown enemy sniper. The sole survivor of the attack is Marine Sergeant Brandon Becket. Against his commanding officer’s orders, Brandon sets out to find the enemy sniper that murdered his squad. With the mentorship of his father’s friend, Brandon learns the ways of a sniper to exact revenge.

Sniper: Reloaded is the fourth installment of the Sniper franchise and stars Billy Zane, Richard Sammel and Chad Michael Collins. The movie will be released on DVD worldwide in April 2011 by Sony’s Stage 6 Films.

Goethe-Institut Los Angeles
5750 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Dinner & Movie: “Krokus – As Long As We Live” – Documentary film by Reto Caduff

Mark your calendar: JANUARY 12, 2011 @  7.00 pm
Dinner and a Movie @ Chalet Edelweiss

Get your long mane wigs, rocker boots and leather jacket out of the closet and join Hardrock Fans to rock’n roll at the Chalet Edelweiss near LAX – AND meet Angeleno-Swiss director Reto Caduff!

With over 10 million records sold, 80’s hard rock gods “Krokus” are still the most successful Swiss band ever making it big in the USA and England. Band, former members, managers, record execs and groupies recall the unbelievable story of five guys from small town Solothurn in Switzerland who left their cozy homeland in the late 70’s to rock the world – and the consequences they suffered of living the dream.

A Swiss “spinal Tap” – far from your average “rockumentary” <Krokus – As Long As We Live> is the cautious tale of a 30 year rollercoaster ride through music history with all the ingredients of great dramas: broken friendships, illness, drugs, sex, fights, overblown egos, money and lots of naiveté. It is only rock’n roll – but it has changed the lives of our protagonists forever.

Entry Dinner & Movie: $ 20.-, RSVP please – Menu tba.

Chalet Edelweiss
8740 Sepulveda Blvd.
Westchester, CA 90045
Tel: 310 645 8740

Screening: The Visual Language of Herbert Matter, by Reto Caduff

Angeleno-Swiss Filmmaker & Director Reto Caduff is screening his documentary film “The Visual Language of Herbert Matter” on Saturday, January 8th @ 2pm – LACMA – Bing Theatre – 5905 Wilshire – LA, CA 90036.

About Reto: Award-winning writer, director and producer, Reto Caduff has directed a number of acclaimed documentaries. His most recent film was on jazz bass legend Charlie Haden. The film Charlie Haden – Rambling Boy (2009) has screened on TV and was shown at many festivals including Telluride, Vancouver, Hof, Barcelona, Washington, Santa Barbara and Buenos Aires.

Caduff made himself a name as a compelling story-teller with a subtle eye for details releasing “Krokus – As long as we live”, a documentary about the rise and fall of the hard rock band Krokus, for which he won the Zurich Film Award in 2006. He co-directed the award-winning film about the end of cheap oil “A crude awakening: The oil crash” (2007).

The same year he founded the Zurich based production company PiXiU Films with partner Laurin Merz. They currently produce a film about Austrian artist Erwin Wurm as well as several TV shows.

Born in 1967 and raised in Zurich, Switzerland, Caduff started his career as a typographer and graphic designer. During those studies he discovered the work of Herbert Matter. Having the strong desire to express himself in other forms than just on paper, Caduff became a host for Swiss National Radio DRS 3 and successfully launched his own record company Luxnoise and 150BPM. Equipped with an artistic eye, he started directing music videos for his signed acts and discovered a great passion for the moving image. Caduff then joined Swiss National Television as a producer and director where he co-created ZEBRA, a youth program, that quickly became a huge success.  Wanting to break through the limited possibilities in making films in his country, Caduff moved to New York City in 1994, where he started making documentaries on low-rider fanatics, kids and guns or UFO believers.

In addition to his film work, Caduff is also a successful TV director, having directed documentaries like “Lovebugs: Taiwan Jetlag” and  reality TV formats such as Popstars and Big Brother, the series “Ton Spur” and works as a consultant for international media companies.