VEGA FILM
switzerland
Company Profile
Ruth Waldburger is the owner of the production company Vega Film AG and the distribution company Vega Distribution AG. Vega Film (founded in 1988) is one of the most renowned film production companies in Switzerland, having produced over 100 films, many of which were awarded important prizes. Some of them are international coproductions, like JOHNNY SUEDE, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Tom DiCillo, which won the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival in 1991 and ON CONNAÎT LA CHANSON by Alain Resnais (Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 1998) or NOTRE MUSIQUE by Jean- Luc Godard (Grand Prix FIPRESCI at the San Sebastian Film Festival in 2004). Throughout the years, no less than 11 films by Jean-Luc Godard were produced by Ruth Waldburger.
Furthermore VEGA produced numerous Swiss films, among which LA PETITE CHAMBRE by Stéphanie Chuat and Véronique Reymond, awarded the Quartz (Swiss Film Award) for Best fiction film and representing Switzerland at the Oscars in 2010. In 2011, THE TURIN HORSE by Béla Tarr was awarded the Jury Grand Prix – Silver Bear in Berlin, and more recently L‘ENFANT D‘EN HAUT (SISTER) by Ursula Meier won the Special Award – Silver Bear. In 2018, Germinal Roaux‘ FORTUNA won the Crystal Bear for Best Film as well as the International Jury prize for Best Film at the 68th Berlin Film Festival (Generation 14plus competition).
The Locarno Film Festival awarded Ruth Waldburger in 2003 with the Raimondo Rezzonico Life Achievement Award for the entirety of her production activities. In 2015, she received the Bremen Film Award for her contribution to the European film industry.
Company Highlights
IDES 2021
Genre: Science-Fiction
Director: Tim Fehlbaum
Screenplay: Tim Fehlbaum, Mariko Minoguchi
Cast: Nora Arnezeder, Iain Glen, Sarah-Sofie Boussina, Sope Dirisu, Sebastian Roché, Joel Basman, Bella Bading,
Eden Gough et al.
When Earth became uninhabitable for humans, the ruling elite colonized the planet Kepler 209, but its atmosphere made the new inhabitants barren. Two generations later, a program is to determine whether life on Earth is possible again: Mission Ulysses II is to bring certainty. The space capsule gets out of control when it enters the Earth's atmosphere. The astronaut Blake (NORA ARNEZEDER) is the only one to survive the landing - but she has to realize that she is not alone on Earth. A fight for survival begins, and Blake must make decisions that will determine the fate of all mankind.
German Film Award 2021: Best Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film Score, Best Production Design, Best Hair & Make-Up, Best visual Effects,
NIFFF 2021: RTS-audience award, Best Production design
Shown at Berlinale Special 2021, in Competition at Sites International Film Festival 2021
SCHWESTERLEIN / PETITE SOEUR 2020
Genre: Fiction
Director: Stéphanie Chuat & Véronique Reymond
Screenplay: Stéphanie Chuat & Véronique Reymond
Cast: Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller, Jens Albinus,
Brilliant playwright, Lisa no longer writes. She lives in Switzerland with her family but her heart has stayed in Berlin, beating to the rhythm of her brother’s heart. The ties between the twins have grown stronger since Sven was diagnosed with an aggressive type of leukaemia. He’s a famous theatre actor and Lisa refuses to accept his fate, moving heaven and earth to get him back on stage. She gives her all for her soul mate, neglecting everything else, even risking her marriage. Her relationship with her husband starts to fall apart, but Lisa only has eyes for her brother, her mirror, who connects her back with her deepest aspirations and rekindles her desire to create, to feel alive...
In Competition at Berlinale 2020
FORTUNA 2017
Genre: Fiction
Director: Germinal Roaux
Screenplay: Germinal Roaux
Cast: Kidist Siyum Beza, Bruno Ganz, Patrick D’Assumçao, Yoann Blanc
Fortuna (14), a young Ethiopian teenage girl, has had no news of her parents since arriving in Lampedusa, Italy. Together with other refugees, she is given shelter for the winter in a Swiss catholic hospice at an altitude of over 2000 meters. While they wait for their fate to be decided by the Swiss authorities, Fortuna meets Kabir, a 26-year-old African refugee, and falls desperately in love. Their relationship develops in secret, till the day Kabir disappears.
68th Berlin IFF (2018) Awards: Crystal Bear for Best Film, Grand Prix of the Generation 14+ International Jury
5th Edition Cinema Sneakers FF Warszawa (2018) Award: First Prize Youth Feature Film Competition
Festival International du Film Francophone de Tübingen 2018 Grand Prix du Festival