The award for Swiss commissioned films runs

This is already the 24th edition of the major Swiss commissioned film awards ceremony. The awards with the Edi. trophies will take place again this year at the beginning of November. The glamorous "award show" will once again take place at Zurich's Schiffbau on November 2.

Even before that, on October 17, the Swissfilm Association SFA will publish its "shortlist". Of all the commercial film submissions, the best productions of the past twelve months will then be put on the shield. "This is already an award," explains SFA managing director Susann Vogel. All films that end up on the "shortlist" are reviewed this year by about 90 jurors. The jury includes not only filmmakers but also clients, agencies and customers.

After the "shortlist" has been drawn up, there is then the second round of judging, in which the jury members award the very best works with a gold, silver or bronze Edi.23. The jury process is extremely important to the organizers of the Swiss Commissioned and Commercial Film Award. "The result should be as fair and transparent as possible," says project manager Katia Bonadei. Anyone who wants to win one of the coveted awards can submit their work now. Every year, the Edi. awards the best commissioned film contributions. The aim is to make visible what the Swiss film industry has up its sleeve. The prize is once again under the patronage of the Federal Department of Home Affairs and the call for entries runs until August 31. Commissioned films can be submitted by all authorized participants in a production, such as producers, clients, directors, advertising agencies, post-production houses or sound studios.

"The Edi. awards the best commissioned film entries each year, so those who want to snag one of the coveted awards can submit their work now."

New category

In addition to the best commercials, corporate communications and branded content films, awards will also be presented this year for the best Swiss commissioned animated films. In creating this new category, the Swissfilm Association wanted to respond to the trend in the industry. According to Roger Zürcher, co-founder of Vaudeville Studios, this extra category was needed. This is because today about 20 percent of all audiovisual productions produced in Switzerland are animated or contain animation to a large extent.

Last year, the film "Under the Influence - Let's Break the Silence" by Camille Bovey won in the "Corporate Communication" category and also picked up a Special Edi. This film, which beautifully demonstrates the benefits of animation for sensitive issues, would be awarded in the new "Animation" category this year. "The advantage is that the separate vessel 'Animation' means that like is now compared and judged against like," Zürcher explains further.

For the film production company Stories, the Edi. has become an integral part of the annual calendar. "We always look forward to the event," says Tobias Fueter, co-founder of Stories. In the summer, they would always judge last year's work internally. Those film productions that were believed to be award-worthy would be submitted. "Often we then find many of our submissions at least in the Edi. shortlist." And time and again, works are also rewarded with precious metal, "which of course makes us very happy and drives our team to create more great commercials that hopefully entertain and move Switzerland," the 49-year-old director continues. Last year, Stories picked up a golden Edi. with the NZZ commercial "When the debate falls silent, take the floor." Whether or not one of the coveted awards is actually won is "the great unknown" every year, Fueter laughs. "Because of course there are many great competitors who also give their heart and soul to each film." And no one knows exactly what has been produced in the last twelve months. The Edi. shortlist therefore also serves as a wonderful showcase of the year, where one often discovers productions that one had not yet seen. "That's why it's always a great pleasure, a great honor and a nice surprise when we can take home another Edi. and put it on the trophy shelf."

The Call for Entries runs until 31 August. Commissioned films can be submitted by all authorized participants in a production, such as producers, clients, directors, advertising agencies, post-production houses or sound studios.