«Becoming»: A Cinematic Tribute to Extraordinary Life Journeys
The nine portraits are a highlight of the Montana Institute’s 100th anniversary. They powerfully demonstrate that extraordinary life journeys cannot simply be planned—they arise from curiosity, openness, and the courage to forge one’s own path. The series kicks off with «Becoming Tom Hanan.» Tom Hanan is the founder of Webrepublic.
The series profiles other outstanding alumni—including former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, as well as figures from the worlds of business, culture, academia, and entrepreneurship. It focuses on the question: How does an extraordinary life path come about? The films tell the stories of formative encounters, decisions, and turning points—and the role that the Institut Montana played in them.
The concept for the series was developed by Kurt Schmid, founder of FairFactory, in collaboration with the Institut Montana. For the film production, the Institut Montana enlisted award-winning filmmaker Sandeep Abraham as director.
These protagonists are highlighted.
Yahya Hassan Bajwa — Lecturer and Social Entrepreneur
Marc Forster — Film Director, Screenwriter, Producer
Tom Hanan — Swiss Entrepreneur
Cary Harrison — U.S. Radio Broadcaster, Los Angeles
Guel Huergel — Fashion Designer, Istanbul
John Kerry — U.S. Senator | 2004 Presidential Candidate | 68th Secretary of State
Pia Kiviaho-Kallio — Lecturer and Ballet Dancer, Finland
Geza Scholtz — Dentist, Explorer, and Adventurer
Marie-France Tschudin — President, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, 2019–2022
Institut Montana Zugerberg: Alex Biner (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Executive Producer), Aline Kaspar (Head of Marketing, Project Advisor), Katherin Noor (Marketing Assistant), Jarryd Lowder (Photo Archive) FairFactory: Kurt Schmid (Founder, «Becoming» Concept & Producer) Sandeep Abraham Film Production: Sandeep Abraham (Production, Director & DoP), Luis Oliveira, Laurent Falkenberg, Ben Reusser & Sascha Felix (Camera), Shaun Waldie (Gaffer), Jean-Michel Thomet, Dieter Meyer & Cavit Serhad Gün (Sound), Halil Baskut (Production Assistant), Luis Oliveira, Sandeep Abraham & Marco Strihic (Editing) Sound Studio: Hastings Switzerland & Handcraft Studio Composition: Michael Künstle & Matteo Pagamici
