# Swiss Film Awards

The Swiss Film Awards (French: Prix du cinéma suisse, German: Schweizer Filmpreis, Italian: Premio del cinema svizzero, Romansh: Premi dal film svizzer; also known as the Swiss Film Prize) are national film awards awarded in several categories of Switzerland, first given out in 1998.

## History

Between 1998 and 2008 the prize was given during the Solothurn Film Festival in the Konzertsaal/Reithalle in Solothurn. From 2009 to 2012 it was held in Lucerne, and since then it has been held in a different city each year, apart from 2020, when it had to be cancelled owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that year, the winners were announced in a special programme and are supposed to be presented as part of the annual Locarno Film Festival in August.
From 2009 onwards the festival has hosted the "Night of Nominations" announcement. Since then, every nomination film receives a cash prize. Also since 2009, the ceremony has been moved to March in a more glamorous atmosphere and with a broadcasting on television. 2009 was the last year where the jury was composed of people from the Swiss state and the Federal Office of Culture. Until that year, the award was called "Viewfinder" and changed its appearance every year with different designers being approached to give it a distinctive look. Since 2009 the prize awarded is a Cristal-like statue, designed by Alfredo Häberli, called "The Quartz".
From 2010 the prizes were awarded by the Swiss Film Academy. As of 2024, they are awarded by the Federal Office of Culture.

## Categories

In 2024, an honorary award was awarded to producer Robert Boner, who has produced more than 50 films, including Les petites fugues (1979) by Yves Yersin, films by Christine Pascal and Lionel Baier, and many documentaries and animated films.

### Current

* Best Actor
* Best Actress
* Best Animation Film
* Best Documentary Film
* Best Fiction Film
* Best Short Film
* Best Performance in a Supporting Role
* Best Screenplay
* Best Cinematography
* Best Film Editing
* Best Film Score
* Special Jury Prize

### Retired awards

* Best Performance in a Leading Role (2004-2007)
* Best Emerging Actor or Actress (2008-2010)

## Ceremonies

| Edition | Date | Host(s) | Venue | Best Film |
| 1st | 21 January 1998 | | Konzertsaal, Solothurn | ex-aequo: The Silence of Men & Waalo Fendo - Là où la terre gèle |
| 2nd | 27 January 1999 | Monika Schärer | Konzertsaal, Solothurn | Fögi Is a Bastard |
| 3rd | 19 January 2000 | Florence Heiniger | Konzertsaal, Solothurn | Set Me Free |
| 4th | 24 January 2001 | Monika Schärer & Thierry Romanens | Konzertsaal, Solothurn | Azzurro |
| 5th | 16 January 2002 | | Rythalle, Solothurn | Utopia Blues |
| 6th | 22 January 2003 | Florence Heiniger & Max Rüdlinger | Rythalle, Solothurn | On dirait le sud |
| 7h | 21 January 2004 | Florence Heiniger & Polo Hofer | Rythalle, Solothurn | Mein Name ist Bach |
| 8th | 26 January 2005 | Esther Gemsch & Massimo Lorenzi | Rythalle, Solothurn | One Long Winter Without Fire |
| 9th | 18 January 2006 | Massimo Lorenzi & Eva Wannemacher | Rythalle, Solothurn | Rascals on the Road |
| 10th | 24 January 2007 | Gilles Tschudi | Konzertsaal, Solothurn | Vitus |
| 11th | 23 January 2008 | Susanne Kunz | CIS Sportscenter, Solothurn | The Friend |
| 12th | 7 March 2009 | Susanne Kunz | KKL Lucerne | Home |
| 13th | 6 March 2010 | Susanne Kunz | KKL Lucerne | Cœur animal |
| 14th | 12 March 2011 | Susanne Kunz | KKL Lucerne | The Little Bedroom |
| 15th | 17 March 2012 | Susanne Kunz | KKL Lucerne | Summer Games |
| 16th | 23 March 2013 | Fabienne Hadorn & Alain Croubalian | Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva | Sister |
| 17th | 21 March 2014 | Maria Victoria Haas | Schiffbau, Zurich | I Am the Keeper |
| 18th | 13 March 2015 | Maria Victoria Haas | Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva | The Circle |
| 19th | 21 March 2016 | Maria Victoria Haas | Schiffbau, Zurich | Köpek [de] |
| 20th | 24 March 2017 | Maria Victoria Haas | Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva | My Life as a Courgette |
| 21st | 23 March 2018 | Monika Schärer | Halle 622, Oerlikon, Zurich | Blue My Mind |
| 22nd | 22 March 2019 | Maria Victoria Haas | Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Geneva | Ceux qui travaillent |
| 23rd | 24 March 2020 | — | Locarno Film Festival | Le milieu de l’horizon |
| 24th | 26 March 2021 | — | Online Event | My Little Sister |
| 25th | 25 March 2022 | — | Zurich | Olga |
| 26th | 24 March 2023 | — | Geneva | Drii Winter |
| 27th | 22 March 2024 | — | Zurich | Blackbird blackbird blackberry |