Films
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Trailer
Synopsis
In the spring of 1945 as Nazi Germany collapses, Swiss ambassador Heinrich Zwygart flees bombed-out Berlin after serving eight years in the capital of the Reich. This is the end of a dreadful mandate, during which he had to make fatal compromises to preserve the neutrality and security of his country. While he tries to reunite with his estranged family in his unscathed home country, the arrival of peace puts Zwygart in a delicate position. How could the Swiss policy, which was more than favorable to Germany, be justified at a time when the Allies and the Russians are liberating Europe and question the behavior of the Swiss Government during the war? For Switzerland to end on the winning side after the war, someone will have to pay. Haunted by his past, struggling to secure a future, but driven by his ambition Zwygart feels the trap closing in on him. He made it through the war, but will he survive peace?
- Screenplay:
- Laurent Nègre
- Cinematography:
- Diego Dussuel
- Sound:
- Yvan Bing
- Edit:
- Stefan Kälin
- Music:
- Ladislav Agabekov, Christophe Calpini
- Cast:
- Michael Neuenschwander, Manuela Biedermann, Clea Eden, Yann Philipona, Sabine Timoteo, Peter Wyssbrod, Margherita Schoch, Victor Poltier
- Production Company:
- Bord Cadre films, Sovereign Films
Gallery
Director's statement
I made "A Forgotten Man" out of a desire to revisit a chapter of Swiss history that still echoes today. By portraying the political climate surrounding the rise of extremism in the 1930s, I wanted to explore how fear and opportunism can infiltrate democratic systems. Rather than judging my characters, I sought to understand the mechanisms that allow hatred to appear ordinary. **The film underscores** that history is never distant—it lives in our present choices and silences. Through tension and moral ambiguity, it invites viewers to reflect on civic responsibility and the fragile line between complacency and courage.