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Romeo und Julia auf dem Dorfe

Romeo and Juliet in the Village
Berlinale Classics 2023
Collection Cinémathèque suisse. All rights reserved.
Swiss farm children Vreneli and Sali are best friends. But they are separated when their fathers become mortal enemies in a dispute over a neighbouring piece of land. It is not until both the elders have been driven to ruin by the long legal battle that the two young people can reunite, this time as lovers. That leads to a fight with Vreneli’s father, whom Sali knocks down in the heat of the moment, rendering him disabled. The deed casts a dark shadow over the fresh blossom of love … In this film version of the novella by Gottfried Keller, the natural beauty of the Swiss landscape is merged with the artistic beauty of the truly lyrical black-and-white cinematography. With dialogue in the local dialect, Romeo and Juliet in the Village is in keeping with the traditions of poetic realism. But the ominous appearances of a “fiddler of death”, not least of all his night-time wedding dance unto death, give the tragic events an eerie aspect. The film was shortened several times, but now the “most beautiful and authentic of all Swiss films” (Freddy Buache) can be seen in its original length, with the original soundtrack. World premiere of the digitally reconstructed version.
by Valérien Schmidely, Hans Trommer
with Margrit Winter, Erwin Kohlund, Emil Gyr, Johannes Steiner, Walburga Gmür, Emil Gerber, Ella Kottusch, Anni Dürig, Ursula von Wiese, Fred Lucca Switzerland 1941 Swiss German 104’ Black/White World premiere of the digitally reconstructed version.

With

  • Margrit Winter
  • Erwin Kohlund
  • Emil Gyr
  • Johannes Steiner
  • Walburga Gmür
  • Emil Gerber
  • Ella Kottusch
  • Anni Dürig
  • Ursula von Wiese
  • Fred Lucca

Crew

Directors Valérien Schmidely, Hans Trommer
Screenplay Hans Trommer based on the novella by Gottfried Keller
Cinematography Ady Lumpert
Editing Irene Widmer, Käthe Mey
Music Jack Trommer
Sound Charles Métain
Art Director Fritz Butz
Producer Conrad Arthur Schlaepfer

Produced by

Pro-Film

Additional information

DCP: Cinémathèque suisse, Lausanne