More visibility for our members‘ work—across every stage of filmmaking. From development to festival premieres, cinema releases, and beyond, we believe it’s essential to showcase the entire journey.
If you are a FAS member, you can take part by filling out the monthly form.
To further strengthen the local film sector and contribute to the visibility of all our work – become a FAS member!
2026 has just started, yet some of our members have already achieved or celebrated important milestones with their projects.
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US Premiere and sold-out screenings in South Tyrol for ZWEITLAND
ZWEITLAND, a co-production by our member Martin Rattini with his company Helios Sustainable Films and involving many South Tyrolean film professionals, became the most-watched film at local cinemas in 2025. It continues to tour throughout South Tyrol, including screenings with Italian subtitles. Currently, the film is at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, where it celebrated its North American premiere on January 6, followed by three more screenings.
ARD TV Premiere for IDM-funded documentary
DIE FOTOGRAFIN UND DER KRIEG, edited by our co-president Nela Märki, has its TV premiere on January 12 on ARD. The documentary tells the story of German war photographer Anja Niedringhaus (1965-2014), who was tragically killed on April 4, 2014, while covering Afghanistan’s presidential election.
Niedringhaus was the only woman on a team of 11 AP photographers that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for coverage of the Iraq War, becoming the first German photojournalist to receive this honour.
Starting her career at age 16 as a freelance photographer for a local newspaper in her hometown of Höxter, Germany, Niedringhaus went on to cover some of the world’s most significant conflicts over two decades. She began documenting wars in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s, spending years based in Sarajevo during the siege of the city. Her work took her to Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Israel, Libya, and Pakistan, among other conflict zones. Despite her reputation as a war photographer, she often found beauty and joy on assignment, capturing glimpses of daily life, tenderness, and humour even in the most difficult places.
In addition to conflict photography, Niedringhaus covered nine Olympic Games as a passionate sports photographer. Her work has been exhibited at prestigious institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in Frankfurt.
FAS at WEMW
NEW LIFE (WT), by our member Bernadette Weber and produced by our member Debora Nischler of Albolina Film, will take part in the annual WHEN EAST MEETS WEST Industry Programme during the Trieste Film Festival. WEMW has become a very important venue for filmmakers across Europe in recent years, with partnerships including our local film fund, IDM, and the EsoDoc Programme by the ZeLIG Film School. NEW LIFE (WT) will be presented in the „Work in Progress“ section called First Cut+ to Industry Professionals and decision makers and will get hands-on feedback for promotion & audience engagement strategies.
DESPITE THE SCARS at Max Ophüls
On January 21, our member Felix Rier’s film DESPITE THE SCARS (produced by Helios Sustainable Films) will have its German premiere at the Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis, one of the most important film festivals for first, second- and third-time directors in the German-speaking world. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, since the film is competing in the documentary competition!
FAS at MOP-Meetings
Our member Martin Rattini will head to Saarbrücken as well, not only as producer of DESPITE THE SCARS, but also to attend the annual MOP Meetings with the project WHY THE F*** AM I SO SAD?, looking for possible partners. The latter documentary is produced by Helios Sustainable Films and the Swiss Production Company Dok Mobile and has been funded by the local Amt für Film und Medien, IDM Film & Music Commission, the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) and the Swiss Ministry for Culture (BAK) so far.
Swiss Premiere for ON THE BORDER
Another premiere follows: the Swiss premiere of ON THE BORDER, edited by our co-president Nela Märki, will take place at the Solothurn Film Festival on January 24, followed by another screening on January 27.
ELON MUSK UNVEILED on tour
After its World Premiere at IDFA 2025, our member Andreas Pichler’s documentary ELON MUSK UNVEILED – THE TESLA EXPERIMENT is on tour through Europe. Current screenings are taking place at the prestigious Fipadoc (Festival International du Documentaire) in Biarritz, at the Göteborg Film Festival, and as part of a cinema tour through various German cities with the Stranger Than Fiction Dokumentarfilmfestival. If you’re in the area, check for a screening near you in more detail:
Göteborg Film Festival (Sweden)
- Sun, Jan 25 | 20:45 | Bio Roy + Q&A w/ Andreas Pichler
- Mon, Jan 26 | 17:45 | Biopalatset + Q&A w/ Andreas Pichler
- Thu, Jan 29 | 15:30 | Biograf Drake
FIPADOC (France)
- Sat, Jan 24 | 17:30 | Casino Municipal + Q&A w/ Andreas Pichler
- Thu, Jan 29 | 21:30 | Atalaya
Germany: Cinema Tour @ Stranger Than Fiction Festival
- Dortmund | Roxy Kino | Sat, Jan 24 | 19:00
- Düsseldorf | Metropol | Sun, Jan 25 | 14:00
- Duisburg | Filmforum | Tue, Jan 27 | 20:30
- Mülheim | Rio Filmtheater | Wed, Jan 28 | 19:30
- Cologne | Filmhaus | Thu, Jan 29 | 20:00
- Brühl | Zoom Kino | Sun, Feb 01 | 20:15
A Second Birthday Screening again
While we love announcing premieres, cinema tours of newly released films, or projects currently in development, it’s equally rewarding to see older films find new audiences. A SECOND BIRTHDAY, a 32-minute documentary by Georg Manuel Zeller (2016), will be screened again at Centro Trevi at the end of this month, on January 28 at 18:00.
„Misha is a nine-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, requiring a delicate liver transplantation. It is not the first time that Misha has found himself face to face with the possibility of death. His father decided to follow the process and film the months preceding the operation, giving rise to an intimate portrait of a child who faces the great questions of life.“
More exciting January news will surely follow!
This December, films by FAS members are crisscrossing Italy and beyond, screening at festivals, cinematours, and special venues from Rome to Karlsruhe. Here’s where you could catch our members‘ work this month.
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Zweitland: A Regional Journey Through Cinema
Over the past weeks, ZWEITLAND, co-produced by FAS member Martin Rattini from Helios Sustainable Films, has embarked on an extensive cinematour across South Tyrol. Since its premiere in Bolzano on November 19, the film has travelled from larger cities to intimate village film clubs, reaching several thousand viewers with more screenings still to come.
Set against the politically charged backdrop of South Tyrol in 1961 during the period of bomb attacks, Zweitland weaves a family story exploring themes of belonging, loyalty, and personal responsibility. By grounding universal questions in deeply local history, the film resonates across linguistic and generational divides—a testament to cinema’s power as a space for collective memory and dialogue.
The cinematour continues throughout the region, bringing this important story to communities across South Tyrol.
South Tyrolean Films at the Rome International Documentary Film Festival
The Rome International Documentary Film Festival (RIDF) took place December 5-9, 2024, at Nuovo Cinema Aquila in Rome. In its third edition, the festival presented 34 films from 23 countries.
PERSONALE by Carmen Trocker competed in the ITA-DOC competition. The film previously screened at the This Human World festival in Vienna on November 28, where it competed in the Austrian Competition. This Human World, Austria’s International Human Rights Film Festival, ran November 27 – December 8, 2024.
MY BOYFRIEND EL FASCISTA by Matthias Lintner also screened at RIDF on December 7, with the director and protagonist Sadiel Gonzalez present for a Q&A.
Despite the Scars Tours Italy
DESPITE THE SCARS, directed by Felix Rier, completed an extensive screening tour throughout South Tyrol and Italy.
Souvenirs of War in Germany
While some films journey south, SOUVENIRS OF WAR, directed by FAS co-president Georg Zeller screened in Germany on December 7-8 at the Kinemathek Karlsruhe and the Kommunales Kino Freiburg, including Q&A’s with the director.
ZeLIG at Sotto18 Film Festival
At Turin’s Sotto18 Film Festival (December 12-16, 2024), COSA RESTA by ZeLIG graduate Bianca Vallino, with our member Emanuele Vernillo, as executive producer, was screened in the „Antologia dei corti delle Scuole di Cinema Europee“ programme.
The breadth and diversity of these screenings reflect the vitality of South Tyrol’s film community. From historical dramas to intimate documentaries, from local cinematours to international festivals, FAS members continue to create work that travels, resonates, and sparks conversation. As December unfolds, we celebrate these filmmakers and the audiences who gather to experience their stories.
While October was already an eventful month for our members, November seems to surpass all expectations. From world premieres and South Tyrolean premieres to cinema releases and TV debuts — everything is happening, and we couldn’t be happier to share the news.
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HYDROGEN – REVOLUTION OR ILLUSION? by our member Andreas Pichler was recently nominated for the Science & Media Awards 2025 at the renowned Silbersalz Festival in Halle.
Meanwhile, MY BOYFRIEND EL FASCISTA, produced by HELIOS sustainable films, opened the Duisburger Filmwoche and is further travelling to Berne. Also screening in Duisburg is FÜR THEA by Felix Rier, edited by our co-president Nela Märki for the 3Sat format Docume, and presented at the doxs! Film Festival for children and youth.
The documentary PERSONALE by our member Carmen Trocker, which celebrated its world premiere at IDFA 2024, will also be shown at the Duisburger Filmwoche.
ZWEITLAND (D/IT/AT 2025), co-produced by our member Martin Rattini of HELIOS Sustainable Films, premiered this summer at Filmfest München in the CineCoPro Section and went on to a successful cinema tour across Austria, which began on September 4 and is still ongoing. This month, after screenings at the Dutch Mountain Film Festival (DMFF), the Arras Film Festival in France, the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF), as well as in Radstadt and Ahrenshoop, the film is finally coming back home — to the region where it was shot — celebrating its South Tyrol premiere at the @Filmclub Capitol in Bolzano on November 19!
From November 20 onwards, ZWEITLAND will travel across South Tyrol — don’t miss it on the big screen!
SOUVENIRS OF WAR, by our co-president Georg Zeller, proves that even long after their initial release, films can continue to resonate and inspire meaningful discussions.
ON THE BORDER, edited by our co-president Nela Märki, continues its festival journey through Germany.
TONI, MIO PADRE, co-produced by our member Traudi Messini and premiered in Venice this September, will be released in cinemas across Italy from November 10.
TORINO TORINO, directed by our member Bernadette Weber, continues its journey after premiering at the Internationale Hofer Filmtage, with new screenings scheduled for Austria and Greece.
DESPITE THE SCARS, directed by Felix Rier, which premiered at the Biografilm Festival in Bologna, is now coming to screens in South Tyrol — telling the story of an extraordinarily strong young woman surviving the unimaginable.
Two productions featuring Katharina Forcher as costume designer are also out this month:
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STABIL, a TV series by Teresa Fritzi Hoerl & Sinje Köhler, first shown at Filmfest München, is coming mid-month to ARD Mediathek and linear TV.
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SCHATTENSPIELE, a short film, will be screened at the Filmakademie Wien.
VALENTINA E I MOSTRI, shot by our member Stefania Bona, comes to Bolzano as part of our DOC DAY screenings on November 20.
And last but definitely not least — Andreas Pichler celebrates his highly anticipated world premiere at IDFA 2025 with ELON MUSK UNVEILED – THE TESLA EXPERIMENT, with no fewer than seven screenings in Amsterdam!
After an eventful September, many films featuring key contributions from our members continue their journeys this October – as this month’s Showcase clearly shows.
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HYDROGEN – REVOLUTION OR ILLUSION? by Andreas Pichler, co-produced by Miramontefilm, continues its successful festival run. After being nominated for Best Film Score at the ISFMF in Croatia – and winning! – the film was also screened at the Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam and now heads to the Bergen International Film Festival.
MY BOYFRIEND EL FASCISTA, produced by HELIOS sustainable films, was nominated for the FIRST STEPS Award of the German Film Academy – and also took home the prize! Congratulations to everyone involved.
Two films edited by our co-president Nela Märki were shown at this year’s FFCGN: the world premiere of ANJA NIEDRINGHAUS – DIE FOTOGRAFIN UND DER KRIEG (with Gabriele Borghi as editing assistant and conforming) and ON THE BORDER, which screened in the NRW Competition.
TIAN, produced by Verena Ranzi (Takt Film), continues its tour across South Tyrol. Following screenings in Tegernsee, Innsbruck, and Bologna, the film will be shown in Kastelbell (17.10), Brixen (20.10), Schlanders (22.10), and Bruneck & Deutschnofen (23.10). Milena Holzknecht contributed as editing consultant.
IL CODICE DEL BOSCO, shot by Stefania Bona, is still being shown in cinemas across Italy, while MOVING MOUNTAINS (dir. Andrea Costa, prod. Takt Film, DOP Luca Zontini, editing among others Beatrice Segolini) continues its successful festival journey.
TORINO TORINO (dir. Bernadette Weber, edit Gabriele Borghi, color Marco Di Liello) celebrates its international premiere this month at the Hof International Filmfestival, alongside COSÌ COM’È (prod. Albolina Film, DOP Stefania Bona), which will have its German premiere there. NURA, produced by Tobias Gruber and featuring contributions by Jonathan Rinn, Lorenzo Covi, Beniamino Casagrande, and Georg Zeller, will also premiere in Hof.
At the end of the month, Martina Mahlknecht and Martin Prinoth will present their project SEE YOU SOON (working title) in the Co-Pro Section of DOK Leipzig.
Meanwhile, Beniamino Casagrande’s film IL ROSPO E IL DIAMANTE (producer Massimiliano Gianotti, grading Marco Di Liello, sound design Stefano Bernardi & Mattilde Ramini) has traveled back to where it was filmed – Tabo and Nesang in the Indian Himalayas.
And last but not least, VIVERE, a short film shot by Stefania Bona, will premiere on October 22 at Alice in Città in Rome!
September was a vibrant month for FAS members, with numerous productions premiering at international festivals, reaching cinemas, and airing on television.
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ZWEITLAND, directed by Michael Kofler and co-produced by Martin Rattini (HELIOS Sustainable Films), celebrated its theatrical release in Austria and was featured at the Fünf Seen Film Festival (FSFF).
This German–Italian–Austrian co-production brought together many FAS members, including Eva Kuen (Acting), Caterina Ferrari (3rd AD), Stefano Bernardi (Sound), Daniel Mahlknecht and Beniamino Casagrande (Grip), Caterina Albarella and Marco Di Liello (Camera Department), Jonathan Rinn (Lighting Technician), Hannes Hofer / Maier Bros. (Lighting Equipment), and Daria Akimenko and Gabriella Cosmo (Production Assistance).
Also at the FSFF, ON THE BORDER by Gerald Igor Hauzenberger and Gabriela Schild was edited by FAS Co-President Nela Märki.
Meanwhile, HELIOS Sustainable Films continues its strong festival presence with SOUVENIRS OF WAR, directed by FAS Co-President Georg Zeller and featuring contributions from Stefania Bona (Camera), Beatrice Segolini (Editing), and Stefano Bernardi (Sound Design).
Another HELIOS Sustainable Films production, MY BOYFRIEND EL FASCISTA, directed by Matthias Lintner, is currently on its international festival tour with screenings this month in Oslo and Lisbon.
FAS members contributed across departments, including Daria Akimenko (Junior Producer), Silvia Pozzi (Colorist), and Stefano Bernardi and Matilde Ramini (Sound Design).
From the ZeLIG Filmschool, COSA RESTA was selected for Visioni dal Mondo in Milan, while MEDIAART’s long-running format dF – Das Frauenmagazin for RAI Südtirol is currently being edited by FAS member Martina Gruber.
September also brought international attention to TONI, MIO PADRE, directed by Anna Negri and co-produced by Traudi Messini (MEDIAART), which celebrated its world premiere at Giornate degli Autori in Venice.
Another Venice premiere, ELISA by Leonardo di Costanzo, is now in cinemas across Italy with Caterina Ferrari as 3rd AD, and currently screening at Filmclub Bolzano.
The festival favourite VALENTINA E I MOSTRI, directed by Francesca Scalisi and shot by FAS member Stefania Bona, continues its international journey after premiering in Nyon earlier this year. The film will also be shown in Bolzano on November 20 as part of the DOC DAY programme.
Bona’s cinematography can also be seen in IL CODICE DEL BOSCO, directed by Alessandro Bernard and Paolo Ceretto.
DREAMS, directed by FAS member Karin Duregger with Matilde Ramini (Sound Recordist), is currently touring cinemas across South Tyrol.
And rounding off the month, ALBANIEN IN SÜDTIROL, produced by FAS members from KORABI — Erald Dika (Director), Annachiara Gislimberti (Camera), and Gabriele Borghi (Editing) — aired on RAI Südtirol, followed by a discussion on migration and belonging in the region.
From Venice to Bolzano, from Milan to Oslo — September once again showcased the breadth, quality, and international reach of South Tyrol’s film professionals.
