Anja Kofmel
Directing
Biography
Anja Kofmel is a director, animator, screenwriter, character designer, editor, and producer. She was born on April 11th, 1982, in Lugano, Switzerland. After taking courses at the Zürich University of the Arts (ZHdK), she studied animation at the Lucerne School of Design and Art (HSLU). In 2007 she was assistant director on Letter to Anna by Eric Bergkraut. In 2008, she received her diploma in visual design. Her highly acclaimed diploma film Chrigi (2009) dealt with the same topic as her recently finished anima-doc Chris the Swiss (2018).
Known For
Upon suddenly learning of her imminent death, Jacqueline von Kaenel begins to search for the key to her life. Unsparingly, she looks back and discovers how everything is connected; her youth in Franco’s Spain with her mother’s feudal past in eastern Prussia, her desire for music with the one for a dominant and powerful husband. In her ambition to be a perfect mother, she recognizes her fight for identity. But all of a sudden experiences from her childhood in a seemingly happy family crop up turning everything upside down.
First Things and Last Things
Croatia, 7th of January 1992: In the middle of the war, a young journalist's body is discovered dressed in the uniform of an international mercenary group. Twenty years later, his cousin Anja Kofmel investigates his story.
Chris the Swiss
Paolo Piangino is a quiet adult man who lives alone with his cat and loves to cry, because his tears are his happiness. When he feels sad, tears comfort him, when he is happy, his tears give him even more joy. One day people in his town are amazed to find that flowers grow out of Paolo’s tears and thanks to his tears Paolo becomes famous. All his compatriots from the town are excited, they all invite him to visit, hoping for some lucky tears from him. But Paolo is soon fed up with all that hustle and bustle. Secretely he steals away and all that is left after him are several flowers. The people in the town, saddened by his departure, cry bitter tears for him. Who knows, maybe one day even their tears will grow into flowers.
Paolo's Happiness
If there’s one thing farmer Olga loves more than her pet pigs, it’s a pork chop. When the pigs she butchers find that they can still influence events on the farm after their deaths, a vicious circle begins.
Kill Your Darlings
A young woman remembers her childhood and her mysterious cousin. Through a child's innocent eyes, we are led into a dark and complex world of adventure, mercenaries, and warfare.
Chrigi
Amelia is the sole survivor on a damaged spaceship. Caught in the gravitational pull of a planet, she struggles with grief and isolation. When a mysterious presence appears, she is torn between the past and the future.