Popular from Switzerland
Three Colors: Red
(Trois couleurs : Rouge)
Valentine is outraged that an ex-judge in her neighborhood taps phone calls, but their debates lead to a strange bond.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France, Poland • 1994
- Director Krzysztof Kieślowski
- Cast Irène Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Frédérique Feder, Samuel Le Bihan, Marion Stalens
- Genre Drama, Mystery, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video
Pingu
This stop-motion claymated television series follows a family of a penguins living at the South Pole.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, United Kingdom • 1986
- Creator Otmar Gutmann, Erika Brueggemann
- Cast Marcello Magni, David Sant
- Genre Animation, Comedy, Kids
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Take and Run
(Ala Kachuu)
Sezim is a young Kyrgyz woman with dreams of studying in the capital, but her plans are cut short when she's kidnapped and forced to marry a stranger.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Kyrgyzstan • 2020
- Director Maria Brendle
- Cast Alina Turdumamatova, Nurbek Esengazy Uulu, Madina Talipbek, Taalaikan Abazova, Kanat Abdahmanov, Aybike Erkinbekova
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
The Beach Bum
You gotta go low to get high.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, United Kingdom, France • 2019
- Director Harmony Korine
- Cast Matthew McConaughey, Isla Fisher, Snoop Dogg, Stefania LaVie Owen, Martin Lawrence, Zac Efron
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV
Unrest
(Unrueh)
In late 19th century Switzerland, a factory worker becomes involved with a local group of anarchist watchmakers.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2022
- Director Cyril Schäublin
- Cast Stefano Knuchel, Valentin Merz, Clara Gostynski, Alexei Evstratov, Laurence Bretignier, Li Tavor
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Amazon Video
New Heights
(Neumatt)
A city boy inherits a failing farm, and with it, family drama.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2021
- Creator Marianne Wendt
- Cast Julian Koechlin, Sophie Hutter, Anouk Petri, Jérôme Humm, Marlise Fischer, Rachel Braunschweig
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Three Colors: White
(Trois couleurs : Blanc)
After his wife divorces him and frames him for arson, a Polish expatriate plots his revenge.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France, Poland • 1994
- Director Krzysztof Kieślowski
- Cast Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy, Janusz Gajos, Jerzy Stuhr, Aleksander Bardini, Grzegorz Warchoł
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Mystery
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video
New from Switzerland
Blood of My Blood
(Sangue del mio sangue)
In a monastery, a nun accused of witchcraft tries to seduce a young confessor who refuses to yield to his searing temptation.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France, Switzerland • 2015
- Director Marco Bellocchio
- Cast Alba Rohrwacher, Filippo Timi, Toni Bertorelli, Ivan Franěk
- Genre History, Drama
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel
Microcosmos
(Microcosmos : Le peuple de l'herbe)
15 years of research. 2 years of equipment design. 3 years of shooting. And one great movie to restore your sense of wonder.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, Italy • 1996
- Director Marie Pérennou
- Cast Jacques Perrin, Kristin Scott Thomas
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Criterion Channel
We Want Roses Too
(Vogliamo anche le rose)
A powerful look at the Italian feminist movement in the '60s and '70s.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, Switzerland, Finland • 2008
- Director Alina Marazzi
- Cast Anita Caprioli, Teresa Saponangelo
- Genre
- Available on DocAlliance Films
Mother Lode
Jorge leaves his home and family in the outskirts of Lima to try his luck in the goldmines of the Andes.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy, Switzerland • 2023
- Director Matteo Tortone
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Film Movement Plus
A Thousand Fires
A family in Myanmar runs an unregulated oil field.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, Netherlands • 2021
- Director Saeed Taji Farouky
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on DocAlliance Films
No Dogs or Italians Allowed
(Interdit aux chiens et aux italiens)
A filmmaker explores his family's history in the Piedmontese village called Ughettera.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Italy, Switzerland • 2023
- Director Alain Ughetto
- Cast Ariane Ascaride, Luigi Butà, Alain Ughetto
- Genre Animation
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Thunder
(Foudre)
Amidst tradition's grip, Elisabeth forges her path in 1900 Switzerland, unraveling secrets and defying the village order for the right to live freely.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2022
- Director Carmen Jaquier
- Cast Lilith Grasmung, Noah Watzlawick, Benjamin Python, Mermoz Melchior, François Revaclier, Sabine Timoteo
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV
The Guardians
(Les Gardiennes)
While the men go off to war, the women of the Paridier farm take charge.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland • 2017
- Director Xavier Beauvois
- Cast Nathalie Baye, Laura Smet, Iris Bry, Cyril Descours, Olivier Rabourdin, Gilbert Bonneau
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Winter Nomads
(Hiver Nomade)
Two shepherds in Switzerland move 800 sheep 600km over four months with the help of three donkeys and four dogs.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France, Germany • 2012
- Director Manuel von Stürler
- Cast Pascal Eguisier, Carole Noblanc, Jean-Paul Peguiron
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID
Telescope Recommends
The Image Book
(Le livre d'image)
Social commentary and cinema’s depiction of the Arab World
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France • 2018
- Director Jean-Luc Godard
- Cast Jean-Luc Godard, Anne-Marie Miéville, Dimitri Basil
- Genre Drama, Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, YouTube, Kanopy, Plex Channel
Three Colors: Blue
(Trois couleurs : Bleu)
Julie distances herself from everywhere and everyone after her husband and daughter are killed in a car accident.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Poland, Switzerland • 1993
- Director Krzysztof Kieślowski
- Cast Juliette Binoche, Benoît Régent, Florence Pernel, Charlotte Véry, Hélène Vincent, Philippe Volter
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Max, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video
My Little Sister
(Schwesterlein)
The bond of twin siblings is tested by a diagnosis of leukemia in this poignant Swiss drama.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany • 2020
- Director Stéphanie Chuat
- Cast Nina Hoss, Lars Eidinger, Marthe Keller, Jens Albinus, Thomas Ostermeier
- Genre
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
In the Mirror of Maya Deren
(Im Spiegel der Maya Deren)
Documentary about the life of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren, who led the independent film movement of the 1940s.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland • 2002
- Director Martina Kudlácek
- Cast Maya Deren, Stan Brakhage, Judith Malina, Alexander Hammid, Chao Li Chi, Miriam Arsham
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Kanopy
Microcosmos
(Microcosmos : Le peuple de l'herbe)
15 years of research. 2 years of equipment design. 3 years of shooting. And one great movie to restore your sense of wonder.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, Italy • 1996
- Director Marie Pérennou
- Cast Jacques Perrin, Kristin Scott Thomas
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Criterion Channel
Advocate
(לאה צמל, עורכת דין)
The gripping true story of Lea Tsemel, a Jewish Israeli lawyer who represents Palestinian political prisoners.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Israel, Canada, Switzerland • 2019
- Director Philippe Bellaiche
- Cast Lea Tsemel
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Chimes at Midnight
(Campanadas a medianoche)
John Falstaff takes center stage as the funny, loyal, and often drunk companion of King Henry IV’s son, Prince Hal.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, Switzerland • 1965
- Director Orson Welles
- Cast Orson Welles, Keith Baxter, John Gielgud, Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, Marina Vlady
- Genre Comedy, Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Above and Below
There's no such thing as a failed life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany • 2015
- Director Nicolas Steiner
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Kanopy
One Day in September
The full story of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre that emphasizes the role of the incompetent German authorities.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom • 1999
- Director Kevin Macdonald
- Cast Michael Douglas, Ankie Spitzer, Jamal Al Gashey, Gerald Seymour, Axel Springer, Gad Zahari
- Genre Documentary
- Available on ScreenPix Apple TV Channel, The Roku Channel
Swiss Series
The Undertaker
(Der Bestatter)
A police detective leaves the force to take over the family business as an undertaker, where he discovers that the two jobs have some surprising areas of overlap.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2013
- Creator Hartmut Block
- Cast Mike Müller, Barbara Terpoorten, Reto Stalder, Samuel Streiff, Suly Röthlisberger
- Genre Crime
- Available on Amazon Video, MZ Choice Amazon Channel, Mhz Choice
Banking District
(Quartier des banques)
A thriller set in the heart of the Swiss banking sector, where the members of a banking family wage a ruthless battle for control.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Belgium • 2017
- Creator Jean-Marc Fröhle
- Cast Laura Sépul, Féodor Atkine, Arnaud Binard, Vincent Kucholl, Brigitte Fossey, Lauriane Gilliéron
- Genre Drama, Mystery
- Available on Amazon Video, MZ Choice Amazon Channel
Wilder
A detective returns to her home town to come to terms with the death of her brother who died in an accident many years ago.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2017
- Creator Béla Batthyany, Alexander Szombath
- Cast Sarah Spale, Marcus Signer
- Genre Crime
- Available on MZ Choice Amazon Channel, Mhz Choice
Labyrinth of Peace
(Frieden)
In the aftermath of World War II, neutral Switzerland finds itself a nexus of escaped Nazi war criminals, Holocaust survivors, and spies.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2020
- Creator Michael Schaerer, Petra Biondina Volpe
- Cast Miron Sharshunov, Gustav Strunz, Britta Güntert, Dimitri Stapfer, Annina Walt, Max Hubacher
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Chai Flicks, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Scene of the Crime
(Tatort)
German, Austrian, and Swiss police solve complex crimes in this long-running crime procedural.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- West Germany, Austria, Switzerland • 1970
- Creator Günter Rohrbach, Gunther Witte
- Cast
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Amazon Video, Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla, MZ Choice Amazon Channel, Mhz Choice, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
New Heights
(Neumatt)
A city boy inherits a failing farm, and with it, family drama.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2021
- Creator Marianne Wendt
- Cast Julian Koechlin, Sophie Hutter, Anouk Petri, Jérôme Humm, Marlise Fischer, Rachel Braunschweig
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Documentaries from Switzerland
Iraqi Odyssey
Acclaimed Iraqi filmmaker Samir traces his family’s widespread emigrations while paying homage to the frustrated democratic dreams of his homeland.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iraq, Switzerland, Germany • 2014
- Director Samir
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store
Dark Star: HR Giger’s World
(Dark Star: HR Gigers Welt)
The life and work of H.R. Giger told on-screen.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2014
- Director Belinda Sallin
- Cast H.R. Giger, Leslie Barany, Sandra Beretta, Mia Bonzanigo, Tom Gabriel Fischer
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Cineverse, Midnight Pulp, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Iranian
(Iranien)
An atheist Iranian filmmaker engages four mullahs in a group conversation about faith, belief, and daily life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, Iran • 2014
- Director Mehran Tamadon
- Cast Mohsen Kalhor
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV
All Cats Are Grey in the Dark
(Nachts sind alle Katzen grau)
A lonely man lives vicariously through his cats.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2019
- Director Lasse Linder
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Kanopy
My Sister Maria
(Meine Schwester Maria)
The life of classical Hollywood actress Maria Schell, as told by her brother.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Germany, Switzerland • 2002
- Director Maximilian Schell
- Cast Maria Schell, Maximilian Schell, Yul Brynner, Nastassja Schell, Gerhard Hannak
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Tubi TV
Stop-Over
(L'escale)
This documentary follows illegal Iranian migrants stopping in Greece on their journey to the west.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France • 2013
- Director Kaveh Bakhtiari
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Of Men and War
(Des hommes et de la guerre)
Filmed over five years, this documentary charts the progress of several veterans dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder at a California clinic.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Switzerland, United States • 2014
- Director Laurent Bécue-Renard
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
One Day in September
The full story of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre that emphasizes the role of the incompetent German authorities.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany, United Kingdom • 1999
- Director Kevin Macdonald
- Cast Michael Douglas, Ankie Spitzer, Jamal Al Gashey, Gerald Seymour, Axel Springer, Gad Zahari
- Genre Documentary
- Available on ScreenPix Apple TV Channel, The Roku Channel
War Photographer
A documentary about war photographer James Nachtwey, a man considered by many to be the greatest war photographer ever.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2001
- Director Christian Frei
- Cast James Nachtwey, Christiane Amanpour, Hans-Hermann Klare, Christiane Breustedt, Des Wright, Denis O'Neill
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Kanopy
Homo Sapiens
The images could be taken from a science fiction film set on planet Earth after it’s become uninhabitable. All these locations carry the traces of erstwhile human existence and bear witness to a civilization that brought forth architecture, art, the entertainment industry, technologies, ideologies, wars and environmental disasters.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany, Austria • 2016
- Director Nikolaus Geyrhalter
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Apple TV, Kanopy
Taming the Garden
(მოთვინიერება)
Man and nature collide as an ex-Georgian prime minister develops a private collection of trees.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, Germany, Georgia • 2022
- Director Salomé Jashi
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, DocAlliance Films, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Filmzie, Hoopla
Advocate
(לאה צמל, עורכת דין)
The gripping true story of Lea Tsemel, a Jewish Israeli lawyer who represents Palestinian political prisoners.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Israel, Canada, Switzerland • 2019
- Director Philippe Bellaiche
- Cast Lea Tsemel
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
In the Mirror of Maya Deren
(Im Spiegel der Maya Deren)
Documentary about the life of avant-garde filmmaker Maya Deren, who led the independent film movement of the 1940s.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland • 2002
- Director Martina Kudlácek
- Cast Maya Deren, Stan Brakhage, Judith Malina, Alexander Hammid, Chao Li Chi, Miriam Arsham
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Kanopy
Sagrada - The Mystery Of Creation
A celebration of visionary architect Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland • 2012
- Director Stefan Haupt
- Cast
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID, Apple TV, Kanopy
Winter Nomads
(Hiver Nomade)
Two shepherds in Switzerland move 800 sheep 600km over four months with the help of three donkeys and four dogs.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Switzerland, France, Germany • 2012
- Director Manuel von Stürler
- Cast Pascal Eguisier, Carole Noblanc, Jean-Paul Peguiron
- Genre Documentary
- Available on OVID