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Tod.Sein

A group of people meet for a festive dinner in a mysterious place to discuss questions about death, being and dying. While the conversations at the table become increasingly confused and chaotic, the images and sounds lead us deeper and deeper into the hidden abysses of our own (non-)existence.

  • Raphael Zürcher
    Director
  • Micha Stuhlmann
    Director
  • Micha Stuhlmann
    Writer
  • Jacques Erlanger
    Producer
  • Marlies Verhofnik
    Key Cast
    "Marlies"
  • Tobias Schmidli
    Key Cast
    "Toby"
  • Alois Witzigmann
    Key Cast
    "Alois"
  • Carmencita Fuertes Vettori
    Key Cast
    "Carmen"
  • Lilli Stuhlmann
    Key Cast
    "Lilli"
  • Kurt Riederer
    Key Cast
    "Kurt"
  • Gerda Löw
    Key Cast
    "Gerda"
  • Micha Stuhlmann
    Key Cast
    "Rabbit"
  • Martha Moll
    Key Cast
    "Doorman Woman"
  • Monika Guélat
    Key Cast
    "Moni"
  • Alexander Lipp
    Key Cast
    "Alex"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Tod.Sein - Eine Nahfilm-Erfahrung im Zwischenreich
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Experimental, Short, Other
  • Genres:
    Essayfilm, Artfilm, Documentary
  • Runtime:
    52 minutes 6 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    90,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Switzerland
  • Country of Filming:
    Germany, Switzerland
  • Language:
    German, Swiss German
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital Super 35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Distribution Information
  • Laboratorium für Artenschutz
    Distributor
    Country: Switzerland
    Rights: All Rights, Internet, Video on Demand, Theatrical
Director Biography - Raphael Zürcher, Micha Stuhlmann

Raphael Zürcher *1984: In his artistic work, Zürcher deals with questions of self-perception and the perception of others. In his films and visual worlds he embarks on a voyage of discovery into the depths and abysses of the human condition. In addition to freelance film work, Zürcher produces commissioned works for the BAK, SBB and Coop, among others, as the owner of the company Videographie. Since 2012, Zürcher has been working as a lecturer for video and film and head of the media workshop at the F+F in Zurich.

Micha Stuhlmann*1962 is a life-world and human explorer. Her experimental test arrangements invite people to track down their own hidden treasures within themselves and to enrich everyday things with joie de vivre. The results of her research are expressed in art projects.

Collaborations by Micha and Raphael (selection)
2018 "Beine baumeln himmelwärts", stage play with multiscreen-video-installation
2016 "Im Dunkelwasser fischen", stage play with video- and sound-installation
2013 "Wo ist Klara?", cine-documentary, 89 min

Raphael Zürcher as DoP (selection):
2021 "Ver_Luscht", Short Doc, Director: Tina Mantel, 21 min
2019 "Letzte Tage", Short Fiction, Director: Diana Frei, 29 min
2016 "Maximilian", Documentary, Director: Nicolas Greinacher, 89 min
2008 "Sendrine", Short Fiction, Director: Nicoals Greinacher, 12 min

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Director Statement

Micha Stuhlmann:
"Our film plays with the subliminal fear of death and our often futile, sometimes cranky attempts to repress this fear, to distract ourselves with pleasurable things or concepts that seem logical, or to somehow integrate it into our lives. In doing so, we all too often fall for the little secret glimmer of hope of immortality, even though we know: we are mortal - and no one gets away alive here. We plead for celebrating impermanence - in every moment and in doing so to live."

Raphael Zürcher:
"The film "Tod.Sein" moves in the intermediate realm between documentary, fiction and art film. Together with the ensemble of the "Laboratorium für Artenschutz" (Laboratory for the Protection of Species), an art project brought to life by Micha Stuhlmann, we deal with central questions around the topic of "death". What is a good death? What happens to us when we die? Do I want to donate my organs? Based on the experiences and thoughts of the individual members of the ensemble, we developed scenes and settings over the course of two years that confront our actors with their own stories and experiences and put them in a new light on the filmic level. This film gives an insight into this processual way of working and invites the viewers to find themselves with their own questions about the topic."