Swiss Cancer League presents eight short films about cancer

The Special Screenings section includes a line-up of eight short films put together by the Swiss Cancer League (Krebsliga). 

Filmmakers from around the word highlight in five short fiction films, two animation films and a short documentary film what it means to live with cancer. The project was initiated and supported by the Swiss Cancer League. Each director has tackled a different aspect of the illness.  

DEAR CHICKENS (WIP)

Topics raised include dealing with extreme experiences, saying goodbye and the fears a cancer diagnosis can trigger, for example the fear of no longer being able to cope with everyday life or the fear of losing ones own parents. The films also demonstrate how cancer affects a person’s whole social setting.  

The aim of the Swiss Cancer League’s film programme is to encourage greater understanding and increase public awareness of the plight faced by cancer sufferers and their loved ones. The Swiss Cancer League informs, accompanies and supports people during and after the diagnosis of cancer, and is committed to making sure their concerns are heard both socially and politically.

Living with cancer is the subject of the following eight international short films: 

Flavio undergoes a mammography out of solidarity for his wife – with surprising results for both. A Turkish girl loses her grip when her mother is sent home from hospital, (apparently) showing no sign of having healed. Regina’s reoccurring dream sees her battle a mysterious beast – she finally manages to escape its clutches. A young woman refuses to accept that her partner is ill and finds comfort in daydreaming. SEE offers an unembellished peek at the experiences of two men whose partners both suffer from cancer. Béa sees the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly as the symbol of her imminent death. An unusual friendship develops when a stubborn old man and a nervous young girl are forced to share a hospital room. And a mother, who lies dying, gradually says goodbye to her loved one.

Website of the Swiss Cancer League