On neutral ground
Overview
Intro
Screening of the film En terrain neutre by Stéphane Goël and Mehdi Atmani, followed by a discussion with François Barras, former Swiss ambassador.
One is the son of a farmer from Vaud, the other of a naturalised Kabyle sea urchin fisherman. Stéphane and Mehdi are Swiss. So they are neutral. In fact, that is the only trace of DNA they share with a Zurich banker or a Swiss wrestler from Toggenburg.
It is rather strange, when you think about it, to have turned neutrality into the ultimate marker of national identity. But what does it actually mean? Does it mean being bland, odourless and lacking courage, or, on the contrary, being clever and fair? Can we ever truly be neutral, and at what point do we stop being so?
As the sound of marching boots grows louder in Europe and the old world begins to crumble, Stéphane and Mehdi set off on a global and introspective road trip in search of this special status, haunted by the fear that it may disappear.
A wildly offbeat quest for identity, set at the heart of a national crisis of conscience.
Credit photo: Agora Films
| Contact address |
SWISS MADE CULTURE
|
|---|---|
| Location |
Cinéma Cinécran Rue Centrale 37 3963 Crans-Montana Switzerland |
| Price |
10
|
| Opening hours |
17:00
|
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Event dates
- 20 September 2026