Solothurn Film Festival: Studio GDS founding trio honored

"It's impossible to take an interest in Swiss animated film without knowing the three filmmakers from Studio GDS," says Christian Gasser, cultural journalist and lecturer in animated film at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.

In 1971, the three graphic designers founded the studio in Carouge near Geneva. The trio had met shortly beforehand at an advertising agency. Georges Schwizgebel and Daniel Suter had completed their studies at the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs, Claude Luyet had just finished his training as a graphic designer. Since founding their studio, the three have created 42 animated films. In figures: 265 minutes of film in 52 years.

In conversation, Gasser says that Georges Schwizgebel is considered the master of Swiss animated film. "He is the only one of his generation who has managed to make a career in animated film and, with around 25 films and short films, to create a remarkable body of work, even by international standards."

Animation of dreams

Schwizgebel has won several awards for his work, including international ones. In 2018, for example, he won the Swiss Film Awards. Whenever possible, Schwizgebel tries to work with planned sequences. These are sequences that usually consist of just one, slightly longer shot. "It's almost a failure for me to make an edit," says Schwizgebel.

In conversation, the now 80-year-old says that he tries to line up the shots in a film with the same ease and logic that one experiences images in dreams. Schwizgebel finds inspiration for his films in music, painting or even myths and fairy tales.

Suter is characterized by a simple, reduced style that is reminiscent of classic comics. There will be no more new animated films from the 81-year-old. Instead, he is devoting himself to drawing. The Film Days are showing an exhibition of his drawings.

Restored films for the Film Days

The "Rencontre" program in Solothurn shows an integral part of her work in five one-hour short film programs. "Some films had to be restored," says Claude Luyet.

In the announcement of the Solothurn Film Festival, Luyet was described as the "punk" of the trio. He prefers to focus on the supposed winners and losers of society. In doing so, the Genevan always tries out different styles. Sometimes more experimental, as in "Rush", sometimes more comic-noir, as in "Robert Creep".

Luyet's favorite film from his collection is "Ricochet" from 1973, the first film he directed. "The film was created with complete freedom and, above all, a lot of naivety," says the 76-year-old. It was thanks to this film that he stayed in the film industry.

Craftsmen who make animated films

In 2022, Claude Luyet and Georges Schwizgebel received the Geneva "Prix de l'Artisanat", the craftsman's prize. Luyet is particularly proud of the award: "This award suits me best," he says. His latest film to date, "Lucky Man", was released in 2022. But Luyet is not thinking about retirement just yet. He is currently working on another animated film - probably his last.

Although the three men shared their studio for a long time, their animated films have always remained unique and different. However, "Patchwork" from 1971, one of their first co-productions, will be shown in Solothurn. But: "We would prefer to forget this film," says Luyet. From today's perspective, the three pioneers of Swiss animated film dislike one thing in particular about "Patchwork": it is too '68-esque.

The 59th Solothurn Film Festival will be showing the films of Studio GDS in five short film blocks. The feature-length film "Gwen et le livre de sable" by French animator Jean François Laguionie, on which Luyet worked, will also be shown. The audience will also be presented with drawings by Suter and a ciné-concert will take place. The GDS films will be accompanied on the piano by Schwizgebel's son Louis. (SDA)