Switzerland 2017
Opening November 16, 2017
Directed by: Peter Luisi
Writing credits: Peter Luisi, Beat Schlatter
Principal actors: Beat Schlatter, Bendrit Bajra, Dorothée Müggler, Luna Wedler, Una Rusca
Baltasar (Schlatter) teaches high-school German and concentrates on raising his teenaged daughter. Life would be unproblematic except for one small glitch: He managed to “lose” all the money that had been collected for the school’s new athletic grounds. But, as the Germans (and probably the Swiss) say, Not ist die Mutter der Erfindung (Necessity is the mother of invention). His hairdresser Kushtrim (Bajra) recommends taking bets in order to earn back the money. He should know, as he is quite successful with his own illegal betting agency in his shop. They discuss possibilities and come up with something different, namely a streaker who strips down to the nude and runs across the field during a soccer game. How long can he hold out until officials lead him away and the game can continue? One minute? Three minutes? What’s your bet? Baltasar goes at it professionally and organizes a whole team of different people, fat, thin, male, female, old and young, all endowed with a feeling for exhibitionism. He prepares them in professional seminars; they are so eager and good, that this run becomes a trendy sport in its own right.
Flitzer is good proof that, yes, the Swiss can produce a fun comedy. Everyone should find something to enjoy in the film from the nine songs which fit in perfectly, to the Swiss actors who may be unfamiliar unless you are a dedicated Swiss film fan. The nakedness is always in good taste. I saw it in Swiss-German and was thankful for the German subtitles. ()