Anita Hugi appointed head of the Film Department at HEAD‑Geneva
From September 1, 2023, Anita Hugi will be the new Head of the Film Department at HEAD-Geneva. Anita Hugi is a director, author, producer and festival director, notably of the Journées de Soleure and the Festival International du Film sur l’Art (FIFA) de Montréal, a member of the Swiss Film Academy and, for 15 years, head of documentary film programming and production at Radio Télévision Suisse SRF. She will take over responsibility for the HEAD-Geneva Film Department in September 2023.
“Connecting different worlds, professions, origins and horizons; inscribing the cinema in the present and its history, making it shine while breaking down barriers - this is what has driven me for the past two decades. With one driving idea: to see creation and education as a shared adventure which, if daring and successful, can unite and encourage each and every one of us to go further. “ confides Anita Hugi
After studying translation in Zurich and Strasbourg, Anita Hugi began her career as a radio journalist, before becoming head of art documentaries at SRF Swiss Television from 2005 to 2016. A producer and programmer (with over 100 Swiss co-productions to her credit), she is also involved in training within the Eurodoc network of independent producers. Appointed Program Director of the Festival International des Films sur l’Art de Montréal (FIFA) in 2016, she returns to Europe in 2019 to direct Les Journées de Soleure, taking the festival into the future by creating the “Opera Prima” prize for first feature films, a new “À l’atelier” section, and a pioneering new website featuring Swiss film archives. Under her direction, the festival, rejuvenated and open to French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino, will see two record-breaking editions, including the online edition in 2020.
Her personal work as a director (Dada-Data, 2016; Undine, 2016; Hanna la rouge, 2018) has won her several international awards (Grimme Online Award, Literavision, Numix). In 2021, she conceived and directed Her Story Box in collaboration with the Cinémathèque Suisse, HEAD-Genève and ZHdK and the Swiss National Museum, and produced two short films with her production company Narrative Boutique, in co-production with the Basel Museum of Fine Arts. Her latest documentary film Heidi’s Nightmare was released to critical acclaim and broadcast on German- and French-speaking Swiss television and on Arte in June 2023.
“Anita Hugi is based in Biel, Paris and Zurich, and maintains a solid professional network. She knows how to listen to new voices and help young filmmakers open their eyes. With a fine career as an independent director and producer, and a track record as a festival director, she will be able to develop the Film Department to meet the challenges of tomorrow “, says Lada Umstätter, Director of HEAD-Geneva.
Anita Hugi will replace Nicolas Wadimoff, current head of the film department, who will continue to teach at HEAD, but will concentrate primarily on his career as a film director. Delphine Jeanneret, current deputy head, will also retain a teaching role, and will be responsible for links with contemporary film creation and the professional world. Her successor as deputy will be appointed at the start of the new school year.