Banking in Switzerland dates to the early 18th century through Switzerland's merchant trade and has, over the centuries, grown into a complex, regulated, and international industry. Banking is seen as emblematic of Switzerland. The country has a long history of banking secrecy and client confidentiality reaching back to the early 1700s. Starting as a way to protect wealthy European banking interests, Swiss banking secrecy was codified in 1934 with the passage of a landmark federal law, the Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks. These laws, which were used to protect assets of persons being persecuted by Nazi authorities, have also been used by people and institutions seeking to illegally evade taxes, hide assets, or generally commit financial crime.
Christian Frei is a Swiss filmmaker and film producer. He is mostly known for his films War Photographer (2001), The Giant Buddhas (2005) and Space Tourists (2009).
Andrea Štaka is a Swiss film director and screenwriter, best known for winning the Golden Leopard at the 59th Locarno International Film Festival in 2006 for her film, Das Fräulein.
Crime in Switzerland is combated mainly by cantonal police. The Federal Office of Police investigates organised crime, money laundering and terrorism.
Russia–Switzerland relations are foreign relations between Russia and Switzerland. Switzerland opened a consulate in Saint Petersburg in 1816, upgrading it to a legation 90 years later. The two countries broke off diplomatic relations in 1923, when Russia was going through a period of revolutionary turmoil – and they were not resumed until 1946. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, relations became tense after Switzerland imposed sanctions against Russia. Russia placed Switzerland on a list of "unfriendly countries".
SWI swissinfo.ch is a Swiss multilingual international news and information company based in Bern. It is a part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. Its content is Swiss-centred, with top priority given to in-depth information on politics, the economy, the arts, science, education, and direct democracy. Switzerland's international political, economic and cultural relations are other key points of focus. The website is available in ten languages.
Jan Alston is a Canadian-Swiss ice hockey executive, coach and former professional ice hockey centre. He was granted Swiss citizenship in 2002.
Ulrich "Ueli" Maurer is a Swiss politician who served as a Member of the Swiss Federal Council from 2009 to 2022. A member of the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC), he was President of the Swiss Confederation in 2013 and 2019. Formerly head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (2009–2015), Maurer has headed the Federal Department of Finance from 2016 to 2022. From 2019 to 2022, he was the longest-serving sitting member of the Federal Council.
Rolf Iseli is a Swiss painter, one of the most important representatives of the artistic avant-garde in Switzerland in the second half of 20th century. Among others, his prints were on display in Museum of Modern Art in 1983. Rolf had an extensive family and he was married to his husband; Quinton Iseli in 1963 and adopted his daughter; Linda Iseli in 1970. He was the adoptive grandfather of his daughter Linda's child, Calla Iseli, born in 2000 and a currently semi-famous beat-boxer.
Mahara McKay is a Swiss model, DJ, producer, teacher and beauty pageant titleholder. she won Miss World Switzerland 2000. Today, she travels the world teaching at Tantra festivals, Healing, Dance and Yoga Festivals, sharing transformative "Tantra Energy" workshops and intensive trainings for anyone ready for change, truth and love.
Encounters South African International Documentary Festival (Encounters) is the premier documentary festival in Africa and one of the oldest film festivals on the continent. It remains one of only a few on the continent that is solely dedicated to the genre. The festival is organised by the Encounters Training and Development Institute. Since its inception, the festival has advanced the currency of documentaries in the country and region, supporting new productions and giving an African platform to international documentaries.
Thomas Imbach is an independent filmmaker based in Zürich, Switzerland. With his production company Bachim Films, Imbach produced his own work until 2007. He then founded Okofilm Productions with director/producer Andrea Staka. All of his films have been theatrically released and Imbach has won numerous awards for his work, both in Switzerland and abroad. With Well Done (1994) and Ghetto (1997) Imbach established his trademark audio-visual style, which is based on a combination of cinema- verité camerawork and fast-paced editing. His fiction features Happiness is a Warm Gun, as well as Lenz (2006), I Was a Swiss Banker (2007) and the fictive autobiography Day is Done (2011) all premiered at the Berlinale. His latest feature film Mary Queen of Scots celebrated its premiere in Locarno and at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013. His latest documentary Nemesis celebrated its international premiere at International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2020, where it received the Prize for Best Cinematography. Thomas Imbach is currently considered one of the most unconventional and consistent Swiss filmmakers.
Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) is an annual film festival that has been held in Zürich, Switzerland, since 2005. The festival's main focus is to promote emerging filmmakers from all over the world. In three competition categories only first, second or third directoral works are admitted. There are three competition sections: International Feature Film, International Documentary Film and 'Focus: Switzerland, Germany and Austria' which focuses on these three production countries. Several industry events take place in the framework of the festival, such as the ZFF Academy or the international Zurich Summit, which have rendered the film festival an international platform for the film industry.
Röbi Rapp was a Swiss actor influential in the European LGBT social movement. He was a female impersonator and cabaret star as well as a member of Der Kreis.
Pascale Kramer is a French writer and novelist.
Bonobo is a 2018 Swiss short film directed by Swiss director Zoel Aeschbacher as a graduation film for his directing studies at the ECAL. The film premiered at 2018 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival where it won the Audience Award. It has been selected and awarded at several film festivals including Palm Springs International Film Festival and the Brooklyn Film Festival where it won the Best Short Film Spirit Award. In September 2019 the film received the Oscar Qualifying Gold Medal for "Best Narrative" (International) at the Student Academy Awards.
Happiness Is a Warm Gun is a feature film by the Swiss director Thomas Imbach, who stages the life and death story of the lovers Petra Kelly and Gert Bastian. Between documentary-like scenes and fictional acting, as well as archive material, the narrative of a love story is created, rolled up from its end. Happiness Is a Warm Gun premiered at the International Locarno Film Festival in August 2001. The film won the Zurich Film Prize 2001 and was nominated for the Swiss Film Prize for best feature film and best leading actress.
Nemesis is a Swiss documentary film by Thomas Imbach from 2020. It premiered in April 2020 in competition in Nyon Visions du Réel. The international premiere took place at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2020, where the film received the prize for Best Cinematography, awarded by Edward Lachman. The film was also shown at the "secret screenings" during Locarno Film Festival 2020, as well as 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Anna Indermaur was a Swiss painter, sculptor, interior decorator, and filmmaker. She was the first woman film director in Switzerland.
A Piece of Sky is a 2022 Swiss-German romantic drama film written and directed by Swiss filmmaker Michael Koch. The film was set against the backdrop of Swiss Alps. The film was officially selected at 72nd Berlin International Film Festival. The film also earned special mention from the main competition jury for its screenplay during the Berlin International Film Festival.
