First Hand Films

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Zürich
First Hand Films

World Sales, Production and Distribution in Switzerland: Relevance, Authenticity, Entertainment We believe in AUTHENTICITY, RELEVANCE and ENTERTAINMENT.

Our tailor-made production, distribution, marketing and promotion efforts match each story and make sure they get seen in all media of the world. Und für die Schweizer Kinos nur das Beste aus aller Welt! .ch! We get to work when the good stories bring us into universes we never knew existed, when they take us through hell and back, when they walk rainbows with us, and when we learn

something about our complex and beautiful world, hoping, smiling, curious. When all emotions convey a statement, a political one, a human one, the filmmakers very own one. When there is authenticity in the story and fantasy in the images. And when we come back to reality and find a world that will never look the same again. Accessible & passionate one-offs, features, series, slots, theme nights, transmedia. More than 300 constantly renewed hand-picked titles from all over the world. The hard facts Since 1998, Esther van Messel runs FHF in Zurich and Berlin for international distribution and production of documentaries, series, fiction films and transmedia. FHF acts as executive producer for selected projects and has worked with all major platforms, broadcasters and distributors around the world. By now, all First Hand Films have been seen by hundreds of millions of people. firsthandfilms.com and firsthandfilms.ch
www.youtube.com/FirstHandFilms1
www.vimeo.com/firsthandfilms
on Twitter
Linkedin.com/company/first-hand-films

04/06/2026

A glimpse into the world of LAUNDRY, award-winning at FIFDH Geneva 🫧

A father takes pride in the industrial laundry business he built. A son dreams of becoming a musician. Set in apartheid South Africa, 1968, a time when both dreams seem equally out of reach.

Inspired by a true story, director Zamo Mkhwanazi shares the personal roots of the film: "My grandfather owned a laundry, and in 1954, the business was taken from him, and he lost his livelihood."

🏆🎥 TIFF, Marrakech Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival

* Im Kino ab Juli / August 2026 *
* En salles dès le 02.09.2026 *

Produced by AKKA Films, Kude Media, Philippe Coeytaux (AKKA Films), Jim Stark, co-produced by Mojo Entertainement Film and in collaboration with RADIO TELEVISION SUISSE (RTS)

Talents Ntobeko Sishi (Khuthala), Siyabonga Shibe (Enoch, the father), Zekhethelo Zondi, and Bukamina Cebekhulu

Film crew Gabriel Lobos, Christine Hoffet, Sam Dell, Carmen Life, Lianne Llewellyn, Thabo Phume.

02/06/2026

Proudly presenting the world premiere at Міжнародний фестиваль документального кіно про права людини Docudays UA 🎉 of a couple of filmmakers we've followed for a long time - the first winners ever of the First Hand Fund award 🏆 with their new film:

DON'T ASK ME IF I KILLED by Helena Maksyom

When Ukrainian filmmaker Helena Maksyom experiences the brutality of the Russian full-scale invasion firsthand, she feels she has no choice but to take up arms and join the military. During her first steps as a soldier, she keeps filming to not lose humanity while she watches her friends die or fight to keep their sanity.

Get your tickets now 🎟️ and stay tuned for the international release!
https://docudays.ua/eng/2026/movies/docu-ukraina/ne-pitay-mene-chi-ya-vbivala/

Adrian Pirvu Een van de jongens

01/06/2026

Grünes Licht. Feuchte Luft. Eine Welt, die du noch nicht kennst.
Tauche ein in Kerala mit KALARI KID von Maria Kaur Bedi & Satindar Singh Bedi.

KALARI KID erzählt von Mädchen und Frauen, die sich ihren Platz in der Gesellschaft zurückerobern – mit Mut, Disziplin und der Kraft einer jahrtausendealten Kampfkunst.

Ab Herbst in Schweizer Kinos. 🌿

**********************************************************************

Lumière verte. Air chaud. Un monde que tu ne connais pas encore. Plonge dans le Kerala avec KALARI KID de Maria Kaur Bedi & Satindar Singh Bedi.

KALARI KID raconte l’histoire de jeunes filles et de femmes qui se réapproprient leur place dans la société avec courage, discipline et la force d’un art martial millénaire.

Dès l'automne dans les cinémas suisses. 🌿

Mit echten Heldinnen:
Arushi CV
Milena John
Arifa & Anshifa Kodiyil
Malakiva Geetha Binny

Produziert von Esther van Messel in Co-Produktion mit SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen ARTE Mit der Unterstützung von SWISS FILMS

27/05/2026

Discover LAUNDRY, a powerful story of courage and an unshakeable will to resist, a film by Zamo Mkhwanazi.

🎬 South Africa, 1968. Apartheid is the law of the land. Khuthala, a gifted young musician, wants nothing to do with his family’s laundry business. He dreams of jazz, of a life shaped by music, not soap and steam. But when the apartheid government begins cracking down on Black-owned businesses, and Khuthala’s father is arrested and brutally beaten, the dream begins to collapse.

🌟 Winner of Youth Award FIFDH Genève
🏆🎥 TIFF Marrakech Film Festival Solothurner Filmtage - Journées de Soleure - Giornate di Soletta Santa Barbara International Film Festival

* Im Kinos ab den 28.08.2026 *
* En salles dès le 02.09.2026 *

Produced by AKKA Films Kude Media Philippe Coeytaux (AKKA Films), Jim Stark, co-produced by Mojo Entertainement Film and in collaboration with RADIO TELEVISION SUISSE (RTS)

Talents - Ntobeko Sishi (Khuthala), Siyabonga Shibe (Enoch, the father), Zekhethelo Zondi, and Bukamina Cebekhulu

Film crew Gabriel Lobos, Christine Hoffet, Sam Dell, Carmen Life, Lianne Llewellyn, Thabo Phume.

26/05/2026

These tiny humans make people laugh, cry, fall in love, and (l)earn something with First Hand Films 🐣

15/05/2026

Want to feel hope? Travel to incredible India? Here comes a taste: sharing with you the official trailer for KALARI KID by Maria Kaur Bedi & Satindar Singh Bedi with you. This fall in Swiss cinemas everywhere.

In a society marked by gendered violence, Arushi (9) and Milena (21) reclaim space through Kalari—the world’s oldest martial art. Our film follows their fight for self-empowerment and the freedom to be the women they chose to be.

With real life heroines:
Arushi CV
Milena John
Arifa & Anshifa Kodiyil
Malavika Geetha Binny

Produced by Esther van Messel in Co-Production with SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen ARTE

Camera Maria Kaur Bedi
Editing Maria Kaur Bedi Bigna Tomschin
Music Paul Hertzog
Sounddesign and Mixing Neethu Sudha Mohandhas, Manu Ge**er
Assistant director Gopika Chandran, Sulfath Laila
Postproduction Unsere Farben
With the marketing support of SWISS FILMS

14/05/2026

✨ Kinostart am 21. Mai 2026: LA BEAUTÉ DE L'ÂNE 🫏✨

🎥 Finde eine Vorstellung in einem Kino in deiner Nähe:
, Bern
, Winterthurhoudini, Zürich
, Frauenfeld
, Luzern
, St-Gallen
, Meiringen
, Thusis

🎬 In der tief berührenden Doku-Fiction begibt sich die Filmemacherin gemeinsam mit ihrem Vater auf eine Spurensuche in die Vergangenheit. Zusammen lassen sie die Erinnerungen des Vaters aus seiner Kindheit, dem Kosovo der 1950er-Jahre, wieder aufleben. Sie enthüllen Erschütterndes, erinnern sich an Alltägliches und vieles bleibt unbeantwortet, beispielsweise das mysteriöse Verschwinden der Großmutter. Dea Gjinovci zeigt mit ihrem herzbewegenden Film, wie wichtig es ist, Geschichte aufzuarbeiten.

🎞️ Diese zutiefst berührende Doku-Fiktion hat an den , am , , .geneve am vielen internationalen Festivals und in der Westschweiz die Herzen erobert.

In Zusammenarbeit mit

.mgmt .geneve babanews.ch

05/05/2026

Proud to showcase this special film and series at DOK.fest München this Saturday 🎉

ICE WOMEN by Braun & Jens Becker

ICE WOMEN boldly confronts the male-centric narrative of Arctic exploration, focusing on empowerment, scientific achievements, and the dual struggle against the ice and societal norms, aiming to inspire a new generation by rewriting the history of the North through the lens of resilient and adventurous women.

Get your tickets now 🎟️ we can't wait to hear what you think!
https://www.dokfest-muenchen.de/films/eisfrauen1

Content Warning: This film contains depictions of racist, colonial and sexualized violence.

Archival Accountability and Cultural Disclaimer: Some materials in this film were produced within colonial frameworks that restricted or denied self-representation. Most individuals depicted are deceased. Certain historical representations may reflect outdated, culturally insensitive, or colonial perspectives. They are presented in historical context and do not imply endorsement. The materials have been researched and contextualized to the best of our knowledge and ability.

28/04/2026

"Lise is still the person who taught me all I know for working in this business (I always say that, but it's true) - she taught me precision, decency, communication and a whole lot more, and I admire her and am grateful until today. We have worked on several films together and will hopefully continue our dialogue always. Here's to you, you super Group Leader 🥂 !!!" - .vanmessel

Lense-Møller at
in the

Adresse

Zürich

Telefon

+41443122060

Webseite

http://www.firsthandfilms.ch/, http://www.firsthandfund.com/, http://www.firsthandfilms.com/production, https://vimeo.co

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