Official Festival Guests
Ashmita Guha Neogi (1991) is a writer-director based out of Delhi, India. She studied Film Direction & Screenwriting from the Film and Television Institute of India. Her diploma film, CatDog (2020), won top prizes at Cinéfondation at Cannes and NEST at San Sebastian. Her next film, S?lan (2023), premiered in Zabaltegi-Tabakalera at San Sebastian. She is currently developing her first feature, Cold Ashes Can Cause Forest Fires. The project was awarded the Hubert Bals Script Development Fund in 2022 and participated in Munich FilmUp and BoostNL.
Japan Art Short Films by Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia (SSFF & ASIA) SSFF & ASIA, SSFF & ASIA, one of Asia's largest international short film festivals, accredited by the Academy Awards and originating from Tokyo, presents a special mini-program titled "JAPAN ART SHORT FILMS" to coincide with Art Basel. This approximately 40-minute program features five short films selected under the theme of "Japan and Art." From nearly 5,000 submissions from around the world each year, SSFF & ASIA’s Japanese short films are known for their distinctive storytelling and techniques. This selection especially highlights artistic works that shine through with unique perspectives and refined craftsmanship. The lineup will be announced in May—stay tuned!
„Teruko Yokoi – Art in the Making“ in Basel „Ich habe von der Vorführung in Basel geträumt. Denn Yokois Karriere begann mit der Ausstellung in der Kunsthalle Basel im Jahr 1964.“ – Kuniko Satonobu Spirig, Filmregisseurin Synopsis: Dieser Film ist ein Porträt der schweizerisch-japanischen Künstlerin Teruko Yokoi (1924–2020). Geboren in Japan, ging Yokoi in die USA, um abstrakte Malerei zu studieren, bevor sie sich entschloss, in Bern (Schweiz) zu arbeiten. Im Alter von 95 Jahren widmete ihr das Kunstmuseum Bern eine Retrospektive – ein langgehegter Traum der Künstlerin. Wenige Wochen nach dem Ende der Ausstellung verstarb sie. Der Film zeigt das Leben einer entschlossenen Künstlerin, die trotz vieler Schwierigkeiten – als alleinerziehende Mutter und im Schatten ihres berühmten Ex-Mannes Sam Francis – nie aufgab. Zudem beleuchtet der Film die faszinierenden Methoden ihrer Malerei: Inspiriert von Kindheitserinnerungen in Japan, übertrug Yokoi traditionelle japanische Techniken wie die Arbeit mit der Leere auf den amerikanischen abstrakten Expressionismus. Biografie von Kuniko Satonobu Spirig: Geboren in Japan. Studium der Kunstgeschichte in Japan und Frankreich. Promotion an der Universität Panthéon-Sorbonne. Ab 1992 freie Journalistin für NHK. Ab 2006 Journalistin und Leiterin der japanischen Redaktion von swissinfo.ch, der internationalen Multimedia-Plattform der SRG SSR. Seit 2018 Kunsthistorikerin, Filmemacherin und freie Journalistin. 2024 realisierte sie den Dokumentarfilm „Teruko Yokoi – Art in the Making“ und veröffentlichte das gleichnamige Buch beim Verlag Scheidegger & Spiess. Film Official site: https://terukoyokoifilm.com/ Book site: https://www.scheidegger-spiess.ch/en/product/teruko-yokoi/1578
“Teruko Yokoi – Art in the Making” at Basel “I dreamed of the Basel screening. Because Yokoi’s career started in the exhibition at Kunsthalle Basel in 1964” – Kuniko Satonobu Spirig, film director. Synopsis: this film is a portrait of the Swiss-Japanese artist Teruko Yokoi (1924-2020). Born in Japan, Yokoi went to the U.S. to study abstract painting, then she decided to work in Bern, Switzerland. At the age of 95, Kunstmuseum Bern held her retrospective which was a long-held dream of hers. She died a few weeks after its closure. This film shows a determined woman artist who preserved despite the difficulties of a single mother, in the shadow of her famous ex-husband Sam Francis. The film analyses also the fascinating methods of her painting. Inspired by memories of her youth in Japan, Yokoi applied Japanese techniques like empty space to the genre of American abstract expressionism. Biography of Kuniko Satonobu Spirig: Born in Japan. Studied art history in Japan and France. Obtained PhD at the Panthéon-Sorbonne University. From 1992, freelance journalist for NHK. From 2006, journalist and head of the Japanese section of swissinfo.ch, the international multimedia website of the SRG /SSR. From 2018, art historian, filmmaker, freelance journalist. In 2024, she directed the documentary film “Teruko Yokoi - Art in the Making” and published the book of the same title at Scheidegger & Spiess. Film Official site: https://terukoyokoifilm.com/ Book site: https://www.scheidegger-spiess.ch/en/product/teruko-yokoi/1578
Luis Oliveira
Born and raised in Switzerland, my imagination was constantly fueled by this desire for more stories, making creativity a big part of who I was growing up. This passion eventually led me to study at the Metfilm School in London’s Ealing Studios, where I honed my skills as a filmmaker.
Since then, I’ve primarily worked on fictional projects that explore the complexities of human psychology and life itself. Influenced by Stoic philosophy and the human mind, I aim to create films that are not only visually compelling but also deeply thought-provoking.
I’m passionate about every step of the filmmaking process, from the initial spark of an idea on paper to the final edit and I also enjoy passing on my knowledge to the next generation of filmmakers, teaching young creators at Filmkids in Zurich.
In addition to my independent projects, I frequently work with Sandeep Abraham’s production on both commercial and fictional projects, taking on roles that help me push my knowledge of film and the craft even further.
Subarna Dash is an animation filmmaker based in India. She studied Animation Cinema at the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute, Kolkata. She was awarded as one of the “75 creative minds” by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India at IFFI 2022 in Goa. Her first film, Amayi (2021), followed by her second film, This is TMI (2023), have been screened and awarded at various prestigious festivals in the world such as TIFF, Annecy, PÖFF Shorts and many more.
Master in Drehbuchentwicklung an der Universität La Rioja, Spanien. Sie hat einen Bachelorabschluss in Kunst vom Hunter College der City University of New York mit den beiden Schwerpunkten Kreatives Schreiben und Französische Literatur. Anschließend wechselte sie an die renommierte Sorbonne, Paris IV, um ihr Studium der Vergleichenden Literaturwissenschaft abzuschließen. Bevor sie ins Ausland ging, begann sie ihr Studium der Kommunikationswissenschaften, des Journalismus und des Films an der Universität von Lima. Ihren Abschluss machte sie 2008 in New York. Zu ihren wichtigsten Werken zählt "El evangelio de la carne” (2013), Perus offizieller Oscar-Beitrag, gefördert durch das Kulturministerium. Der Film gewann drei Preise beim 17. Festival de Cine de Lima sowie den Grossen Jurypreis beim Iberoamerikanischen Filmfestival in New York, neben weiteren Auszeichnungen. Der Film wurde in Frankreich, der Schweiz und Belgien kommerziell veröffentlicht. Außerdem arbeitete sie an der Adaption des Drehbuchs Bolero de noche (2011), das mit dem Ibermedia-Preis ausgezeichnet wurde und beim 10. Internationalen Filmfestival von Cuenca, Ecuador, prämiert wurde.
Master’s Degree in Screenwriting from the University of La Rioja, Spain. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Arts from Hunter College, City University of New York, with a double major in Creative Writing and French Literature. She transferred to the prestigious Sorbonne University, Paris IV, to complete her studies in Comparative Literature. Before moving abroad, she began her studies in Communication Sciences, Journalism, and Film at the University of Lima. She graduated in New York in 2008. Among her main works is "El evangelio de la carne”(2013), Peru’s official Oscar submission and winner of the Peruvian Ministry of Culture’s film grant. The film won three awards at the 17th Lima Film Festival, as well as the Grand Jury Prize at the Ibero-American Film Festival in New York, among others. It was released theatrically in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. She also worked on an adaptation of the screenplay Bolero de Noche (2011), a script that won the Ibermedia grant and received awards at the 10th International Film Festival of Cuenca, Ecuador.