The Academy has awarded its Special Prize to stunt coordinator Oliver Keller for his work in “Tschugger - Der lätscht Fall” and “Jakobs Ross”.

Keller worked in Hollywood for over two decades and acted as a stunt double for big names such as Sacha Baron Cohen, Jim Carrey and Ashton Kutcher. He returned to Switzerland in 2021 and since then has been enriching Swiss cinema with his expertise as a stuntman.

Keller’s work as a stunt coordinator is complex: He turns brief descriptions from screenplays into spectacular yet believable scenes. He plans every shot with the director and camera team, discussing camera angles to achieve the greatest possible impact while simultaneously hiding his “tricks”. He also defines and rehearses the choreography sequences with the actresses and actors, always ensuring the safety of all participants – whether it’s a simple slap or a spectacular explosion.

When a village mob attacks Yenish musicians in “Jakobs Ross” or when Bax straddles a car roof and the wing of a departing airplane in “Tschugger”, that is the work of Oliver Keller on display – a master of illusion in film who, in a certain way, continues the artistic legacy of Georges Méliès.