Die Haube

Film and Exhibition

The rise of right-wing populism and extremism is gnawing at the democratic pillars of society. Those who fit the profile of its enemy images often feel especially threatened. «Die Haube» draws on the current political climate as a source of inspiration. It intertwines artistic strategies with hidden memories and longings, opening up perspectives for the queer community. At the heart of this film and exhibition project is an exploration of the dynamics between familiarity and dissolution of boundaries — «the discomfort that results from belonging to two different worlds, worlds, so far separated from each other that they seem irreconcilable, and yet which coexist in everything that you are» as sociologist and philosopher Didier Eribon describes in Returning to Reims (2016).

The 20-minute short film (fiction) is structured in three acts. In an essayistic form, the first act (Reflection) explores the fragility of memory and its connection to fears about the future. Central to this is a subjective perception that is reflected in both biographical fragments and current political events. Idyllic, melancholic, and even hopeless moods are created through voice-over and a range of landscape images—hills, forests, fields—and textures such as water, lichen, ice, and stone, as well as architectural elements like concrete facades, safety nets, or metal structures, alongside scenes of Appenzell traditions. While the first act is marked by winter, the second act (Ritual) is intended to usher in spring and the transition to summer. In dim candlelight, surrounded by occult ritual objects from the Collectio Magica et Occulta, a mystical and grotesque atmosphere emerges. A group laughs, speaks a magic spell, and in doing so, reorders the chaos of the world addressed in the first act.

In the final act (Dreamworld), fiction pushes itself to the extreme—thus shifting the boundaries of the real. Elements from club culture appear by a forest-surrounded river, and a love scene forms the film’s conclusion. The project gains a spatial dimension through a two-day exhibition in December 2025 at Baby Angel in Zürich. The works—sculpture, objects, headpieces, ritual artifacts, and costumes—hover between props and exhibits, while music and soundscapes serve as immersive elements. Through the exhibition, the materialities and narratives become physically tangible. Even before that, in October, the public will have the opportunity to see behind the processes of the project at Zeughaus Teufen.

We need support for this

Thanks to the support of five funding institutions (Hans und Wilma Stutz Stiftung, Dr. Fred Styger Stiftung, Bertold Suhner Stiftung, Appenzellische Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft), we were able to finance the research in this year. In order to complete the 20-minute short film by the end of 2025 and realize the two-day exhibition in December at Baby Angel in Zurich, we now rely on financial support.

With your contribution, we can at least cover part of the following costs:

Production (3–4 shooting days, August 2025): Crew fees, Material costs for props & exhibits, Expenses (e.g. accommodation, car rental), Equipment, Insurance

Postproduction (August – December 2025): Editing fees, Sound design, mixing & music fees, Color grading fee, Translation fee

Mediation & distribution (from December 2025): Cinema rental (screening), Exhibition equipment rental, Technical support fees, Catering, Festival submission fees, Production costs for trailer and graphics

Crew

Marcel Hörler (project lead/script), Lena Aurea Schneider (production), Nagi Gianni (headgear), Sasha Kulak (carmera), Ian Purnell (editing), Saturne Camus-Govoroff (performance), Bast Hippocrate (performance), Olivier Zurkirchen aka Olan! (music/sound), Roman Gysin (scultpure), Wassili Widmer (text), Laura Oertle & Marisa Sturzenegger aka oema (costume), Nika Timashkova (objects), Luc Häfliger (soundrecording), Caroline Hepting (light), Olya Korsun (supervision script), Leon Schwitter (supervision production), Erika Leadbeater (maske/intimacy coordination).