Other than being famous for its banks, standards of living, and the the most delicious chocolate you have ever tasted, the city of Zurich is also famous for hosting the biggest gay/lesbian film festival in Switzerland every spring. What started off as an independent venture for acceptance, has now grown into a colossal film festival and has became one of the most socially influential events in the beautiful Alpine country of Switzerland.
A Study In Pink
The film festival was founded in 1997 by a couple of film lovers from the city of Frauenfeld with the aim to promote tolerance and social acceptance of homosexuality in the regions, calling itself Pink Apple, since the canton was filled with many apple trees. In 1998, the first festival was held in Cinema Luna in Frauenfeld, which screened 10 films to a massive crowd, just 2 years before the festival landed in Zurich during the EuroGames (a European sporting event for lesbians and gays), and became a huge success after screening seven films in the Arthouse Movie Cinema. After that, in the year 2003, the Pink Apple became an official film festival with its opening night being held in Zurich, which screened around 50 films, both long and short. Since then, the Pink Apple has received immense recognition from the public and became an annual event in both Zurich and Frauenfeld.
Everyone Loves Apples
The Pink Apple grew to be the biggest gay/lesbian film festival in Switzerland ever since its inception and in 2013, the Pink Apple hosted 111 programs which showed 94 films from 27 different nations with an audience of over 9500 people, screening films such as:
- Documentaries
- Feature Films
- Short Films
The Pink Apple also holds a short film competition in which a jury of film experts, judge and present the Pink Apple Award, an award worth 2000 Swiss Francs, to the best short film in the competition, while a separate award, Pink Apple Audience Award, is presented to the documentary or feature film the audience liked the best.
With a brilliant idea, a respectable motive and a handful of people, the Pink Apple film festival has grown to be such a renowned event that the founders could not even imagine; having over 9000 attendees and screening over 90 various amazing films, the Pink Apple is definitely a must visit event.
Website :www.pinkapple.ch
Twitter :twitter.com/PinkAppleFilm
Facebook :www.facebook.com/PinkAppleFilmfestival