And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead: Michael Steiner’s Taliban Hostage Drama To Open 17th Edition of Zurich Film Festival

Taliban hostage drama And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead, directed by Swiss filmmaker Michael Steiner, will be the opening film at the 17th edition of the upcoming Zurich Film Festival (ZFF). The announcement comes almost over a week after the Taliban, the extremist Islamist organisation, seized power in Afghanistan this month, taking over almost all key towns and cities following the withdrawal of the US forces from the country after two decades. International Film Festival of India Postponed to 2021 Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead follows the real life-story of Daniela Widmer, played by Morgane Ferru, and David Och (Sven Schelker), the Swiss couple kidnapped and handed over to the Taliban in 2011. Widmer and Och had travelled from India to Pakistan and were to head to Iran and Turkey. The duo was held captive by the Taliban from July 2011 to March 2012. They were abducted by gunmen on July 1 from Loralai district of Balochistan. Afghanistan: Journalist Taken Hostage by Taliban in Helmand Province.

"Michael Steiner understands auteur cinema with great audience appeal like no other Swiss director. His new movie, his strongest to date, demonstrates international stature. "The film reminds me of Kathryn Bigelow's thriller 'ZERO DARK THIRTY' about the hunt for Osama bin Laden," Christian Jungen, artistic director of the festival, said in a statement posted on the movie gala's website.

Steiner, whose horror story "Sennentuntschii" opened the film festival in 2010, said he is excited about the world premiere of "And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead".

"I'm a storyteller and here I wanted to give a personal insight into the fate of the two hostages Daniela Widmer and David Och, so that the audience understands the context," he said. Widmer and Och will be attending the premiere at the ZFF. The film is based on a personal report of their experience by the same name, published in 2013 by DuMont Buchverlag. The film has been shot in various locations across India, Spain and Switzerland. The Zurich Film Festival is scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 3.

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