Fribourg venue celebrates life of filmmaker Res Balzli

Swiss film producer and director Res Balzli has died at the age of 66, as reported in the local media and confirmed by his close friend and business partner Dieter Fahrer.

Balzli, who died last Sunday, produced numerous feature and documentary films such as “Felix Tissi” and “Peter Liechti”. In 2010 he directed Bouton, a documentary about a cancer-stricken actress.

The feature film Tinou followed in 2014; it’s the story of two Bern-based drunkards. Balzli had developed the story together with filmmaker Johannes Flütsch, and then finished the work alone after Flütsch’s death.

The son of the dialect poet Ernst Balzli, he was also a social worker, restaurateur and cultural mediator. He founded the Kreuz cooperative and cultural restaurant in Nidau, the Auberge Aux 4 Vents in Granges-Paccot and the La Coutellerie cultural venue in Fribourg, where he had just moved into an apartment.

To pay tribute to its founder, La Coutellerie is hosting a weekend “Restival” with food, music and a screening of “Bouton”.