Philippe Graber Movies
- 2009
A year after his acclaimed Der Freund (The Friend), German-born writer-director Micha Lewinsky returns for a sophomore feature with this offbeat outing, done in the same tragicomic mold. Newcomer Marie Leuenberger stars as Rahel Hubli, a uniquely beautiful young woman employed as a civil registrar in charge of administering weddings. One day, Rahel's childhood friend Ben (Dominique Jann) turns up, and upon seeing him, Rahel instantly falls in love with him again. The problem is threefold: Rahel has a husband, Ben is engaged to be married, and Ben wants Rahel to perform his ceremony. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Leuenberger, Dominique Jann, (more)
- 2008
A young man makes a commitment to a pop singer on whom he has a crush - only to run headfirst into unforeseeable circumstances - in Swiss director Micha Lewinsky's gentle, offbeat seriocomedy Der Freund. For Emil Funk (Philippe Graber), Zurich-based musician Larissa Mahler (Emilie Weltie) is the essence of appeal and desirability; after watching her perform, he dreams of meeting her. The young man sees his wish come true in the form of a brief encounter with Larissa, but must contend with a bizarre request: she asks him to "pretend" to be her boyfriend. Emil obliges but grows understandably confused when Larissa disappears, then suddenly dies the next day. Recognizing the value of a commitment, he insists on standing by her family as an emotional anchor and guiding them through a period of intense sorrow - which draws him into a close and unexpected bond with Larissa's sister, Nora (Johanna Bantzer). ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philippe Graber, Johanna Bantzer, (more)
