26 years after the SwissAir Flight 111 tragedy, production has commenced in Halifax, Nova Scotia on the drama film ‘111’ written and directed by Mauro Mueller. Starring in the movie are award-winning Canadian actors Kris Holden-Ried (Departure) and Natalie Brown (The Strain), and Swiss actor Ursina Lardi (Lore) alongside an international cast.
‘111’ revolves around the tragic crash of Swissair 111 into the cold waters of the Atlantic off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 2, 1998. It follows the stories of various characters whose lives are affected by the disaster while weaving together a message of hope amidst grief. ‘111’ forces us to grapple with tragic loss, inevitable grief and the question of life and its finiteness.
The fate of flight SR 111 shocked Switzerland, Canada and the world. Making global headlines, the crash left mourning relationships and victims all over the world with a passenger list from 21 nations. The accident that dominated international press also launched a thorough technical investigation into the safety of the aircraft which resulted in the models modification and retrofitting in the hopes that another tragedy would never occur.
“For me as a frequent traveler, the crash of Swissair 111 over Halifax was a deeply moving experience,” says director-writer Mauro Mueller. “How life always manages to turn chance encounters into either beautiful, incisive and formative moments or – as in this case – to bring people together under the most tragic of circumstances who would never have crossed paths under “normal” circumstances is a phenomenon of life that fascinates me. We are not interested in developing a Boulvardesque disaster movie or retelling the tragedy one-to-one. On the one hand, our aim is to create a subtle, emotional homage to the strength in us humans to stand up to even the most adverse circumstances. On the other hand, this film is a gentle appeal to be grateful for what life gives us every day.”
“The SwissAir 111 tragedy not only moved Nova Scotians into mourning,” says Canadian producer and CEO of Auguste Content, Ann Bernier, “it brought Canada, Switzerland and the world together as we united in the face of the unthinkable. ‘111’ is our opportunity to remember this important moment, not only in Canadian history, but in a history that crosses the ocean. We hope that this film can be an important reminder of the power of coming together across borders as well as honour the lives of those we lost.”
“‘111’ is “glocal” in the truest sense of the word – locally rooted and yet global. We are telling a Swiss tragedy in which more than two dozen nations were involved and which turned countless people’s lives upside down,” says Anne Walser, producer and co-owner of C-Films. “The highly emotional, international story surrounding the crash of Swissair 111 seems to us to be the ideal material for the talented director, and winner of the Student Oscar, Mauro Mueller.”
Filming will take place until the end of October 2024 in Nova Scotia, Canada as well as in Zurich, Switzerland and surrounding areas through October.
111 will be released in cinemas in Switzerland by Ascot Elite Entertainment, Elevation Pictures in Canada, with world sales handled by Global Screen, a Vuelta Group Company.