Sennentuntschi: Curse of the Alps (2010)

Three lonely herdsmen starved of female companionship creates the girl of their dreams, from a broom, some straw and a few rags. The creation - Sennentuntschi, lives and breathe to cook, clean and look after the three.

Director:

Michael Steiner

Writers:

Stephanie Japp (screenplay) (as Stefanie Japp), Michael Sauter (screenplay)

Stars:

Roxane Mesquida, Nicholas Ofczarek, Andrea Zogg

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roxane Mesquida	...	Sennentuntschi
Nicholas Ofczarek	...	Sebastian Reusch
Andrea Zogg	...	Erwin
Carlos Leal	...	Martin
Joel Basman	...	Albert
Hanspeter Müller	...	Notter (as Hanspeter Müller-Drossart)
Rebecca Indermaur	...	Theres
Ueli Jäggi	...	Pfarrer Salis
Peter Jecklin	...	Dr. Zingg
Daniel Rohr	...	Bauer Stähli
Paula Marija	...	Bibi
Alice Blaser	...	Maria
Herbert Leiser	...	Kommissar Matter
Luciano Simioni	...	Studer
Birgit C. Krammer	...	Birgit

Storyline

Three lonely herdsmen starved of female companionship creates the girl of their dreams, from a broom, some straw and a few rags. The creation - Sennentuntschi, lives and breathe to cook, clean and look after the three.

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Plot Keywords:

male full frontal nudity | mountain | murder | femme fatale | male frontal nudity | 

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Germany]

Country:

Switzerland

Language:

Swiss German

Release Date:

8 September 2011 (Austria)

Also Known As:

Sennentuntschi: Curse of the Alps

Filming Locations:

Unterschächen, Switzerland

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$34,991

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kontraproduktion AG, Superfilm, Greyhound

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is loosely based upon an Alpine to fable called "The Guschg Herdsmen's Doll" but commonly referred to as Sennentuntschi across Switzerland.

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Goofs

The story is set in 1975, Sebastian drives a VAZ-2121 (Lada Niva). But this model of Lada was only manufactured from 1977.

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Connections

Version of Sukkubus - den Teufel im Leib (1989)

User Reviews

Classy slow burning Swiss thriller

It is said (or at least was at the screening attended) that Sennentuntschi is Switzerland's first genre film. One hope that they make more, for its quite a cracker. It draws upon a little used myth (I can think of maybe one other film that makes use of it) of lonely Alpine shepherds who sew a lady companion out of straw and cloth. By and by the lady comes to life, loves them and keeps their home, until she falls out of favours and takes her vengeance. Things are a bit more complicated than that here though, with a strange and silent lady (Roxanne Mesquida) coming to a village from the mountains and immediately arousing superstitions. Local inspector Reusch is on her side, but something bad is afoot, and events in the village are parallelled by the affairs of a moutainside shepherd, his son and a city man who joins them. The film is quite a slow burner, focused on the slowly boiling drama of its characters and the tensions between superstition and reason, religion and modernity, man and woman, primal and tamed. Set in 1975 when there were still places in the Alps caught in older times, there's a convincing sense of removal from reality and rustic unease, quiet disquiet that works well with the sublime locations, crisply shot by Pascal Walder. Solid performances across the board give the film an effective dramatic tone, Nicholas Ofczarek giving the character of Reusch a sense of earnest dedication tinged with affecting romantic, longing, Andrea Zogg bringing righteous fire to his powerful priest character and Roxanne Mesquida especially good in her silent role as the rumoured Sennentuntschi, conveying feral grace and danger with an edge of primal humanity. Things come to a head in nicely intense and fairly shocking fashion with a cruelly punching final block, although a slightly tricksy approach to the narrative dilutes the ultimate effect. All in all its a quality and worthwhile watch, though not as potent as it could be. It takes a little too long to really come aflame I think, while things are ultimately satisfying there isn't so much suspense in earlier scenes. And for all the interesting oppositions the film brings up with its narrative, it doesn't really end up saying anything particularly interesting, though never less than satisfying entertainment its standard genre film mechanics do slightly sap its underlying interest. Still recommended though, 7/10