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A family of 5 in the kitchen. The father talks to the young boy while the two girls look at their mother.

The Sparrow in the Chimney

  Ramon Zürcher

  Switzerland     117 minutes

Synopsis

Karen and Markus live with their children in the idyllic countryside home of Karen’s youth. Markus’s birthday is approaching, offering the perfect occasion for a family get-together. As guests begin to arrive — everyone from their reclusive neighbor to their collegiate daughter to Karen’s impetuous sister — so do simmering resentments, snide gossip, and verbal slights. Still grieving the death of her overbearing mother, Karen’s mounting stress hurtles the family toward a fiery confrontation.

Masterfully crafted and expertly observed, The Sparrow in the Chimney explores the explosive, aggressive potential of everyday human interaction. The cramped country house becomes a character in itself, its ghosts seeming to haunt its inhabitants as they flit in and out of ingeniously cluttered frames, begging the question: Are we ever able to truly leave the past behind us?

  

 German with subtitles

Screenings & Events

Screening

Wed, Oct 23 @ 5:45pm CDT

at AMC NEWCITY 14, screen 13

Scheduled to Attend:
Director Ramon Zürcher

Screening

Thu, Oct 24 @ 7:45pm CDT

at AMC NEWCITY 14, screen 04

Scheduled to Attend:
Director Ramon Zürcher

Media

Film Credits

  •   Silvan Zürcher
  •   Maren Eggert, Britta Hammelstein, Luise Heyer, Andreas Döhler, Milian Zerzawy, Lea Zoe Voss, Paula Schindler, Ilja Bultmann, Luana Greco
  •   Zürcher Film

Sponsors

International Competition Program Patron

Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum Family Foundation