Biography
Ramon Zürcher was born on 20 June 1982 in Aarberg, Switzerland. From 2002 he studied art at the Bern University of the Arts (HKB), specialising in painting and video art. He graduated in 2005. The following year he began studying film directing at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin (dffb). During his studies he directed several short films, some of which were shown at festivals.
Ramon Zürcher made his feature film debut with his graduation film "Das merkwürdige Kätzchen" ("The Strange Little Cat"), which premiered at the Forum of the 2013 Berlinale. Screenings at numerous other festivals around the world followed, including the Toronto International Film Festival, the AFI Fest in Los Angeles and the Mar del Plata Festival in Argentina. "Das merkwürdige Kätzchen" won several awards, among them the Audience Jury Prize at the Viennale in Vienna. At the Copenhagen Film Festival CPH:PIX, Zürcher received the New Talent Grand PIX, and the film was nominated for Best Debut, Best Cinematography and Best Editing at the German Film Critics' Prize.
Together with his twin brother Silvan Zürcher, Ramon Zürcher founded the production company Zürcher Film in 2017. In 2019, he began shooting his second feature-length film, "Das Mädchen und die Spinne" ("The Girl and the Spider"). The story about the flat-sharing break-up of two friends forms the second part of his planned trilogy about human togetherness. "Das Mädchen und die Spinne" celebrated its world premiere at the Berlinale 2021 in the 'Encounters' competition. There, Zürcher won the award for Best Director and the FIPRESCI prize. The film was released in Switzerland in spring 2021, the German theatrical release followed in summer 2021.