Badenfahrt: Fest Vereint (2021)

Once every decade, an extraordinary folk festival puts the small town of Baden in an exceptional state of vibrancy that resonates far beyond its borders. Thousands of people contribute to the success of the Badenfahrt in numerous clubs and pubs - a festival that unites the many volunteers for ten days and nights. Over a million people celebrated the last Badenfahrt. Its motto "Versus" was an allusion to the contrasting city life between industrial and old town, construction sites and river space. Some of the diverse people, whether asylum seekers or CEOs, who played an active role in the last Badenfahrt, are accompanied by this cinema documentary. Whether it's a handful of friends daringly building a pub on a steep slope, a young team turning night into day with a party club, or half a village aiming high with its rocket launching ramp: the countless helpers, who go their own ways in normal life, join forces to create something unique before, during and - yes, even after the Badenfahrt. This is also a game of contrasts, a great whole that is more than the sum of its various parts. This feel-good movie is an emotional plea for diversity and for volunteerism in a country where associations are an important pillar of society. And for the preservation of our intangible cultural heritage, as the Badenfahrt is one of Switzerland's important living traditions.