{
  "id": 19434352,
  "title": "Switzerland refused visas to Gaza survivors. Now their film is its Oscar choice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/11/switzerland-refused-visas-to-gaza-survivors-now-their-film-is-its",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-11T03:08:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/film-tv/2026/11/11/switzerland-refused-visas-to-gaza-survivors-now-their-film-is-its-oscar-choice/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Who Is Still Alive, a documentary directed by Nicolas Wadimoff, tells the stories of nine survivors of the assault on Gaza. Originally intended to be filmed in Switzerland, the participants were denied Swiss visas. The film's team then had just 10 days to shoot in South Africa on a black sound stage. Now, Switzerland has chosen Who Is Still Alive as its official submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. This decision has posed a challenge for Wadimoff, who must now devise an Oscar campaign for a film that primarily relies on the audience listening to the nine narrators recount their losses and the silences when they are unable to find words.\n\nWadimoff held a private screening of the film in Dubai and is preparing to travel to Los Angeles for further fundraising and to introduce the film to Academy members. Switzerland offered some financial support, but the filmmakers were told to find additional funding. This Oscar campaign is particularly significant for Wadimoff as it will expose the film to the United States, a country that has played a central role in the ongoing war.\n\nThe film began as a plan for a three-week shoot at the Vidy Theatre in Lausanne, with coaches and psychologists on hand to support the participants. However, when Swiss authorities refused the visas, Wadimoff and his team were left with no choice but to shoot in South Africa. The film's selection by Switzerland has sparked debate, with Wadimoff highlighting the country's international humanitarian law association and its differing foreign policy towards Palestine. He believes the selection may symbolize Switzerland's human rights tradition, but he is uncertain about the extent of any potential change in Swiss policy.",
  "summary": "Who Is Still Alive , a documentary in which nine survivors of the assault on Gaza tell their stories was supposed to be filmed in director Nicolas Wadimoff’s home country of Switzerland. But when the participants were refused Swiss visas, Wadimoff and his team were left scrambling to get the film made. They found a solution in South Africa, where they had only 10 days to prepare a new shoot.…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Who Is Still Alive\" tells stories of Gaza assault survivors",
    "Film's team shot in South Africa after Swiss visa denial",
    "Switzerland selects film for Oscar Best International Feature Film"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Selecting a film about Gaza survivors after denying their entry visas creates a tension between Switzerland's humanitarian reputation and its restrictive foreign policy regarding Palestinian refugees.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}