Indie Lisboa International Film Festival

“The sparrow in the chimney”, interview with director Ramon Zurcher

May 6, 2025

Ramon Zurcher, director of "The sparrow in the chimney", explores the delicate tensions of family life.

"The sparrow in the chimney", interview with director Ramon Zurcher Cristiana Palmieri

Podcast | Download

In “The Sparrow in the Chimney“, director Ramon Zürcher returns with the third installment of his “animal trilogy,” exploring the delicate tensions of family life. Set in a pristine ancestral home, the film follows Karen and Markus as they host a birthday gathering disrupted by the arrival of Karen’s sister Jule, sparking the unravelling of long-buried secrets and emotional wounds.

Zürcher discusses his inspiration to portray the fragility of human connections and the invisible forces that shape family dynamics.

Balancing intimate moments with broader social commentary, he reveals how the image of the trapped sparrow became a metaphor for emotional entrapment and the desire for release, culminating in a cathartic, near-tragic finale.

Plot

Two sisters — with very different experiences and memories — come together for a celebration in their parents' old and pristine house, now occupied by the eldest, Karen (Maren Eggert). Emotionally closed off from her children and husband, she contrasts sharply with the cheerful Julie (Britta Hammelstein), who is in love with her partner and baby. The family gathering is marked by the sharpest barbs imaginable, thrown by everyone at everyone. But everything that is tense will eventually have to be released.

Written by: Cristiana Palmieri

Guest

Ramon Zürcher

Film

The Sparrow in the Chimney

Festival

Indie Lisboa International Film Festival

Rate it

Channel posts

Interview

Indie Lisboa International Film Festival

“¿De qué casa eres?”, interview with director Ana Perez Quiroga

May 6, 2025

In "¿De qué casa eres?" director Ana Perez Quiroga traces the deep scars and resilience shaped by war, displacement, and identity.

Interview

Indie Lisboa International Film Festival

“Vitrival” interview with directors Baptiste Bogaert and Noëlle Bastin

May 6, 2025

In Vitrival-The most beautiful village in the world, Baptiste Bogaert and Noëlle Bastin capture a light and tender way of life, spiced up with deadpan humour