Blick was filming on Zurich’s Langstrasse
Basel bidder Silvana Synovia (26) will be the new Netflix star
Blick visited the set of the first Swiss Netflix film by hit director Michael Steiner. The Serbian-Swiss newcomer Silvana Synovia can be seen in a leading role.
Published: 16 minutes ago
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First major film role: Newcomer Silvana Synovia from Füllinsdorf BL plays a leading role in the first Swiss Netflix film “Early Bird”.
Patricia BroderEditor People
A young woman runs past bars and neon lights along the infamous Langstrasse in Zurich. Chased by drug dealers and the police, she finally flees to the highly frequented Olé Olé Bar, where she hopes to find shelter for a short time.
The scene is part of what is probably the biggest Swiss film project of the year: “Early Bird”. Directing the first Swiss Netflix strip is the Zurich hit director Michael Steiner (53), who has already been able to reach a large national and international audience with “Wolkenbruch”.
“My film is like the Zurich version of ‘Thelma & Louise’,” says Steiner, referring to the US cult film from 1991 with Susan Sarandon (76) and Geena Davis (66) in the lead roles. In this film, as in Steiner’s, two women on the run are at the center of the action. «Early Bird» tells the story of Annika (Nilam Farooq) and Caro (Silvana Synovia), two completely different women, for whom a night of partying ends wildly. Together, the two flee the city into the Swiss mountains.
Show Zurich as authentically as possible
The shooting of “Early Bird” in downtown Zurich has been going on for two weeks. “This film is our country’s first major streaming appearance, so it’s all the more important to me to portray Zurich as authentically as possible,” says Steiner. In addition to Schwiizertütsch, this would also include people with a migration background and authentic film locations. In addition to the Valais mountains, one would also deliberately shoot in Zurich’s nightlife. “Langstrasse is a place that many people abroad don’t even know and where all the more exciting stories are possible,” says Steiner.
Newcomer Silvana Synovia (26) from Füllinsdorf BL can be seen in a leading role. The Netflix production is the first major film by the Swiss with Serbian roots, who completed her three-year training at the acting school in Cologne (D) in 2021. “I love touching people with stories,” says Synovia, who enjoys snowboarding in her free time and is a big fan of Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio (48). “This role is a dream come true for me. It is a special honor to be a part of a film that will soon be shown around the world.” The role of cheeky Caro suits her very well, reveals the young actress: “She has a hard shell and a soft core – that fascinates me!”
Theatrical release is planned for October
The neo-noir thriller, which was shot entirely in Switzerland, is being produced alongside Netflix by CH Media and Hugofilm Features. The theatrical release of “Early Bird” is planned for October 2023. Shortly thereafter, the film will also appear exclusively on Netflix and Oneplus.