Winter Nomads

Hiver nomade

A man, a woman, 800 sheep and the spirit of adventure in this remarkable, riveting documentary from Switzerland about the modern shepherding life.

Even if a screening is sold out, tickets are often available 30 minutes before the start of the film at the box office at each venue.


Image gallery

  • Director Manuel von Stürler
  • Producer Elisabeth Garbar, Heinz Dill
  • Screenwriter Manuel von Stürler, Claude Muret
  • Switzerland 2012
  • 90 mins
  • Production company Louise Productions

This extraordinary snowbound documentary is a mesmerising evocation of a little-known aspect of rural Europe – and an intimate character portrait of two staunch individuals dedicated to their craft. Winter Nomads follows a team of shepherds, veteran Pascal Eguisier and younger partner Carole Noblanc, as they lead 800 sheep (plus three donkeys and four dogs) on a 600-kilometre journey across Switzerland from one grazing area to another. At first, their relationship is that of gruff boss and long-suffering apprentice, but as the arduous trek progresses through bitter winter weather, we learn more about their tight-knit rapport. Camille Cottagnoud’s photography makes the journey more than vivid, the patterns made by sheep in landscapes proving hypnotic in their abstract beauty. If you appreciate films that show there’s real adventure still to be had even in seemingly tamed corners of Europe, then this hugely engaging film will score three-bags-full with you.
Jonathan Romney

Director Q&A

The nomadic life of the Roma has often been treated in movies, but that of shepherds perpetuating the ancient tradition of 'transhumance' much less. How did this topic impose itself on you?

After a long trip with my family to the other side of the planet, I heard that an impressive flock of sheep had passed in front of my house which is located on the outskirts of an urban area. So the following winter, I was on the look-out for them. I eventually found them outside a small town nearby. I experienced the same sensations as during my long trip. Thanks to the shepherds I rediscovered my region and was beginning to see the groups of villas encroaching on the countryside in a different light. It was an incredible encounter: first of all with the extraordinary spectacle of the passing sheep, but particularly with the shepherds, Pascal and Carole. This transhumance adventure captivated me. It was an eye-opener as regards the transformation of the countryside and the 'los-angelisation' of the Swiss countryside. The idea of making a film was immediately obvious.

Is transhumance, a remnant of olden times, well considered in the countryside?

The biblical symbol of the shepherd, just like the return to nature and the Epinal image (traditionalist depiction) that transhumance represents hold an astoundingly powerful fascination. Wherever they go, shepherds attract interest and sympathy. In fact, they are so much in demand that they sometimes hide in a clearing so as not to be disturbed! Shepherds and their flocks are, however, not always welcome: some farmers, fearing for their crops, are on the defensive for all sorts of reasons and prohibit access to their land. Transhumance is regulated by the authorities who assign certain areas to the owners of the flocks, but the farmers are under no obligation to accept the sheep on their land.

How were you received by the shepherds?

We got on immediately. Despite his gruff exterior, I found alert-eyed Pascal instantly charming. Carole too. They have a taste for beauty and 'pure' things; they have neither jeep nor do they wear synthetic, garish colours. Instead, they have opted for donkeys and the beautiful traditional clothes of the shepherds from the Bergamo region. I got involved in their adventure very quickly. I wanted to go back the next day and the day after.

Were you able to easily convince Pascal and Carole to participate in the shoot?

They were on their guard at first. It has to be said that they are very frequently photographed and that there are two amateur videos about them. When they realised that my project was more ambitious and that I was determined, they took me seriously. During the development phase of the project, which took nearly two years, I participated in a complete transhumance, the time required to establish mutual trust.

You highlight the shepherds' know-how, their ability to guide the flock toward "authorised" pastures and to ensure the health of their animals. Were you impressed by their skill?

This is a very exacting profession and I wanted to show its complexity, its suspenseful reality as well as the movement of the flock. Shepherds are constantly on the alert and the moments of respite are rare. Guiding a flock of eight hundred sheep along a path that is three metres wide and lined with planted fields that no sheep may trample on is not within the capacity of just anybody. It requires the nimble fingers and the skill of a conductor!
Manuel von Stürler

Director biography

Born 1968 in Lausanne, he studied the trombone at the Music Academy of Neuchâtel and at the Jazz and Contemporary Music School in Lausanne, and now performs live a wide repertory, from classical to jazz and contemporary music, with artists such as the Philippe Lang Group, Malcolm Braff, Leon Francioli and Stéphane Blok. He also composes music scores for theatre and stage performances. Exploring the world as well as his art, he and his family spent two years travelling, in the Middle East, Persia, Eastern Europe, Iceland, Bolivia, Chile and Patagonia: a period when he rediscovered another passion: photography. He made several personal films before being commissioned as a professional to direct his first corporate film for a major company, Securitas. In 2008, he started work on his feature documentary project Winter Nomads, which premiered in the Forum section of the Berlin Film Festival in 2012.

Filmography

2012 Hiver nomade (Winter Nomads) [doc]