Juerg Neuenschwander
Juerg Neuenschwander (born 1953 in Signau, Switzerland) is a Swiss independent documentary film director, producer, and politician. He co-founded Container TV AG in Bern, a company that makes documentary films and television programs. He also works as a media consultant and lecturer in film and audiovisual design.
Career highlights
- Made notable documentaries such as Shigatse – An Injection Never Comes Alone (1989–1990), Kräuter und Kräfte (The Power of Healing, 1994–1995), Früher oder später (Sooner or Later, 2000–2003), and Q – Encounters on the Milky Way (Encounters on the Milky Way, 1998–2000). His work has taken him to countries including Bangladesh, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Tibet, Mali, Nepal, Switzerland, and the United States.
- His early film My Mother is in Sri Lanka (1986), co-directed with Remo Legnazzi, helped establish his career in documentary filmmaking.
Teaching and leadership
- Taught film studies at Bern University of the Arts from 1999 to 2016.
- Founded and directed the Media Lab at Bern University of Applied Sciences from 1999 to 2008.
- Served as a visiting professor at Tongji University in Shanghai (2009–2015) as part of a global expert program; in 2016 he joined Tongji again as an Overseas High-Level Talent professor.
Memberships
- Member of the Bern Film Commission (1987–1995).
- Member of the Zürcher Film Foundation’s Expert Committee for Non-fiction (2005–2008).
Select filmography (highlights)
- My Mother is in Sri Lanka (1986, with Remo Legnazzi)
- Shigatse – An Injection Never Comes Alone (1989–1990)
- Kräuter und Kräfte (The Power of Healing, 1994–1995)
- Früher oder später (Sooner or Later, 2000–2003)
- Q – Encounters on the Milky Way (Encounters on the Milky Way, 2000)
- Encounters on the Milky Way won the Berner Filmpreis in 2002
- Gleich und anders (Simply Different, 2011–2016)
- The Chinese Recipe: Bold and Smart (2012–2016)
- Daughters of a Rebel (in preparation)
Awards
- Berner Filmpreis for Encounters on the Milky Way (2002)
- Nominated for the Pare Lorentz Documentary Award (2003)
Neuenschwander remains active in film education, documentary filmmaking, and international collaboration.
This page was last edited on 1 February 2026, at 22:02 (CET).