Unrest (German: Unruh, French: Désordres) is a 2022 Swiss historical drama film written and directed by Cyril Schäublin and starring Clara Gostynski and Alexei Evstratov. It premiered at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, where it screened in the Encounters section and where Schäublin won the Best Director award.
Plot New technologies are transforming a 19th-century watchmaking town in Switzerland. Josephine, a young factory worker, produces the unrest wheel, swinging in the heart of the mechanical watch. Exposed to new ways of organizing money, time and labour, she gets involved with the local movement of the anarchist watchmakers, where she meets Russian traveller Pyotr Kropotkin.
Release The film was released theatrically in Switzerland on 17 November 2022, distributed by Filmcoopi Zürich AG, in Germany on 5 January 2023 by Grandfilm GmbH, and in Austria on 7 January 2023 by Filmgarten Distribution. It opened in Spain on 10 February 2023 via Lost and Found, and in Croatia on 23 February 2023 through Discovery Film and Video Distribution. In France, it was released on 12 April 2023 by Shellac Films, and in the United States on 5 May 2023 by KimStim. It was released in Serbia on 28 September 2023 through Five Stars Film Distribution. The film was also distributed in Greece by Videorama LTD – Weirdwave, and in Taiwan by Cineplex Development.
Reception On Rotten Tomatoes, Unrest holds an approval rating of 87% based on 23 critic reviews. According to Metacritic, which assigned a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 9 critics, the film received “generally favorable reviews”.
In Variety, Jessica Kiang wrote that “Unrest” “rebels beautifully against the tyranny of things having to happen in a movie” and suggested Schäublin as “a singular new filmmaking talent”. Writing in The Economist, Nicolas Rapold notes that Schäublin’s off-kilter framing can “suggest that an alternate order might be afoot”. Vogue’s Lisa Wong Macabasco called it “delightfully subversive” and said it “provokes contemplation … of structured time and ruthless capitalism”. Among other notices, the Los Angeles Times described the film as “meticulous and mischievous,” while RogerEbert.com called it “an intriguing period piece”.
Accolades
Year Organization Category Film Result 2023 Premiers Plans Angers Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Unrest Won 2022 Beijing International Film Festival Tiantan Award – Best Picture Unrest Won 2022 Berlin International Film Festival Best Director Unrest Won 2023 Cahiers du Cinéma Annual Top 10 List Unrest Won 2023 Entrevues Belfort Film Festival Ciné+ Award Unrest Won 2022 Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival Special Mention Unrest Won 2022 Jeonju International Film Festival Best Picture Unrest Won 2018 Muestra de Cine de Lanzarote Best Film Unrest Won 2018 Swiss Film Awards Best Film Unrest Nominated 2023 Swiss Film Awards Best Camera Unrest Won 2023 Swiss Film Awards Best Film Unrest Nominated 2022 Viennale FIPRESCI Prize Unrest Won
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