Picture Tree Picks Up ‘Frieda’s Case’

Berlin-based Picture Tree Intl. has acquired international sales rights for “Frieda’s Case” by Academy Award nominated director Maria Brendle. The film is set for its world premiere as a Gala Screening at the Zurich Film Festival on Oct. 9, with the Swiss release by Praesens Film being set for Jan. 23, 2025.

Ahead of the premiere, Variety is exclusively launching the film’s international trailer, offering a first look at the drama.

Following its Zurich debut, “Frieda’s Case” will be introduced to international buyers at this year’s Asian Film Market in Busan, MIA Rome as well as the American Film Market in Las Vegas, where the film will have its official market premiere.

“Frieda’s Case,” based on a true story and set in 1904, portrays the harrowing legal battle of Frieda Keller, a young seamstress accused of killing her child. Her fight for justice becomes a powerful reflection of the inequities faced by women in a patriarchal legal system, challenging societal norms around morality and gender equality. The film, a period drama produced by Condor Films in co-production with SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, is adapted from Michèle Minelli’s novel “Die Verlorene” (The Lost One).

Brendle commented, “’Frieda’s Case’ is not only a cinematic experience but a call for empathy and societal change. The alliance of strong female characters in the story reflects the enduring struggle for gender equality.”

The film stars Julia Buchmann in the role of Frieda Keller, alongside Max Simonischek and Stefan Merki as the attorneys caught in the crossfire of the groundbreaking legal case.

Brendle earned an Academy Award nomination for her short film “Ala Kachuu – Take and Run.” “Frieda’s Case” marks her feature debut.