International Features Competition

THE LONELIEST MAN IN TOWN

Swiss Premiere
Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
Austria
2026, 86'
Genre
Recommended Age
14 years
VO. German
ST. French
With
Al Cook
In presence of
Rainer Frimmel, Thursday November 5.
Al Cook, a former blues legend, lives alone in an apartment building that a real estate company wants to tear down. With his head full of memories, he’s planning to make a wild dream come true. A nostalgic ballad.
A long time ago, Alois Koch, guitar in hand, took on the stage name Al Cook to pursue a career in the blues. Today, the artist has gradually faded into obscurity, but he diligently preserves his mementos, VHS tapes, vinyl records, and other collectibles, while leading a solitary life in his Viennese apartment. As his home faces demolition, the veteran singer refuses to back down and decides to make a fresh start. Long-time collaborators Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel further blur the lines between fiction and documentary to portray a reality: that of a soft-hearted bluesman looking back one last time at the images and sheet music that defined his life, before moving on. An unconventional work with disarming authenticity.

Damien Brodard
Direction
Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
Screenplay
Tizza Covi
Image
Rainer Frimmel
Editing
Tizza Covi, Emily Artmann
Music
Al Cook
Sound
Nora Czamler
Production
Vento Film
With
Alfred Blechinger, Al Cook, Alois Koch, Brigitte Meduna, Flurina Schneider
World sales
Be For Films (Paris)
Distribution
Xenix Filmdistribution
Tizza Covi
1971, Italy
Previous works
2022, Vera (Feature, Director)
2016, Mister Universo (Feature, Director)
2012, The Shine of Day (Feature, Director)
2009, Little Girl (Feature, Director)
Rainer Frimmel
1971, Austria
Previous works
2022, Vera (Feature, Director)
2020, Notes from the Underworld (Feature, Director)
2012, The Shine of Day (Feature, Director)
2009, Little Girl (Feature, Director)
Tuesday 3 Nov. 16:15
Cinérama Empire

Thursday 5 Nov. 20:30
Les Cinémas du Grütli – Salle Simon