Space Tourists

Christian Frei

Christian Frei takes a humorous and laconic look at the way billionaires leave planet Earth to travel into outer space for fun. With breathtaking images, Space Tourists takes its audience into a fascinating world full of wonder and surprise—encounters with the least likely people imaginable and places even stranger and more unknown than outer space itself.

Switzerland 2009, '98

DIRECTOR: Christian Frei

SCENARIO: Christian Frei

CAMERA: Peter Indergand, Patrick Lindenmaier (Picture Design), Florian Eidenbenz (Sound Design)

MONTAGE: Christian Frei

MUSIC: Edward Artemyev, Jan Garbarek, Steve Reich

PRODUCERS: Christian Frei

PRODUCTION: Christian Frei Filmproductions, SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, ZDF/ARTE

FESTIVALS & AWARDS:

Sundance FF (2010): World Cinema Directing Award
DOC: The Documentary Channel (2012): Best of Doc
International Mountain FF (2011): Grand Prize of the Grand Prize
Regio Fun FF (2010): 2nd Award Documentary Film Competition
Mountainfilm International Filmfestival Graz (2010): Grand Prix
EBS Seoul (2010): Special Jury Award
Oslo European DFF (2010): Eurodok Award
Beldocs (2010): Best Photography Award
Festival del film Locarno (2010)
IDFA (2009)
Hot Docs (2010)
RIDM (2010)
BIFF (2010)

Christian Frei

Swiss director and producer Christian Frei is widely regarded as one of the most innovative and compelling voices in contemporary documentary filmmaking. He received an Academy Award nomination for War Photographer (2001) and won the World Cinema Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival for Space Tourists (2009). Four films he produced premiered in competition at Sundance, where Genesis 2.0 (2018) was awarded the Special Jury Award for Cinematography. From the very beginning of his career, Frei established a reputation as an exacting documentarian with a keen understanding of his subjects. His films are known for their humanistic perspective and universal themes, combining visual precision with a subtle yet persistent curiosity about the human condition. As a producer, Christian Frei released Raving Iran (2016), Saudi Runway (2020) and Girl Gang (2022), directed by Susanne Regina Meures. Frei served as an Associate Lecturer in Reflection Competence at the University of St. Gallen from 2006 to 2023. From 2010 to 2022 he served as President of the Swiss Film Academy.