David Oesch

Story

At a glacier research station brought to a standstill, climate scientist Sasha is sent to investigate the strange behavior of newly drilled ice cores. What she uncovers buried in the ice isn’t just ancient data—but fragments of her own repressed past. UNDER THE ICE is a hypnotic descent into personal and planetary memory.

Director's Notes

A lyricist-architect (Michel Kessler) and a genre filmmaker (David Oesch) brought us together with the wish to make a film that mixes sci-fi genre cinema with arthouse feeling. We wanted to create something you can’t fully explain, but can feel and immerse yourself. The scale of climate collapse, the stories hidden in the ice, the fragility of memory. For us, the film became a kind of ritual — to mourn what is melting.

The film is inspired by Akashic Records, the unfinished last project by Andrej Tarkovsky — not in homage, but as a gesture: to blend science and spirit, dream and data.

UNDER THE ICE is David Oesch’s Master’s film at the Zurich University of the Arts. The project began when poet and architect Michel Kessler developed the idea during an In:dépendance residency on the Furka Pass, nearly 3,000 meters above sea level.  The screenplay was written by Jonas Stähelin (Dr. in ETH Science History, specializing in 19th-century occultism) inspired and shaped by this unique place. The crew lived in staff accomodation next to the Furkablick Hotel during the shoot.

The international casts consists of Lena Tronina (Happy End, Identification) Cosima Shaw (Dr Who, Jupiter) Alireza Bayram (Homeland, Teheran Tabu) and Michael Neuenschwander (A forgotten Man, Wilder).

Director of Photography Natascha Vavrina and Production Designer Simona Mele co-created the film’s unique visual sci-fi-world. We worked with point-cloud scans (Juliette Martin) from ETH scientists and the fluid effects of Chris Parks (The Tree of Life, The Fountain). Jakob Eisenbach’s haunting score and mixing blends futuristic textures with echoes of ancient Alphorns — binding the film’s science and spirit into one sonic sounding landscape.

CREDITS

Producer Zurich University of the Arts, Levin Vieth. Directors Michel Kessler, David Oesch Screenplay Jonas Stähelin
Cinematography Natascha Vavrina
Production Design Simona Mele
Lead-Animation Chris Parks, Juliette Martin
Production Design Aurelia Buchli
Editor Tim Egner
Music, Sound Design & Mixing Jakob Eisenbach

Find the whole crew on Swiss Films

CAST
Sasha Lena Tronina
Dr Ross Cosima Shaw
Lenz Alireza Bayram Mountain Guide Michael Neuenschwander