A collaboration between SRF - Switzerland’s national broadcaster - and Watson has revealed which films have been shown most frequently in Switzerland since January 1995. Despite stiff competition from 007, the winner is actually a German / Czech fairy tale: Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel.
Czech fairy tale the most shown film in Switzerland
The film, whose English title is Three Wishes (or Three Gifts) for Cinderella, is a Czech / East German fairy tale film produced in 1973 by Václav Vorlíček. It follows the Bohemian version of the Cinderella story, where mice are replaced by white doves, brooms are replaced by crossbows and fairy godmothers are replaced by magic hazelnuts.
Released to the western world in 1974, the film has become a favourite for Swiss families and has become a popular Christmas film in many other European nations. It has now won the accolade of the most shown "non-Swiss" film on Swiss television, being broadcast 25 times since 1995.
The second spot was occupied by the British super-sleuth James Bond, with In the Face of Death, Octopussy and The Living Daylights being shown 16 times each. Coming in third was the Western drama The Horse Whisperer, shown 15 times since 1995.
Top 10 most shown films on Swiss television
The top 10 most shown "non-Swiss" films in Switzerland are:
- Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (25 broadcasts)
- In the Face of Death (16 broadcasts)
- Octopussy (16 broadcasts)
- The Living Daylights (16 broadcasts)
- The Horse Whisperer (15 broadcasts)
- Licence to Kill (15 broadcasts)
- Con Air (14 broadcasts)
- The Rock (14 broadcasts)
- Face / Off - In the body of my enemy (14 broadcasts)
- Greetings from Moscow (14 broadcasts)
For the full list, check out the Watson website.