Sewing can change your life - this is shown in the film “Sew Torn”, which celebrated its European premiere last Saturday on the Piazza Grande in Locarno.

The dark comedy is director Freddy Macdonald's first feature film. It follows his short film of the same name, which qualified for the Oscars in 2019. The story centers on seamstress Barbara Duggen (played by Eve Connolly), who runs a less than successful sewing business and stumbles across a failed drug deal. She has to decide: commit the perfect crime, call the police or drive away? The longer the movie goes on, the more Barbara becomes entangled in the consequences of her actions.

“Sew Torn” underlines the creative potential of sewing and embroidery

The film met with an enthusiastic response in Locarno. The Corriere del Ticino writes: “Sometimes lightning strikes. This time the welcome surprise for me was Sew Torn by the American Freddy Macdonald. [...] It's an exercise in style (à la Queneau) with passion, rhythm and ironic verve; supported by impeccable direction, script and editing.”

Mettler is proud to be a part of this extraordinary project and success and to have contributed to the creative realization of the film. “Sew Torn” impressively manages to put sewing at the center of a thriller.

Sew Torn connects the sewing world

Together with the sewing machine manufacturer BERNINA, the team worked closely with the film crew and Mettler, as the thread manufacturer, provided the important central theme for the film's narrative. The cooperation was initiated by Christine Bauer, Head of Business Unit Consumer.

The best of the USA and Switzerland

Sew Torn is an American-Swiss co-production. Actors known from feature films and Netflix series such as Schindler's List, Knives Out, Vikings, Hot Fuzz and My Name is Eugene were in front of the camera. The 23-year-old director Freddy Macdonald was in charge of the production. After the premiere at the prestigious SXSW South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas, the film world reacted with amazement. The Hollywood Reporter wrote of a “child prodigy” and “glowing” reviews.

Filming took place in the Tamina Valley in St. Gallen and in Bad Ragaz. Freddy Macdonald: “You can point the camera anywhere and it looks beautiful.”

A predominantly Swiss crew also worked behind the camera. It was thanks to cameraman and producer Sebastian Klinger, with whom Macdonald had already made his short film, that the perfect locations could be found. The Swiss production company Orisono was involved as co-producer.

The Locarno Film Festival, known for its high-quality program, provided the ideal setting for the European premiere of “Sew Torn”.

Mettler is delighted that the film was so well received by the audience.