ABSTRACT
From a political standpoint, the inclusion of Switzerland in a conference on European women filmmakers may seem questionable, since Switzerland, at least up to now, has not been a member of the new European constellation. in 1992, a public referendum rejected Switzerland's entry into the Euro pean Economic Community. Ln the past, its political neutrality was a distin guishing feature; on current maps, it lies in isolation, surrounded by the new European Union. This changed status of Switzerland in Europe is the choice of its inhabitants, and it carries serious social, political, and eco nomic consequences. Its national film production, often a reflection and barometer of internal issues, has also been affected by this decision. This chapter investigates pertinent socio-political and cultural aspects of the sta tus and development of women's filmmaking in Switzerland.
