Birdseye (2002)
Birdseye (2002), directed by Michael C. Huber, starring Fred Ward and Stefan Kurt.
score
Synopsis
A Colorado sheriff and his teenage son investigate a bizarre kidnapping, ultimately leading them on the hunt for a legendary Swiss criminal.
- Michael C. HuberDirector, Story
- Stephen BecknerDirector, Screenplay, Story
- Markus WelterEditing
- Karin KochProducer
About the film
A.K.A. Birdseye is a 2002 Swiss film directed by Stephen Beckner and Michael Huber. The film follows Colorado sheriff Nolan Sharpless as he investigates the disappearance of a Swiss man known as Birdseye. Presented in a documentary-like style that incorporates surveillance footage and television formats, it premiered in August 2002.
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A.K.A. Birdseye is a 2002 Swiss film directed by Stephen Beckner and Michael Huber. The film follows Colorado sheriff Nolan Sharpless as he investigates the disappearance of a Swiss man known as Birdseye. Presented in a documentary-like style that incorporates surveillance footage and television formats, it premiered in August 2002.
Synopsis
Colorado sheriff Nolan Sharpless becomes drawn into a pursuit of a notorious criminal after the kidnapping of a Swiss tourist. Combining tabloid-style media and reality television elements, the film follows his search for the mysterious Birdseye against the backdrop of American society around the turn of the millennium.
Cast
The cast includes:
Stefan Kurt as Birdseye/Urs Vogelaug
Fred Ward as Nolan Sharpless
Amy Hathaway as Heidi Logan
Jaimz Woolvett as Fingers
Beth Grant as Ruth Betters
Production
The directors spent seven years securing financing for the film. When pitching it to potential investors, they used fabricated press materials that presented the story as if it were real. The finished film combines surveillance footage with talk-show, news, and reality-television formats, and shifts between the United States and Zurich, including shots of Colorado.
Reception
Filmdienst described the film as a culturally and formally ambitious detective story that makes skilful use of digital technologies and playfully weaves together different formats.
Swissinfo described the film as a sustained satire of genre films, American mannerisms, and German-speaking Swiss heaviness, but said that it eventually turns in circles and runs out of steam.
Variety described the film as a sophisticated European parody of American television and said its American setting and dialogue could help it find an international audience, while also suggesting that some of its subplots were less successful.
Festival screenings
The film premiered in August 2002, and festival screenings included the Locarno Film Festival in 2002, the Hof International Film Festival in 2002, the Solothurn Film Festival in 2003, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Film Festival in 2003, and the Taos Talking Picture Festival in 2003.
References
External links
Birdseye on Vimeo Complete movie
Birdseye at IMDb
Text from Birdseye (film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdseye_(film)
Trivia
- It premiered on August 7, 2002, a Wednesday.
- It runs 1h30 — a typical feature length.
- This film's quiz has 12 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosDschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion
- CountriesSwitzerland, United States
- LanguagesEnglish
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Set in
- United States
Cast
-
Fred Ward
Nolan Sharpless -
Stefan Kurt
Birdseye / Urs Vogelaug / Rolf Meili -
Frederick Koehler
Ben Sharpless -
Johnny Whitworth
Trent Doone -
Amy Hathaway
Heidi Logan -
Jaimz Woolvett
Fingers -
Beth Grant
Ruth Betters -
Michael Horse
Pete Longshadow - Kevin Quinn Marty
-
R. Lee Ermey
Sheriff Gathers -
Lisa Blount
Vicky Sharpless -
Pato Hoffmann
Alvin Karpis -
Iqbal Theba
Puneet Ristani -
Hanspeter Müller
Erwin Weibel -
Mike Müller
Fritz Bolliger -
Stephanie Glaser
Maya Vogelaug -
Brigitte Beyeler
Heidi Von Erlach - Patti Allison Milly Tanner
-
Brian Howe
Joe Tanner -
Jeanne Zelasko
Anchorwoman
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Que Mulher é Essa? Comedy from the 2000s
5.9
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O Clube do Crime das Quintas-Feiras
6.6
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68 Kill
5.9
-
Reféns do Crime
5.9
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Morte em LaRoy, Texas
6.8
-
A Nova Transa da Pantera Cor-de-Rosa
6.9
-
Adivinhe Quem Vem Para Roubar
6.6
-
Conselhos De Um Serial Killer Aposentado
6.9
-
Teia de Corrupção
6.1
-
A Fúria do Protetor
6.0
-
Boca de Fumo
6.7
-
Excesso de Bagagem
6.1
Crew
- Michael C. Huber Director
- Stephen Beckner Director
- Markus Welter Editing
- Karin Koch Producer
- Stephan Schindler Producer
- Chris Vrenna Original music
- Clint Walsh Original music
- Michael C. Huber Story
- Stephen Beckner Screenplay
- Stephen Beckner Story
Questions about this film
What is Birdseye about?
Birdseye: A Colorado sheriff and his teenage son investigate a bizarre kidnapping, ultimately leading them on the hunt for a legendary Swiss criminal.
Who directed Birdseye?
Birdseye was directed by Michael C. Huber and Stephen Beckner in 2002.
Who stars in Birdseye?
The cast of Birdseye includes Fred Ward, Stefan Kurt, Frederick Koehler, Johnny Whitworth and Amy Hathaway.
How long is Birdseye?
Birdseye runs for 90 minutes, or 1h30.
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Page updated on 09/13/2026.
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