Kulturpreis Oberrieden, Zürichsee Zeitung

Municipality of Oberrieden

How a woman from Oberrieden slips into the role of Mother Teresa

Cultural Prize for actor Jacqueline Fritschi-Cornaz is this year’s recipient of Oberrieden’s Cultural Award. The actor was honored at the New Year’s reception, in particular for her role in the film ‘Mother Teresa & Me’.

In a curious way, Mother Teresa – the Indian nun and Nobel Peace Prize laureate – changed the life of actor Jacqueline Fritschi‑Cornaz. The Oberrieden native traveled to Mumbai – formerly Bombay – for the first time in 2009. She was especially moved by the misery of the street children she encountered while visiting Bollywood film studios. She asked herself how she might alleviate their plight, but the decisive idea had not yet come.

A short time later, at a studio entrance, she came across an image of Mother Teresa, who had received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her courageous commitment. In a flash, the actor realized: “I want to inspire a broad audience, through a modern Mother Teresa film, to stand up for greater respect, tolerance, and justice.” This “aha” moment was the birth of the film ‘Mother Teresa & Me’ for which Jacqueline Fritschi‑Cornaz was honored first and foremost on Berchtold’s Day in Oberrieden. Due to Covid, the New Year’s event with around 120 attendees, including an Apéro, was held outdoors in front of the multipurpose building in Oberrieden.

​12 years in production

Before the Swiss‑Indian‑British feature film – written and directed by Kamal Musale – could be made, a number of hurdles had to be overcome – years of research, many trips, pandemic‑related difficulties, and the search for backers for the 4‑million project. The film is now slated to hit theaters and appear on streaming services during 2022.

A special pre‑premiere in the form of a matinee is also planned for the people of Oberrieden on April 9 at the Alba cinema in Zurich. In addition to Mother Teresa – played by Jacqueline Fritschi‑Cornaz herself – the film features Kavita (Banita Sandhu), a modern young woman with Indian roots and many questions about life. All the proceeds generated by the film are to benefit disadvantaged children in India via the Swiss Zariya Foundation.

Home remains important

Although the award ceremony on January 2 revolved largely around this latest film, Bruno Steurer, president of the Oberrieden Cultural Circle (KKO), reminded everyone in his laudation that Jacqueline Fritschi‑Cornaz has been on stage since early childhood, received professional training, and realized many projects. In 2015, for example, she produced “Mord im Gewächshaus” in cooperation with the Cultural Circle Oberrieden and successfully took it on tour. As early as 2002, the actor appeared with “Die Sehnsucht im Internet” at the KKL in Lucerne. Her own production “Ibicaba und Crevetten” also drew large audiences. The Oberrieden native performed the play about emigration from Switzerland—based on the novel by Eveline Hasler—for more than five years.

Fritschi‑Cornaz, born in 1962, emphasized at the New Year’s event in Oberrieden that even after some 50 trips to far‑off India, she always enjoys returning to Oberrieden, where she grew up and now lives again with her husband. “In Oberrieden, I always find peace and recharge for my cultural work around the world.”

Acceptable Measures

As is tradition, Oberrieden’s municipal president Martin Arnold welcomed guests at the New Year’s event and offered greetings for the year ahead. He paid great respect to the awardee for her achievements, but also addressed the vexed topic of Covid. Although the extraordinary situation has not yet been overcome, there have been positive effects of the pandemic: he cited above all the “incredible leap in digitalization.” In Arnold’s view, Switzerland has come through the crisis “relatively well.”

The mandated measures were appropriate and, to some extent, bearable, he emphasized. The economic consequences in our country were also far less severe than might have been expected. He encouraged the people of Oberrieden to volunteer in the village, where culture holds its rightful place. For that reason, too, he was very pleased that the 11th Cultural Prize was awarded to Jacqueline Fritschi‑Cornaz.

Source : Viviane Schwizer, Thalwiler Anzeiger | Sihltaler , 4. Januar 2022