Published29. February 2024, 12:23
Television: On the set of the very first Swiss Netflix series
“Winter Palace”, co-produced by RTS and the American streaming giant, is intended to be a mixture of “Downton Abbey” and “The White Lotus”. Behind the scenes visit, in Valais.
par
Laurent Flückiger, Sierre (VS)
A room where a stuffed crocodile and hunting gear sits, a room filled with little angels and birds, yet another, luxurious, with a vaulted ceiling. Welcome to 1899 in the first Alpine hotel to have electricity and which remains open throughout the winter season. A palace with demanding customers.
We are in reality at Château Mercier, in the heights of Sierre, transformed since Monday into a filming location for the series “Winter Palace”, the first co-production between RTS and Netflix. Around 80 people will work for two weeks on the final interior scenes, four months after the first images were taken on the heights of Montreux by Friborg director Pierre Monnard.
We pass through the door of the mansion with soft steps. On the ground floor, the film crew is stuck in a small office. “Quiet, it’s running.” We’re gossiping about the monitor. We see the actor Cyril Metzger lighting candles, opening a chest and taking out some stationery. Recently noticed in the series “Les indociles”, the 29-year-old from Friborg plays the young hotelier André Morel who will turn this establishment into a palace thanks to the money of a rich British aristocrat.
Netflix pushes swissness
Upstairs, Manon Clavel, who plays André Morel’s wife Rose, is ready to share her next scene with Cyril Metzger. “It’s a job of waiting,” she smiles, in a suit. Aged 36, the French actress has been seen in cinema and theater. Never yet in a series. “With Cyril, we fell in love at first sight from our first meeting,” she says. And it’s because of the chemistry between us that we were chosen during the final stage of casting.”
“Quiet, it’s running.” The couple acts out their arrival at the hotel. Several times. In the afternoon, the cameras will be installed in the rooms. Warm. Just last week, the whole team was at altitude, in the village of Fäld, in the heart of Upper Valais. “I had never filmed in the mountains. Even if it was sometimes difficult because of the cold, it was impressive,” describes Manon Clavel.
These landscapes that make Switzerland will also have to convince an international audience. Because, shortly after its broadcast on RTS at the end of 2024, “Winter Palace” will land on Netflix. “They push Swissness,” says director Pierre Monnard about the American streaming platform. For them, it must first please the public here and, if it’s well done, it will please beyond our borders. They have a very intelligent approach.”
“Cyril Metzger is the heir of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Dujardin”
Pierre Monnard, director of “Winter Palace”
This is the first time that the filmmaker has dabbled in the historical genre. “The way of working is different, the teams are larger and it requires more research work. It’s fun to work with people who have so much talent and to create these things that we’re not used to seeing.” And the man whose film “Bison” is in the lead for the Swiss Film Prize with six nominations recognizes it: “Winter Palace” undoubtedly could not have been made without Netflix.
“Our series is a mixture of “Downton Abbey”, for the historical side, and “The White Lotus” for its satirico-comic and modern tone, explains Pierre Monnard. Let’s also add “Tintin” for its colorful characters. By the way, Cyril (Metzger) has a bit of a Tintin feel, that comes a lot from his personality. For me, he is the heir of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Dujardin. He has cheekiness, wit and is the person that everyone likes wherever he goes and brings energy to the whole team.”
So far, Netflix has apparently had very positive feedback on rushes. We will see, in a few months, whether there will be many viewers pushing through the doors of the palace and whether this first bill paid in part by the Americans will result in future five-star productions.