Switzerland Shows Its Dark Side in Jan-Eric Mack’s ‘A Happy Family’: ‘People Don’t Talk’

Switzerland's gleaming reputation as one of the world's richest nations masks a troubling underbelly, according to director Jan-Eric Mack. His film 'A Happy Family,' premiering at Karlovy Vary, investigates the hidden cracks in Swiss society. During the pandemic, Mack observed something rare: Swiss residents lining up for food assistance—an uncommon sight in a nation where poverty typically remains invisible. The film explores why these struggles go largely unspoken, examining a cultural tendency to look away from uncomfortable truths.

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