The Heiresses

Avril Lehmann – The Heiresses

Luna returns to the family home where still lives her younger sister, Diana. Diana has been living alone in this large, dilapidated house since the death of their father.

Diploma project (2021) by Avril Lehmann

Award
BNP Double Clap Award / Rencontres du 7ème Art, Lausanne
Know-how
Fiction

Fiction / 15 min

Synopsis

Luna returns to the family house where still lives her sister, Diana. She has been living alone in this large, dilapidated house since the death of their father. If Luna left the house to free herself from the past, Diana, on the other hand, refuses to turn the page. No words can bring the sisters together. Therefore they decide to settle their dispute through a family tradition: a hunt. 

Comment

The starting point of the project was a desire to tell a story between two sisters. Having always worked with my own sister, this time I wanted to reflect on the dynamics of our relationship.

When the writing began, reality inevitably collided with the creation of the characters and the two protagonists bore a striking resemblance to my sister and me. So, after thinking long and hard about casting, I decided to challenge myself to play one of the two roles.

This experience allowed me to confront the characters from another angle than the one of director and to discover the rudiments of the actor’s work.

Awards

BNP Double Clap Award / Rencontres du 7ème art, Lausanne

 

Stills
Stills
Stills
Stills
Stills
Stills
Stills
Stills

1/8

Projects related to Fiction

Fine Art Photography

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Fine Art Photography

with Natacha Lesueur

Documenteur – The Power of the Fake Based on projects developed around a common theme, students create a personal and in-depth body of work exploring the notion of deception. They build a project that plays with the boundaries of photographic truth, using the medium as an artifice of lies.

ECAL Night Live

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

BA MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

ECAL Night Live

with Vincent Veillon, Paul Walther, Florian Pittet (Sigmasix), Vincent Jacquier, Julien Gurtner

During an intensive week, first-year students from the Visual Communication department at ECAL had the opportunity to create and produce the first edition of ECAL Night Live. The goal was to design a show inspired by satirical television formats. Divided into multidisciplinary teams—including students from the Bachelor programs in Graphic Design, Media & Interaction Design, and Photography—they collaborated to create all the content, set design, and visual identity of the show, delivering a fully homemade project in record time. The main theme revolved around self-mockery, targeting the visual communication professions, students, and the institution itself, with a subtle touch of current events. This project was supervised by Vincent Veillon and Paul Walther, directors of the RTS show 52 Minutes, as well as Florian Pittet, a digital scenography expert who guided the creation of the show's set design.

Fine Art Photography

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Fine Art Photography

with Natacha Lesueur

VULGAR Based on projects developed around a common theme, students create a personal and in-depth body of work exploring the notion of deception. They build a project that plays with the boundaries of photographic truth, using the medium as an artifice of lies.

Video Clips – 2025

BA GRAPHIC DESIGN

BA MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Video Clips – 2025

with Sami Benhadj

Music video projects created within the framework of the Sequence course supervised by Sami Benhadj. Each 2nd-year student in the Graphic Design, Media & Interaction Design & Photography Bachelor programs produced an individual music video. Taking an existing track as a starting point, every project sought to translate the music into images, exploring visual storytelling, rhythm, and staging. Students were encouraged to experiment and develop a creative and personal approach, resulting in original graphic worlds where sound and image resonate with one another.

Staged Photography

BA PHOTOGRAPHY

Staged Photography

with Charlotte Krieger

SCREENPLAY This course introduces students to the creation of a seven-image series built around the theme Screenplay. They will learn to combine set design, characters, and lighting to produce strong, coherent staged images. Through a practical and technical approach, the course develops their ability to conceive and manage a complete photographic project, direct models, work with natural and artificial light, and collaborate under conditions similar to professional editorial or commercial shoots. Students will refine their photographic vision while preparing for the creative and technical demands of the industry.

Related courses