Friedrich Dürrenmatt is undoubtedly one of the most famous Swiss authors of all time and is known not only for his writing, but also for his humor, for his love of wine, and the culinary arts. His plays have been performed in all parts of the world, including on New York’s Broadway. His works have even reached Hollywood, where the 2001 movie “The Pledge” directed by Sean Penn and starring Jack Nicholson took inspiration from Dürrenmatt’s novels.

To celebrate Dürrenmatt’s 100th birthday (he died in 1990 at the age of 69), the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco introduced the U.S. audience to this exceptional author, playwright, and painter. Over the course of two events in March and December 2021, invited guests had the opportunity to taste Swiss wines and virtually tour the Swiss wine region while learning about and discussing the topics of innovation and sustainability in the Swiss and Californian winemaking. The audience had the unique experience of becoming part of the staged reading of Dürrenmatt’s novel “A Dangerous Game”. Known in the U.S. as “Traps”, the story is about a traveller who is invited for dinner by a former judge, when his car breaks down. While listening and watching the actors, the audience was served a festive dinner featuring the menu items of Traps’ meal and became literally part of the story.

The geographic proximity between San Francisco and Hollywood served as an opportunity to celebrate Dürrenmatt’s cultural impact on U.S. filmmaking and literature. Dürrenmatt’s legacy as one of Switzerland’s greatest authors thus lives on and continues to impact U.S. film and literature to this day.