Netflix just secured the streaming rights to the new Swiss comedy film The Neighbors From Upstairs after its stellar theatrical run last year. The movie will be available to Netflix users in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and only in the Swiss and German languages, according to a report by Deadline. This deal shows how Netflix is capitalizing on its global reach in a way that is only possible in the era of streaming.
The Neighbors From Upstairs – or, Die Nachbarn Von Oben – was one of the top-performing Swiss comedies of 2023 with at least 72,000 tickets sold in Switzerland. It will hit Netflix in March – the same month as the Swiss Film Award, for which this movie is nominated. It was written by Alexander Seibt and directed by Sabine Boss, with producers Karin G. Deitrich, Ralph S. Dietrich, Stephan Giger and Roger Kaufmann. Kauffmann gave a statement to Deadline on the deal with Netflix.
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“The licensing of The Neighbours From Upstairs to Netflix underlines the appeal and quality of the film and completes the successful exploitation of our production with another highlight,” he said.
The Neighbors From Upstairs is about a couple named Thomas (Roeland Wiesnekker) and Anna (Ursina Lardi), who have been married for 20 years. According to the film’s synopsis, Thomas and Anna feel that their marriage has grown stale and are yearning for something to revive their romance. At the same time, they can hear the much younger couple upstairs having a passionate affair at all times. Finally, Anna invites the neighbors over for dinner and before long she and Thomas find themselves at a crossroads.
Critics say the movie blends promiscuous material with real pathos to surprise viewers. Local reviewer Falk Straub wrote: “The Neighbors from Above is a comedy of remarriage of a slightly different kind; a delicious relationship treat – somewhere between an orgy fantasy and couples therapy.”
For now, this movie will only be available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, so it won’t get all the benefits of Netflix’s global reach. Still, as the most ubiquitous streamer on earth, Netflix is a great place for a movie like this to get as many viewers as possible. Regional film fans can watch The Neighbors From Upstairs on Netflix starting in March.
