Peter K.

After his mother’s death, Peter Kneubühl faces eviction from the house where he cared for her. He fights to defend his home against his sister, the city administration, and ultimately the armed police. His conspiracy theories and writings develop into a violent reality, turning him into a renegade celebrity. His growing fear and loneliness bring back nightmares from childhood, while the court case reveals a dark family past. Peter K.’s struggles with the state force him to face his most terrifying and unpredictable opponent: himself.

STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR

While Peter Hans Kneubühl was still on the run in September 2010, I wanted to know who this man was who went to such lengths to defend his home. I began researching this story in great detail—the press coverage, public reactions, court records, and his writings. In the course of my research, it became clear to me that the psyche of this supposedly “mentally ill” man would be at the center of my story. When I interviewed him, I found Peter Hans Kneubühl to be the loneliest man I had ever met, scarred by his youth. But he was also intelligent and astute, frustrated by the inheritance dispute and the loss of the house where he had cared for his mother. The lack of social and legal support seemed outrageous given Peter K.’s obvious powerlessness. His fear-filled descriptions became reality due to the inflexibility and lack of compassion of our system.

I used his writings, press reports, and court transcripts to develop the film’s subjective narrative style, which allows us to empathize with Peters’ narrow perspective and experience how his world collapses.

During my research, I discovered that inheritance cases and family disputes regularly spiral out of control. In Peter K.’s case, his inability to communicate with his sister or hire a lawyer led to his frustrated, violent preparations and actions. These suspicious actions aroused the suspicion of local authorities, who subsequently opted for aggressive rather than supportive or conciliatory measures. The cycle escalated, confirming Peter’s belief in a repressive surveillance state and the government’s belief in Peter’s pathological antisocial mental illness. These rigid positions prevented any communication and disregarded Peter’s years of compassionate care for his mother and the potential assistance services offered by the city. The goal of serving the public and private good was forgotten by both parties, and the most primitive interpretation of public order prevailed. The modern tragedy of an isolated man in an isolating country.