Hunkeler und die Augen des Ödipus

Retired from the force but not from crime, Kommissar Hunkeler keeps turning over cases in his head. In Basel a theater director is murdered, and the body is discovered with its eyes removed, a disquieting clue that lingers like an empty stage prop. The film follows Hunkeler as he moves through backstage politics, intimate rivalries, and old injuries that never fully heal. He questions actors, directors, and critics who knew the victim, tracing a thread from rehearsal rooms to dim streets. The investigation relies on patience and sharp observations rather than dramatic twists, letting mood and detail carry the story. Hunkeler's stubborn persistence invites viewers to watch how memory, duty, and a quiet city palette intersect with a stubborn mystery.

Directed by Christian von Castelberg, this 2012 Swiss TV crime drama adapts the Hunkeler novels created by Hansjoerg Schneider and Dominik Bernet, bringing a Nordic mood and Basel as a character to the screen and preserving the quiet, procedural feel.

Box office data for this television film is not publicly disclosed, and there is no traditional cinema run. It aired on Swiss television as part of a crime series, so audience reach is measured by broadcast viewership rather than gross.

Within Swiss crime drama, Hunkeler adds a late career perspective that emphasizes memory and place. Basel itself becomes a character of foggy alleys and rehearsal rooms, and the series tone favors quiet realism over sensationalism, influencing later TV mysteries in the region. Contributing to a steady Swiss style across Switzerland.

Critics noted the understated mood and Mathias Gnädinger's grounded portrayal of a stubborn detective who clings to clues even as retirement looms. The film explores aging, duty, memory, and how personal history shapes the pursuit of truth, sometimes paying a price for constant probing. Its restraint invites reflection on sacrifice.