The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) has unveiled a robust lineup for its 22nd edition, cementing its reputation as an essential stop on the international festival circuit and a pivotal launchpad for the upcoming awards season.
ZFF Artistic Director Christian Jungen emphasized that this year’s curation strikes a delicate balance between prestige auteur-driven cinema and projects with broad, mainstream appeal.
We are showcasing films by renowned auteurs that are designed to resonate with a wider audience, Jungen stated, highlighting the festival’s ambition to bridge the gap between high-art sensibilities and commercial viability.
The high-profile slate includes Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky, a biopic featuring Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone. The lineup also boasts Beth de Araújo’s Josephine, starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan.
International auteurs remain at the forefront, with legendary Korean director Lee Chang-dong returning with his latest project, Potential Love. Produced by Netflix and set for a world premiere at Venice, the film is expected to be a major talking point. Additionally, the fantastical romantic comedy Wicker—directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson and featuring a star-studded cast including Alexander Skarsgård, Olivia Colman, and Elizabeth Debicki—will be a centerpiece of the festival.
Zurich is positioning itself as a strategic follow-up for festival heavyweights. I Play Rocky arrives in Switzerland following its world premiere in Toronto, while Josephine and Wicker continue their festival runs after bowing at Sundance and Berlin.
A Strong German Presence
The festival will host three world premieres representing the strength of contemporary German cinema. Auteurs Andreas Dresen (Cloud 9) and Doris Dörrie are both set to debut new works. Dresen’s Love, After All and Dörrie’s How Can I Help? are described as poignant, satirical reflections on modern societal dynamics.
Rounding out the non-fiction offerings is Simon Wallon’s documentary The Hammer, which provides an intimate look at the life and career of famed auctioneer Simon de Pury.
Revisiting History
Among the most anticipated screenings is 111 – Echoes from Halifax, directed by Mexican-Swiss filmmaker Mauro Mueller.
The drama, which fictionalizes the 1998 Swissair Flight 111 tragedy, will have its international premiere in Zurich following its world premiere at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.
The Venice Pipeline
Zurich continues to cultivate a pipeline from the Venice Film Festival, featuring three notable selections: Casey Affleck’s Company, starring Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn; Nanni Moretti’s It Will Happen Tonight, led by Louis Garrel and Jasmine Trinca; and the documentary Burgundy by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, the duo behind the acclaimed The Truffle Hunters.
The 22nd Zurich Film Festival runs from September 24 to October 4, continuing its mission to provide a platform that successfully harmonizes auteur-driven storytelling with the high-stakes intensity of the global awards race.
