Zurich Film Festival Stakes Its Claim as Awards Season Stop

For many, turning 21 is the moment you set out on your own, no longer under someone else’s wing. For the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), which celebrates its 21st edition this week, running Thursday through Oct. 5, the milestone comes with a similar sense of independence and ambition.

Under new private ownership and with an explicit strategy to reposition itself as a key stop on the awards-season circuit, Switzerland’s top cinema showcase is betting that its coming-of-age moment will mark its arrival as one of Europe’s most important second-tier festivals.

Earlier this year, artistic director Christian Jungen led a management buyout of the festival, taking the ZFF into private hands. That step, Jungen insists, was about control — and about sharpening Zurich’s strategic value for filmmakers and studios. “Festivals aren’t an end in themselves,” he says. “They’re there to help films. We want to generate buzz, but also help fall titles aiming for Oscars gain prestige and publicity.”

Timing has always been Zurich’s ace card. Slotted between Venice and Toronto on one end and London on the other, the Swiss festival has become a natural bridge for films hoping to sustain momentum in the crowded fall corridor. “Going to L.A. four times a year, I’ve noticed our standing has changed,” says Jungen. “People are really using Zurich to position their films for the Oscars and Golden Globes. That was our strategic plan: to link Zurich much more closely to the awards.”

This year’s lineup reflects that ambition. Zurich will screen 115 titles, including 40 world and European premieres. Among them are the European premieres of such Oscar hopefuls as Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt; Nia DaCosta’s Hedda with Tessa Thompson and Nina Hoss; and Derek Cianfrance’s Roofman with Channing Tatum.

ZFF’s lineup, top-to-bottom, is packed with festival favorites and award contenders, from James Vanderbilt’s period drama Nuremberg to Brazilian Oscar contender The Secret Agent, from Sydney Sweeney drama Christy to Edward Berger‘s The Ballad of a Small Player.

Many of the A-list talents attached to those projects will be in Zurich. Russell Crowe will present Nuremberg, Colin Farrell will present The Ballad of a Small Player, and Wagner Moura The Secret Agent. Dakota Johnson will open the festival Thursday night with Michael Angelo Covino’s Splitsville, where she also received ZFF’s Golden Eye award for career achievement.

But the clearest sign of Zurich’s elevation is its new pull on Academy members. “It’s nice to see how Academy members now get blasts listing Zurich screenings, so they know if they come to Zurich for [industry event] the Summit, they’ll see certain films,” says Jungen. “It’s become like a mini-festival within the festival. Last year, we had over 150 Academy members in town during Summit weekend. Ethan Hawke, for instance, saw Poor Things here. Often they don’t manage to catch screenings in Toronto because of meetings, but in Zurich they can finally sit down and watch movies.”

Behind the scenes, the challenges remain formidable. Unlike state-backed giants like Berlin or Cannes, Zurich is 90 percent privately financed. “Each year, raising the full budget is a challenge,” Jungen concedes. “Our strategy is to be hyper-local and at the same time very global, to ensure someone like Bulgari’s CEO in Rome knows Zurich. That’s exhausting, but we’re doing well — we secured 10 new sponsors this year.” Infrastructure is another pressure point. “Cinemas are getting smaller or being rebuilt, while we’re growing and need more space,” says festival vice director Reta Guetg.

Still, both directors insist Zurich’s success comes down to one thing: quality. “You need good films, so sponsors’ guests have a great experience,” Jungen says. “Big stars alone aren’t enough. If the films disappoint, guests complain. But last year, for example, I brought many C-level executives to Conclave. They were thrilled, and the film went on to win an Oscar. That gives Zurich credibility.”