Culture
16th ZFF: 23 World Premieres, 27 Swiss Films and many women directors
The new directors of the Zurich Film Festival, Christian Jungen and Elke Mayer, presented the new program of this year´s festival at the Baur au Lac Hotel.
For his first edition of the festival as Artistic Director, Christian Jungen says: “Cinema is under immense pressure because viewers got used to streaming during lockdown. The ZFF, however, remains loyal to cinema, which is why we opted for a physical event with a comprehensive programme. It is important to us, even during this difficult year, to bring top-class guests to Zurich, and it is for this reason that we have been able to secure so many world premieres. By going ahead with the ZFF – with an extensive protection plan in place, of course – we see ourselves as a beacon of optimism, not only for the general public, but also for the film industry and cultural events in general: the virus will be around for some time, we have to learn to live with it and continue to follow our passions.”
Left to right, Elke Mayer, Iris Berben with Golden Eye Award, Christian Jungen at the ZFF press conference at the Baur au Lac Hotel – credits Veronique Gray
The director said it is important to have this festival, to be optimistic and to do the “real thing”. Many other festivals had to cancel or have the films online.
The programme of the 16th ZFF includes 165 films from 47 countries with 23 of them screening as world premieres, 11 as international premieres and 4 as European premieres.
France is the guest of honour this year. 29 films (40 in co-productions) will be shown. Many of the film makers and actors are from the new generation. GAGARINE and SLALOM, two French are two debut films, which will be shown at ZFF. Juliette Binoche and Maïwenn will both receive an award.
The 16th ZFF festival – credit Vivamost
This year at ZFF women directed almost 40 percent of the films across all sections, with the proportion of women exceeding 50 percent in the competition section. There is also a lot of Swiss films with 27 productions. The opening film of the Zurich Film Festival is Bettina Oberli (MY WONDERFUL WANDA). The director Rolf Lyssy will receive a Career Achievement Award.
Many of the 34 titles selected for the Gala programme are highlights of the movie year that are also set to enter the race for the Oscars. They include the Sundance hits THE FATHER and THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS, as well as such highly anticipated autumn titles as NOMADLAND and ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI. The espionage thriller THE COURIER, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch, will screen as a European premiere.
There was a special guest at the conference today. The German actress, Iris Berben, was honoured with the Golden Eye for her career achievements. She accepted the award at the press conference because she is shooting in Greece and would have had to spend in quarantine on her return. Her latest film DAS UNWORT will be show on October 2nd. Berben thanked the festival team: “Not only for the honour that you bestow upon me, but also for your courage, your perseverance and your passion to make this festival happen. All credit to this festival for ensuring that we in the film business don’t lose touch with the public.” She said that it is important to go back to the cinemas and that culture unites us all.
Iris Berben in Zurich. She just received a Golden Eye Award – credit Veronique Gray
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, many filmmakers will come to the festival such as Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp and Til Schweiger. Johnny Depp comes back as a producer with the music documentary CROCK OF GOLD about the legendary Irish punk/poet Shane MacGowan (The Pogues).
The 16th Zurich Film Festival will start in two weeks on September 24 and lasts till October 4. The programme is now on the festival’s website.
We wish you a nice festival.
