Zurich Film Festival
Gala Premieres of the 16th Zurich Film Festival: Cortex, Nowhere Special, Final Set, Crock of Gold
The Zurich film festival starts tomorrow. Here are a few movies you should not miss. These films are gala premieres and all directors will be there for the first screening.
5ÈME SET / FINAL SET
by Quentin Reynaud
Thomas wants to prove it to everyone again: at almost 37 years of age, his career as a professional tennis player is drawing to a close, but the ambitious Frenchman is not ready to give up just like that. Once celebrated as a great future hope, his career, which was marked by injuries, never made it to the very top. Against the advice of his wife Eve and his mother Judith, who suggest retirement, Thomas prepares instead for the tradition-steeped Roland Garros clay court tournament in Paris, perhaps for the last time. At the start of his career is 17-year-old Damien, the tennis scene’s latest prodigy – additional incentive for Thomas, who suffered a traumatic defeat here as a young player. But the final set is still to come. Director Quentin Reynaud’s breathless sports drama FINAL SET takes a look into the abysses of professional sport and the merciless media circus that surrounds it. Kristin Scott Thomas shines in a supporting role.
Days Times Where
Tue. 29. Sep. 18:45* Corso 1
Thu. 01. Oct. 18:30 Arena 4
Sun. 04. Oct. 17:30 Corso 1
In attendance of
* Quentin Reynaud (Director), Léonard Glowinski (Producer)
Genre: Drama
Country, Year: France, 2020
Runtime: 105 Min
Languages: French
Subtitles: German, English
Director: Quentin Reynaud
Cast: Alex Lutz, Ana Girardot, Kristin Scott Thomas
CORTEX
by Moritz Bleibtreu
Hagen, a middle-aged man with a sleeping disorder, keeps dreaming that his wife has a lover. These intense nightmares also affect Hagen’s everyday life such that his already battered relationship with wife Karoline suffers all the more. Having had enough, Karoline starts an affair with the petty criminal Niko, which sets off another chain of disturbing events that turns both men’s lives completely upside down. Moritz Bleibtreu also plays the leading role in his directorial debut. His ingeniously constructed production is a psychological thriller with a nightmarish atmosphere. A movie with an impressive image design that scintillates between dream and reality in the manner of MEMENTO and INCEPTION.
Days Times Where
Sat. 26. Sep. 18:00* Corso 1
Mon. 28. Sep. 18:45 Arena 7
Wed. 30. Sep. 16:00 Arena 4
In attendance of
* Moritz Bleibtreu (Director), Thomas W. Kiennast (Cinematography), Emek Kavukcuoglu (Producer), Erwin Kiennast (Music)
Genre: Thriller
Country, Year: Germany, 2020
Runtime: 82 Min
Languages: German
Subtitles: English
Director: Moritz Bleibtreu
Cast: Nadja Uhl, Jannis Niewöhner, Moritz Bleibtreu, Anna Bederke, Murathan Muslu
CROCK OF GOLD: A FEW ROUNDS WITH SHANE MCGOWAN
by Julien Temple
The Pogues were an Irish folk-punk band that landed a world hit in 1987 with the touching song “Fairytale of New York”, which propelled them from playing in pubs to performing at the big concert venues. The songs of these catholic Irish stood for the independence of their homeland. Frontman Shane MacGowan, notorious for his excessive lifestyle, was particularly fond of making provocative, anti-British statements. Produced by Johnny Depp, this documentary by director Julien Temple looks back on the band’s career and celebrates MacGowan as a nonconformist rebel. Depp himself sits down with his friend who, forever with a drink in his hand, talks to him about his career. Other Pogues band members and greats like Bono from U2 and Nick Cave also have their say. The film takes a bow to the career of punk poet MacGowan and makes you want to dust off your old Pogues records.
Days Times Where
Fri. 02. Oct. 17:15* Corso 1
Fri. 02. Oct. 17:30** Corso 2
In attendance of
* Special Gala in attendance of Johnny Depp (Production), Victoria Mary Clarke (Associate producer and Mrs Shane MacGowan)
** Special Gala in attendance of Johnny Depp (Production), Victoria Mary Clarke (Associate producer and Mrs Shane MacGowan)
Genre: DOC: Arts & Culture
Country, Year: UK, Ireland, 2020
Runtime: 124 Min
Languages: English
Subtitles: German
Director: Julien Temple
Cast: Shane MacGowan, Johnny Depp, Bono, Nick Cave, Bobby Gillespie, Glen Matlock, Jem Finer, Spider Stacy
NOWHERE SPECIAL
by Uberto Pasolini
“No. 1 Dad” is written on John’s mug. Turning it in his hands, he knows he can’t keep that promise. Every day he does his rounds as a window cleaner, takes his four-year-old son Michael to the park and then reads him a bedtime story from a colourful book. John, a single father, wants to protect him as best he can from a tragic stroke of fate: John only has a few months left to live and, since his diagnosis, has been looking for a new family for his son. Little by little, he becomes overwhelmed with doubt and anger. How can he decide who is right and what is best? The little time he has left becomes an intense farewell in which John slowly learns to open up to his son in full confidence. A moving and deeply humanistic drama that will leave no feeling person untouched.
Days Times Where
Fri. 25. Sep. 20:30* Arthouse Le Paris
Sat. 26. Sep. 15:45** Arthouse Le Paris
Sat. 03. Oct. 18:30 Kosmos 1
In attendance of
* Uberto Pasolini (Director)
** Uberto Pasolini (Director)
Genre: Drama
Country, Year: Italy, Romania, UK, 2020
Runtime: 96 Min
Languages: English
Subtitles: German, French
Director: Uberto Pasolini
Cast: James Norton, Daniel Lamont, Eileen O’Higgins, Valerie O’Connor, Stella McCusker
