Zurich Film Festival Unveils Star-Studded Gala Lineup for 20th Edition

The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) has revealed an exciting lineup of eleven films for its prestigious Gala programme, set to feature during its 20th edition from October 3 to 13. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the festival promises a stellar selection of international and world premieres that will captivate audiences.

One of the major highlights is Steve McQueen’s Blitz, starring Saoirse Ronan and Harris Dickinson, which will have its international premiere in Zurich following its debut at the 2024 BFI London Film Festival. This historical drama is among the most anticipated titles this year.

Another standout is Conclave, a Vatican-set conspiracy thriller directed by German filmmaker Edward Berger, whose previous work, All Quiet on the Western Front, earned multiple Oscars. The film, featuring a star-studded cast including Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow, will premiere at ZFF after making its rounds at Toronto and San Sebastian.

The Gala lineup also includes Anora, the Palme d’Or-winning film by Josh Baker, which tells the story of a Brighton Beach sex worker played by Mikey Madison. The film will be screened in Zurich after its world premiere at TIFF.

German cinema is represented by Sonke Wortmann’s Der Spitzname, the third installment in his popular comedy trilogy, which will make its world premiere at the festival.

The Zurich Gala program is further enriched by Gia Coppola’s The Last Showgirl, starring Pamela Anderson as a Las Vegas showgirl grappling with the end of her long-running show, and Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, which features Eisenberg alongside Kieran Culkin.

Other notable films include Thelma, an action-packed film featuring seniors led by June Squibb, and William Tell, Nick Hamm’s thrilling retelling of the Swiss legend starring Claes Bang.

The program also offers a series of gripping dramas based on real events, such as Tim Fehlbaum’s September 5, centered on the 1972 Munich Olympics terrorist attacks, and Landesverrater, Michael Krummacher’s film about the first Swiss citizen sentenced to death for treason. Soy Nevenka, directed by Iciar Bollain, rounds out the list with a powerful narrative inspired by the true story of Nevenka Fernandez, who was the first woman in Spain to successfully convict a politician of sexual harassment.

The full lineup for ZFF 2024 will be unveiled on September 19, promising even more cinematic treasures for film enthusiasts.