The inaugural Zurich Film Festival was held in 2005. Since its inception, it has become one of the most important film festivals in Switzerland, as well as a major European film festival. The festival continues to grow, expanding its program and attracting more cinema-goers and industry professionals every year. For example, the 2015 festival drew about 85,000 attendees and more than 500 accredited journalists.
The Zurich Film Festival is a competitive festival. The competition is open to the first, second or third films by new, inspiring filmmakers. All submitted films must be world, European or Swiss premieres. The competition consists of three categories: the International Feature Film Competition, the International Documentary Film Competition, and the Focus Competition (films made in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria).
Each category has a separate international jury that awards the Golden Eye, the main prize of the festival, to the best film in each category. Other awards presented at the Zurich Film Festival include the Emerging Swiss Talent Award, the Audience Award, and the Critics’ Choice Award presented by the Swiss Association of Film Journalists.
Alongside the competition, the program of the Zurich Film Festival includes other sections, such as Gala Premieres, Special Screenings, New World View, Border Lines, Window to the World, TVision, and ZFF for Kids. The festival’s side program also includes the International Film Music Competition that has been held every year since 2012, the ZFF Masters program that features chaired discussions with celebrated film industry professionals, and the ZFF Talks series focusing on controversial issues currently affecting culture, science and politics.
Photo: zff.com
