Zurich Film Festival Starts

For this week, the charming heart Swiss city of Zurich is abuzz with international celebrities and filmmakers. It is host to one of Europe's most significant film festivals, which owes part of its success to to its established name. The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) is the largest autumn festival in Europe.

A day before the opening

Zurich is considered one of the most important film festivals in Europe, gaining recognition worldwide. The festival is an important visitor attraction, generating tourism revenue, despite the pandemic.

Zurch has been the debut international stage for a whole host of directors. The event features mainstream and bigger-budget fare and gives a large platform to small movies.

Over 11 days, it presents the greatest discoveries and the year’s most anticipated movies, despite the pandemic.

Press Centre of Zurich Film Festival in construction, 24 hours before the opening

The ZFF generates exchange between future directors, established filmmakers, the film industry and the general public. In the pandemic year of Corona, the ZFF was able with great success to present a physical and comprehensive 165-film programme, attracting 68’000 viewers (2019: 117’000) and thousands of accredited film and media workers from across (almost) the entire globe – ‘Cause Life is Better with Movies!

Fall in love with movies! Construction works are in progress (Behind the scenes of Zurich Film Festival, Zurich, Switzerland)

Zurich Film Festival, Behind the scenes

The 17th edition takes place from September 23 until October 3, 2021.

Switzerland is keen to build bridges connecting the international communities. Famously neutral Switzerland's vaunted ability to stand above the fray of global politics is now in focus of movie fans.

JAMES BOND - NO TIME TO DIE celebrates World premiere at 17th Zurich Film Festival. It is the 25th James Bond, produced by Eon Productions and once again sees the return of Daniel Craig in his fifth acting as the British MI6 agent. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga from a screenplay by Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

It is the most highly anticipated movie in years: On the same day of the world premiere in London, the 17th Zurich Film Festival will show the new James Bond movie NO TIME TO DIE. The Swiss premiere is set to take place on Tuesday, September 28 – two days before its official theatrical release – at the Zurich Convention Center. A retrospective of Daniel Craig’s Bond movies accompanies one of the most sensational premieres in ZFF history.It’s about time: the lengthy wait for Cary Joji Fukunaga’s NO TIME TO DIE is finally over. The new James Bond movie will celebrate its Swiss premiere screening at the ZFF. Fans in Switzerland will get to see the most highly anticipated movie of the year just shortly after it is launched in London, the home city of the Double O Agent.

Universal Pictures International Switzerland will release NO TIME TO DIE in Swiss cinemas two days after the premiere at ZFF, on 30 September 2021.The complete program of the 17th Zurich Film Festival will be published on the website on Thursday, September 9, from 12 noon local time. In addition, it can be viewed on the official festival app Tribo, where it is also possible to compile a personal festival program. Ticket sales will start on Monday, September 13, from 12 noon local time.