The world premieres of two major German films, Andreas Dresen’s “Love, After All” and Doris Dörrie’s “How Can I Help?,” are among 11 titles to feature in the Gala Premieres section of Zurich Film Festival.
The selection also includes Oscar contenders “I Play Rocky” and “Josephine,” and Switzerland’s most anticipated film, “111 – Echoes From Halifax.”
Christian Jungen, CEO of the festival, said the section is “dedicated to auteur cinema for a broader audience.”
“We are particularly delighted that two major figures of German auteur cinema, Andreas Dresen and Doris Dörrie, have entrusted us with the world premieres of their new films,” Jungen said. “Their films are grounded in everyday life and, with a little wink, reflect on the state of our society.”
He added, “We present films that will play an important role later in the award season, such as ‘I Play Rocky.’” The film tells the story behind the making of the cult classic starring Sylvester Stallone, which won the Academy Award for best picture in 1977.
Jungen explained that, from a Swiss perspective, “111 – Echoes From Halifax” deserves special mention. “From multiple perspectives, the film sheds light on a major event that shook our nation: the crash of a Swissair aircraft near Halifax,” he said.
The full program of the 22nd Zurich Film Festival, which runs Sept. 24 to Oct. 4, will be revealed on Sept. 9.
I PLAY ROCKY
European Premiere
Biography
U.S., 2026
Director: Peter Farrelly
Cast: Anthony Ippolito, Matt Dillon, Stephan James, AnnaSophia Robb, PJ Byrne, Toby Kebbell, Tracy Letts, Jay Duplass
Unknown actor Sylvester Stallone is writing a screenplay titled “Rocky” that a studio is desperate to acquire. But Stallone refuses to sell the rights – unless he gets to play the lead himself. Despite numerous setbacks and rejections, he remains determined to make his dream a reality: playing Rocky Balboa. The result is the ultimate underdog story behind the legendary underdog film.
JOSEPHINE
Drama
U.S., 2026
Director: Beth de Araújo
Cast: Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Mason Lily Reeves
When 8-year-old Josephine witnesses a violent crime, her world is out of joint. She is trying to find a way to regain a sense of security. While her emphatic mother (Gemma Chan) wants to help her process what happened, her father (Channing Tatum) believes in preparing Josephine for the harsher realities of life but increasingly finds himself overwhelmed by the situation. With the suspense of a thriller, director Beth de Araújo tells a deeply empathetic family drama about fear and the limits of parental care. Channing Tatum gives one of his strongest performances in this year’s great Sundance Film Festival sensation.
WICKER
Comedy
U.S., 2025
Director: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Cast: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan
An audacious comedic fable about sex, marriage and the absurdities of social convention, “Wicker” tells the wholly original love story of an ostracized fisherwoman (Colman) who commissions a husband to be made by the local basketmaker (Dinklage). When her wicker husband (Skarsgård) proves more spectacular than she ever imagined, his soulful spirit and unique prowess awaken something inside her, setting off a wave of jealousy, fascination and upheaval that threatens the very fabric of village life.
111 – ECHOES FROM HALIFAX
International Premiere
Drama
Switzerland, Canada, 2026
Director: Mauro Mueller
Cast: Ursina Lardi, Kris Holden-Ried, Djebril Zonga, Fathia Youssouf, Natalie Brown
On Sept. 2, 1998, the crash of Swissair Flight 111 off Halifax changes the lives of many people forever: relatives struggle for certainty about their loved ones, helpers try to offer comfort, and the residents of the Canadian coast are confronted with the traces of tragedy. As time passes and questions remain unanswered, the film shows how grief connects, relationships change, and new perspectives emerge. Mauro Mueller’s film is a quiet, poignant drama about loss, memory and the power of human closeness.
COMPANY
Mystery
Canada, U.S., UAE, 2026
Director: Casey Affleck
Cast: Nick Nolte, Ben Mendelsohn, Adelaide Clemens, Scoot McNairy, Emily Alyn Lind, Caylee Cowan
On a winter night in 1975, a mysterious woman named Evelyn arrives uninvited at a holiday gathering and tells the story of Tom, an aging hermit who rescues a stranded actress during a Colorado blizzard in 1953. To pass the night, the actress recounts an older tale of a farming couple who take in a troubled young drifter as a series of grisly murders spreads fear across the frontier. As the stories intertwine across generations, “Company” becomes a meditation on grief, vengeance, forgiveness and the quiet acts of compassion that can heal even the deepest wounds.
POSSIBLE LOVE
Drama
South Korea, 2026
Director: Lee Chang-dong
Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung, Cho Yeo-jeong
“Possible Love” follows the intertwined relationship of two married couples facing different paths and hidden desires. Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) lives quietly with her laid-off husband Ho-seok (Sul Kyung-gu) and their young son Cheol until a funeral brings them into the orbit of Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a documentary filmmaker chronicling laid-off workers, and her husband Sang-woo (Zo In-sung) – a couple whose affluent lifestyle stands in sharp contrast to their own. When Mi-ok agrees to be filmed, she grows close to Ye-ji, and finds herself uneasily drawn to the unreadable Sang-woo. As their worlds collide, fractures begin to appear in their daily existence. Marking his first release in eight years, highly acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong (“Burning,” “Poetry,” “Secret Sunshine”) brings his signature nuance to “Possible Love,” capturing shifting emotions, conflicts, and contrasting outlooks that shape these relationships.
LOVE, AFTER ALL
World Premiere
Tragicomedy
Germany, 2026
Director: Andreas Dresen
Cast: Dagmar Manzel, Joachim Król
Lore (Dagmar Manzel) and Harry (Joachim Król) have been married for nearly 40 years and there is rarely a moment of silence between them. Old stories, missed chances and the uncertainties of retirement fuel heated discussions. Lore is afraid of growing old and bitter in the garden alongside Harry while he longs for stability and peace. There is only one thing they agree on: Their daughter Gloria has little luck in love. Now, she wants to get married for the third time – this time to a wealthy man who is almost the same age as Harry. A warm-hearted love story inspired by real life, drawing the audience in with its authentic characters and lots of humor.
IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT
Romance
Italy, France, Spain, 2026
Director: Nanni Moretti
Cast: Louis Garrel, Jasmine Trinca, Hippolyte Girardot, Angela Finocchiaro, Melina Åkerman Kvie, Elena Lietti, Andrea Lattanzi, Antonio De Matteo, Nanni Moretti
I’ll wait for you, for as long as you want me to. But will it ever happen?
BURGUNDY
Documentary
France, 2026
Director: Michael Dweck, Gregory Kershaw
Cast: Enzo Ferraroli, Céleste Kalis, Eric Goettelmann, Patrick Maniere, Guillaume Baroin, Bertrand Devillard
Burgundy is one of the world’s most famous wine regions. Through the eyes of novices in hospitality and viticulture, the film offers a fascinating glimpse into its unique wine culture, where time-honored traditions live on in rituals centered on luxury and indulgence. Blending documentary and fictional elements, directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw pay homage to the remarkable and charming people whose zest for life shapes and preserves this unique region and its centuries-old culture.
HOW CAN I HELP?
World Premiere
Drama/Comedy
Germany, 2026
Director: Doris Dörrie
Cast: Angela Winkler, Laura Tonke, Josef Ellers, Via Jikeli, Eugene Boateng, Zoë Baier
Mrs. Winkler has a fall and becomes a nursing case. Her daughter, overwhelmed by her needs, hires a care robot. After some initial resistance, Mrs. Winkler grows quite fond of him. He takes perfect care of her and keeps her entertained – except that he is also supposed to kill her in case her condition deteriorates further…
THE HAMMER
World Premiere
Documentary
France, U.S., 2026
Director: Simon Wallon
Cast: Simon de Pury, Jeff Koons, Marina Abramović, Chloe Wise, Lou Zhenggang
A documentary portrait of famed auctioneer Simon de Pury, whose career saw him leading auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Phillips, being the curator of major world collections, an artist, even a DJ, and always being an unavoidable personality “the Mick Jagger of auctions” takes us behind the curtain of the extravagant art market. Art fairs, collectors’ homes, artists’ studios, galas… The film is a welcoming and entertaining dive amongst the 1% and explores the complicated relationship between artists and commerce. Ultimately, it questions what it means to be an artist today. It was shot between New York, Tokyo, London, Cannes, Miami and Monaco.
