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Jessica Chastain, Mads Mikkelsen, Diane Kruger, Ethan Hawke and Pete Doherty are the most prominent names at this year’s Zurich Film Festival.
International film festivals like Venice and Toronto didn’t have it easy this year. Due to the actors’ union strike in the USA, most of the famous screen faces stayed at home.
Legend: Actor Kevin Bacon (left) and other striking actors: Because of the strike, few US stars come to the festivals. Getty Images/John Nacion
Big Hollywood films, no big stars. Why? Because because of the strike, the actors of major studio or streamer productions are not allowed to do promo for their films. Unless they star in independent films that have union clearance or come in some other capacity.
More stars than expected
These exceptions are the reason why the Zurich Film Festival, which thrives on its celebrity density, was still able to announce some big names as guests.
For example, Ethan Hawke, who recently made headlines for simply boarding a Greyhound bus for 10 hours to get to the Toronto Film Festival after his flight was canceled. It is unknown which means of transport he will now use to travel to Zurich.
Caption: Ethan Hawke and his daughter Maya at the Toronto Film Festival. The actors’ union allows members who produce independent films to promote their films under certain conditions. Imago/UPI Photo
What is known, however, is why he is coming: the Hollywood star has directed the film for the sixth time. The film “Wildcat” is about the famous US writer Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964). She will be played by Ethan Hawke’s daughter Maya, who will not be traveling to Switzerland.
Other big names coming: for example scandal rocker Pete Doherty with a documentary that his wife made about him.
Legend: The wild days of Pete Doherty (“Babyshambles,” “The Libertines”) are over. Keystone/Ennio Leanza
Diane Kruger, who is promoting her French thriller “Visions,” is also scheduled to stroll on the green carpet. And Hollywood star Jessica Chastain is also supposed to come to Zurich. With her independent drama “Memory”, which she presented in Venice entirely in Gucci.
Venice is the keyword. In addition to the celebrity density, this leads to the second strength of the Zurich Film Festival: packing the highlights of the previous festival season into the program. The organizers succeeded again this year.
Caption: “Poor Things” is a film about female self-determination in the Victorian era. Lead actress Emma Stone co-produced the film. As at the Lido, the Hollywood star will not appear due to the strike. Disney
For example, viewers can watch “Poor Things,” the winner of the Golden Lion. Because of the strike, the film’s theatrical release was postponed.
Film art from Switzerland
There are three highlights for fans of Swiss film. For example, the new film by Michael Steiner (“Wolkenbruch’s strange journey into the arms of a chic woman”). It’s called “Early Birds”, an action film with Nilam Farooq, Silvana Synovia and Anatole Taubman.
“The Driven Ones” is a documentary about the elite of tomorrow: It shows five students on the master’s program “Strategy and International Management” at the University of St. Gallen.
The third Swiss highlight is the premiere of the SRF series “Davos 1917”. A series about a Swiss woman who gets involved with the German secret service during the First World War.
Legend: The historical espionage series “Davos 1917” celebrates its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival. SRF
The Zurich Film Festival is showing the first two episodes. The entire series will air in December.
“Davos 1917” is one of the 52 world and European premieres at the Zurich Film Festival. That’s 14 more than last year.
The opening film is the A24 production “Dream Scenario”. However, its star Nicolas Cage is not coming to Zurich, but that has nothing to do with the strike: he was still promoting the film at the Toronto Film Festival. He falls under the actors’ union exemption.
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SRF 3, news, September 28, 2023, 4:50 p.m.
2023-09-28 15:33:34
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