Official awards of the 21st Zurich Film Festival have been announced and Golden Eye Award the Feauture Film Competition for “Father” by Tereza Nvotová.
According to the report of Mansour Jahani, an independent cinema journalist, the closing ceremony of the 21st Zurich International Film Festival (ZFF) was held at the Opera House in Zurich, Switzerland, with the presence of members of the jury of various sections of the competition, officials of this prestigious cinematic event, filmmakers present at the festival and the prestigious Golden Eye Award and other prizes were awarded to the winners.
The Zurich Film Festival gives up-and-coming filmmakers chance
Every year, the Zurich Film Festival gives up-and-coming filmmakers the chance to showcase their work to an international audience. Fourteen first, second and third works by directors from around the world compete for the Golden Eye in the two competition sections, Documentary Film and Feature Film. All competition entries are shown as world, European or Swiss premieres. Other prizes are also awarded, including the ZFF Children’s Jury Prize and the Audience Award.
The winners of the Feature Film Competition
The feature film jury Competition of the 21st Zurich Film Festival, who were; American director and producer Reinaldo Marcus Green – President of the Jury, German actress Leonie Benesch, Italian producer Carlo Cresto-Dina, Iranian director Ali Asgari and Swiss film curator Nicole Reinhardt, announced their selected the winner of the awards from among the 14 feature films in competition opinions as follows:
Golden Eye Award for best Feature Film
Golden Eye Award for best Feature Film Competition, to: “Father” by Tereza Nvotová (Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia)
Special Mentions
Special Mentions, to: “Love Letters” by Alice Douard (France)
The winners of the Documentary Competition
The documentary film jury Competition who were; Oscar-nominated filmmaker Matthew Heineman – President of the Jury, American producer Odessa Rae, Emmy Award-winning director David Osit, Danish producer Helle Faber and Swiss editor Katharina Bhend, Together, they selected the winner of the Golden Eye in the documentary film category.
Golden Eye Award for best Documentary
Golden Eye Award for best Documentary Competition, to: “I Love you, I Leave you” by Moris Freiburghaus (Switzerland)
Special Mentions
Special Mentions, to: “The Ground Beneath Our Feet” by Yrsa Roca Fannberg (Iceland, Poland)
Special Mentions, to: “Life After Siham” by Namir Abdel Messeeh (France, Egypt)
Audience Award
Audience Award, to: “I Love you, I Leave you” by Moris Freiburghaus (Switzerland)
Kids’ Jury Award
Kids’ Jury Award, to: “Der Prank” by Benjamin Heisenberg (Germany, Switzerland)
Kids’ Audience Award
Kids’ Audience Award, to: “Der Prank” by Benjamin Heisenberg (Germany, Switzerland)
ZFF Critics’ Jury Award
ZFF Critics’ Jury Award, to: “Memory of Princess Mumbi” by Damien Hauser (Switzerland, Kenya, Saudi Arabia)
Prize of the Churches of Zurich
Prize of the Churches of Zurich, to: “Life After Siham” by Namir Abdel Messeeh (France, Egypt)
Best International Film Music
The 13th International Film Music Competition was held as part of the 21st Zurich Film Festival, the Jury who were; Hildur Guðnadóttir, composer (Iceland) – President of the Jury, Frank Strobel, conductor (Germany), Balz Bachmann, conductor (Switzerland), and Jasmin Gordon, Swiss-American director, announced their vote as follows:
Golden Eye Award for Best International Film Music
Golden Eye Award for Best International Film Music, to: Mikal Grigorowitsch (Germany)
Golden Icon Award for Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell Received Golden Icon Award at the 21st Zurich Film Festival. He is known for films such as “Miami Vice”, “In Bruges”, and “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”: Oscar-nominated actor Colin Farrell received the Golden Icon award at this year’s Zurich Film Festival. He was honored for his career and remarkable performance in “Ballad of a Small Player” which he presented at the festival alongside Swiss director and Academy Award winner Edward Berger.
A Tribute to … Award for Noah Baumbach
The 21st Zurich Film Festival presented American director and screenwriter Noah Baumbach with the prestigious A Tribute to … Award for his outstanding contribution.
Lifetime Achievement Award for Russell Crowe
The Zurich Film Festival honored actor, producer, director, and Academy Award winner Russell Crowe for his life’s work and his outstanding performance in his new film “Nuremberg”. Crowe personally received the Golden Eye Award along with director James Vanderbilt.
Career Achievement Award for Hildur Guðnadóttir
Icelandic composer and Oscar winner Hildur Guðnadóttir received the Career Achievement Award at the 21st Zurich Film Festival. She is best known for her compositions for films such as “Joker”, “A Haunting in Venice”, “Tár”, the video game “Battlefield” 2042 and the TV series “Chernobyl”.
Career Achievement Award for Anne Walser
Swiss producer Anne Walzer received the Career Achievement Award at the 21st Zurich Film Festival for her literary adaptation of “I’m Not Stiller” and her exceptional career.
Game Changer Award for Tom Quinn
Tom Quinn, CEO and founder of independent production and distribution company NEON, was honored with the Game Changer Award at the 21st Zurich Film Festival. The festival honored the Palme d’Or winner for his outstanding achievements and contributions to the film industry.
Golden Eye Award for Dakota Johnson
The American actress and producer Dakota Johnson opened the 21st Zurich Film Festival. Johnson, along with director, actor and producer Michael Angelo Covino, screened her new romantic comedy “Splitsville” on the festival’s opening night, and she was honored with the Golden Eye Award for her role in the film and her outstanding career.
Golden Eye Award for Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Cumberbatch, CBE, was honored by the Zurich Film Festival for his multifaceted career and his impressive role in the drama “The Thing with Feathers” which he also produced with his company SunnyMarch and Lobo Films.
Golden Eye Award for Claire Foy
The Zurich Film Festival honored British actress Claire Foy with the Golden Eye Award for her versatile career and her outstanding performance in her new film “H Is for Hawk”.
Golden Eye Award for Wagner Moura
The Zurich Film Festival presented award-winning Brazilian actor, director, and producer Wagner Moura with the Golden Eye Award for his career and remarkable performance in the film “The Secret Agent” directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. His role earned Moura the Best Actor Award in Cannes and established him as an Oscar contender at the upcoming Academy Awards.
James McAvoy with California Schemin’ at the ZFF
In the «Sounds» section, the 21st Zurich Film Festival celebrated the relationship between film and music. Another special highlight of this year’s Award Night was the presence of Scottish actor and director James McAvoy as the guest of honour, celebrating his directorial debut with his new film, California Schemin’. This film was shown as the closing film after the awards ceremony during the Awards Night.
The Connection Between Film and Music in Zurich
The 21st Zurich International Film Festival, under the artistic direction of Christian Jungen, will screen 114 films from directors from around the world in various sections, including the “Feature Film Competition” section, “Documentary Competition” section, “International Film Music Competition” section, the non-competition such as; the “Gala Premieres” sections, the “Signatures” section, the “Hashtag” section, the “ZFF for Kids” section, the ”Cinema in Concert” section, the “Border Lines” section, the “Swiss Cinema” section, the “Sounds” section (the connection between film and music), the “ZFF Masters” section and the “ZFF Talks” section were held from September 25 to October 5, 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Credit images website of the Zurich Film Festival
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