Former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev will be not be able to attend the World Premiere of his documentary The Arrow of Time directed by Leila Conners, at the Zurich Film Festival.
The Nobel Laureate was strongly advised by his doctors not to travel, and for that reason cancelled his trip. Instead, the former General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has written a letter to the ZFF, in which he expresses his thanks for the invitation to Zurich and wishes the film, in which he plays a major part, a successful launch.
The director of the documentary film The Arrow of Time, Leila Conners, and further members of this Swiss-American co-production’s crew, will attend the festival in person. The ZFF will host the world premiere of The Arrow of Time in its Special Screenings section.
The former USSR President, whose disarmament negotiations with the USA led to the end of the Cold War, is warning once again of a new nuclear arms race. Director Leila Conners interviewed Gorbachev and other renowned politicians from Germany, France and the USA in her film, which is both a taut and disturbing review of our complicated 20th century world history, and an appeal not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Here is the letter from Mikhail Gorbachev to the Festival (slightly shortened version):
Dear hosts of the Zurich Film Festival!
Dear guests! Dear ladies and gentlemen, my dear friends!
Sadly, I am not in a condition to personally take part in our meeting – doctors have not been cooperative in this regard.
But I am very happy that The Arrow of Time documentary is finally on its way to the viewers. It is released at an uneasy time when the armaments race is gaining momentum again, when there are new attempts to fix global issues by force, often by military means.
The relationship between Russia and the West has fundamental importance in today’s global world. One of the key links in this chain – Russian-American relations. It has been three quarters of a year since the new President of the US assumed office, yet up to date there has been no full-fledged Russian-American meeting at the highest level. This is simply abnormal. I would like to call upon the leaders of our countries to immediately start preparations for such meeting. It will serve as the most crucial turning point to improve the state of affairs in the entire world.
I know what I am talking about. It was the Soviet-American summit in Geneva that paved the road to ceasing the Cold War. At that time, at first nobody believed that the negotiations would end well. But it was there, on the shore of Lake Geneva, that for the first time ever the leaders of USSR and USA said that “the nuclear war is untenable and there will be no winning side”. It was precisely that meeting that played the crucial role in transforming the globe, which was at the time paralyzed in the Cold War.
Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons we find ourselves thrown back in our efforts to build a new world.
Global issues that we face, starting from protecting the peace and safety to climate change, cybersecurity, and terrorism, demand that we rise to the new level of global government that would reflect the challenges of the XXI century. And for that, we need to reform the United Nations.
Many of these ideas might appear Utopian or unachievable in the context of the present political order, and that is precisely because they address the roots of the current issues.
These ideas, essentially presented in the documentary, aim to dispel the fatalistic feeling of helplessness, to show that there is a way forward, and that we will definitely start on that way, be it today by a conscious choice, or in the near future as a result of painful convulsive shocks.
And the clock is ticking…
In conclusion, I would like to thank the makers of the movie: Leila Conners and her entire creative crew, many of my friends and partners in implementation of the new course of action in international relations, for their contribution in creating this important cinematic document.
Mikhail GorbachevZurich Film Festival
The Zurich Film Festival provides a platform for the most promising filmmakers from around the globe. It aims to promote exchange between emerging directors, successful film workers, the film industry and the general public. Every autumn, the ZFF presents the year’s greatest discoveries and most anticipated films.
Zurich Film Festival started in 2005 and takes place in Zurich, Switzerland
-
THE ARROW OF TIME, Documentary on Mikhail Gorbachev, will World Premiere at Zurich Film Festival
Former President of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev will be not be able to attend the World Premiere of his documentary The Arrow of Time directed by Leila Conners, at the Zurich Film Festival.
The Nobel Laureate was strongly advised by his doctors not to travel, and for that reason cancelled his trip. Instead, the former General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union has written a letter to the ZFF, in which he expresses his thanks for the invitation to Zurich and wishes the film, in which he plays a major part, a successful launch.
The director of the documentary film The Arrow of Time, Leila Conners, and further members of this Swiss-American co-production’s crew, will attend the festival in person. The ZFF will host the world premiere of The Arrow of Time in its Special Screenings section.
The former USSR President, whose disarmament negotiations with the USA led to the end of the Cold War, is warning once again of a new nuclear arms race. Director Leila Conners interviewed Gorbachev and other renowned politicians from Germany, France and the USA in her film, which is both a taut and disturbing review of our complicated 20th century world history, and an appeal not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
Here is the letter from Mikhail Gorbachev to the Festival (slightly shortened version):
Dear hosts of the Zurich Film Festival!
Dear guests! Dear ladies and gentlemen, my dear friends!
Sadly, I am not in a condition to personally take part in our meeting – doctors have not been cooperative in this regard.
But I am very happy that The Arrow of Time documentary is finally on its way to the viewers. It is released at an uneasy time when the armaments race is gaining momentum again, when there are new attempts to fix global issues by force, often by military means.
The relationship between Russia and the West has fundamental importance in today’s global world. One of the key links in this chain – Russian-American relations. It has been three quarters of a year since the new President of the US assumed office, yet up to date there has been no full-fledged Russian-American meeting at the highest level. This is simply abnormal. I would like to call upon the leaders of our countries to immediately start preparations for such meeting. It will serve as the most crucial turning point to improve the state of affairs in the entire world.
I know what I am talking about. It was the Soviet-American summit in Geneva that paved the road to ceasing the Cold War. At that time, at first nobody believed that the negotiations would end well. But it was there, on the shore of Lake Geneva, that for the first time ever the leaders of USSR and USA said that “the nuclear war is untenable and there will be no winning side”. It was precisely that meeting that played the crucial role in transforming the globe, which was at the time paralyzed in the Cold War.
Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons we find ourselves thrown back in our efforts to build a new world.
Global issues that we face, starting from protecting the peace and safety to climate change, cybersecurity, and terrorism, demand that we rise to the new level of global government that would reflect the challenges of the XXI century. And for that, we need to reform the United Nations.
Many of these ideas might appear Utopian or unachievable in the context of the present political order, and that is precisely because they address the roots of the current issues.
These ideas, essentially presented in the documentary, aim to dispel the fatalistic feeling of helplessness, to show that there is a way forward, and that we will definitely start on that way, be it today by a conscious choice, or in the near future as a result of painful convulsive shocks.
And the clock is ticking…
In conclusion, I would like to thank the makers of the movie: Leila Conners and her entire creative crew, many of my friends and partners in implementation of the new course of action in international relations, for their contribution in creating this important cinematic document.
Mikhail Gorbachev
-
Simon Baker’s BREATH Will Have its European Premiere at Zurich Film Festival
Simon Baker’s directorial debut Breath, will have its European premiere as a Gala Premiere at the 2017 Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) on October 5.
Simon Baker is a Golden Globe, Emmy and Screen Actors Guild-nominated actor and director, honored with Best Actor nominations for the TV series’ THE MENTALIST and THE GUARDIAN, who first gained international attention when he starred in the Academy Award-winning L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.
Notable films he has starred in include Michael Winterbottom’s thriller noir THE KILLER INSIDE ME, alongside with Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson; Ang Lee’s critically acclaimed RIDE WITH THE DEVIL; lauded box office success THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, opposite to Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway; and the Academy Award nominated feature MARGIN CALL, with Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Jeremy Irons and Demi Moore.
BREATH
Mid 70’s, in a remote corner of the Western Australian coast. Pikelet (Samson Coulter) and Loonie (Ben Spence) stand on the edge of young adulthood. The boys bond over bikes and daredevil stunts, but their dreams begin to focus on the ocean. One day, the boys encounter the enigmatic Sando (Simon Baker), a former professional surfer, whose effortless grace on the waves and studied detachment on land compels the boys. Pikelet and Loonie begin to learn how to surf. The first time they take their boards out, Sando notices them, offers to store their boards under his house, and the mentorship begins. The challenge quickly becomes to surf Old Smokey, a dangerous break a kilometre out to sea. Pikelet and Loonie’s lives increasingly centre around Sando, his house, and most importantly, his role as guru. Part of Sando’s allure and enigma is that he disappears then reappears, but Eva (Elizabeth Debicki), Sando’s enigmatic wife, is always at the house. A former champion freestyle skier, Eva’s career was cut tragically cut short by a knee injury from which she’s never recovered physically or emotionally. Sando’s forcefulness, Eva’s allure, Loonie’s competitiveness and the spectre of Old Smokey will all force Pikelet to make crucial decisions — to give in to the expectations of those around him, or to become his own person.
-
Roman Polanski’s BASED ON A TRUE STORY to Screen as Gala Premiere at Zurich Film Festival
Roman Polanski’s latest film Based On A True Story (D’après une Histoire Vraie) will screen as a Gala Premiere at the Zurich Film Festival. Lead actress Emmanuelle Seigner will attend the festival together with her husband Roman Polanski. The thriller also stars Eva Green and Vincent Perez. The screenplay was penned by last year’s recipient of the ZFF’s A Tribute to… award Olivier Assayas.
Emmanuelle Seigner had her first big role in Roman Polanski’s Frantic (1988) alongside Harrison Ford. Further successes include Bitter Moon (1992) with Kristin Scott Thomas and The Ninth Gate (1999) with Johnny Depp.
Based On A True Story
The often-empty phrase “Based On A True Story” has turned many a mediocre novel into a bestseller. Writer Delphine Dayriex’s recently published book about her own family is also a resounding hit. Nevertheless, she now feels completely drained and suffers from an increasingly serious case of writer’s block. One day she meets a mysterious and strangely obtrusive woman who calls herself ‘L’, claims to be a fan, and turns out to be a ghostwriter. The two women soon develop a special friendship, and it’s not long before ‘L’ becomes an apparently selfless live-in assistant… Based on Delphine de Vigan’s eponymous novel, master director Roman Polanski has created a pleasantly unsettling thriller about reality, fiction and the power of the imagination. Director Roman Polanski first attracted attention with his psycho thriller Knife In The Water (1962). He garnered worldwide acclaim for his comedy The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), in which he also played the lead role. Further successes include the thriller Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Chinatown (1974), Frantic (1988), and the multi award-winning Holocaust drama The Pianist (2002).
-
Rob Reiner to Receive Award + World Premiere SHOCK AND AWE at Zurich Film Festival
Director, actor and writer Rob Reiner will receive the A Tribute to…Award at this year’s 2017 Zurich Film Festival which takes place from September 28 to October 8, 2017.
Reiner will be in Zurich to receive the prestigious award in person on Saturday September 30. ZFF will host the World Premiere of his latest film SHOCK AND AWE.
Reiner will also take part in a special ZFF Masters session on the same day, and as part of the A Tribute to… award, ZFF will present a retrospective featuring several of Reiner’s most iconic films including THIS IS SPINAL TAP, STAND BY ME, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, MISERY, A FEW GOOD MEN and THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (the latter two both written by fellow ZFF honoree Aaron Sorkin).
SHOCK AND AWE
In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the government of the United States, led by President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney, began maneuvering and mobilizing for an invasion of Iraq. In the absence of concrete evidence, the White House and its allies concocted a platform for invasion justified almost entirely on questionable intelligence and misleading information. The media bought their tale. Every media organ in America became a megaphone for the hawks in Washington, amplifying the Administration’s hysteria and pushing its propaganda; every major news organization became complicit in the path to war – except one. Knight Ridder was a consortium of 31 newspapers across the country. Based in Washington, D.C., its newsroom counted among its millions of readers a sizable number of soldiers and their families at dozens of military bases nationwide. This is the untold true story of an intrepid team of four reporters who dared to ask the questions their colleagues did not. They tapped sources which others ignored. They remained sceptical when others were easily convinced. They wrote stories disputing the Administration’s claims that Iraq was complicit in the attacks of 9/11 and that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. They were called anti-American. They were labelled traitors. They were told time and again that they were wrong – by the government, by pundits, and by colleagues. Reporters Jonathan Landay (Woody Harrelson) and Warren Strobel (James Marsden), working with the support of their editor John Walcott (Rob Reiner) and famous war correspondent Joe Galloway (Tommy Lee Jones), set forth to sift through the chaos and official lies, uncover the truth, and report it to the public. In the face of intense scrutiny and pressure, during a time of pro-invasion cheerleading by the majority of their media colleagues, they dared to uphold the best tenets of their profession. Theirs is a story of speaking truth to power – and the public – in a time when America needed it the most. The government got its war, but these reporters got it right.
-
Zurich Film Festival Spotlights Home Grown Swiss Films in Special Screenings’ Lineup
[caption id="attachment_24540" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
DANIEL HOPE – DER KLANG DES LEBENS[/caption]
The Zurich Film Festival will spotlight homegrown Swiss films, three documentary films and two feature films in its Special Screenings’ section. The Special Screenings’ section also includes a line-up of eight short films put together by the Swiss Cancer League (Krebsliga).
The 39-year-old, Hamburg-born filmmaker Nahuel Lopez accompanies the British violinist Daniel Hope, who was appointed Music Director of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra last year, on a cinematic journey through his musical career. DANIEL HOPE – DER KLANG DES LEBENS is the portrait of an extraordinarily talented violinist whose career is as closely linked to Yehudi Menuhin as Yehudi is to Switzerland.
She was a muse, model and performer, a dazzling star that shone bright and intensely: Lady Shiva went from street prostitute to muse of such artists as Ursula Rodel, Lou Reed and David Bowie. She lived life in the fast lane and died tragically young. Zurich-born filmmaker Gabriel Baur’s documentary GLOW goes in search of an irrepressible woman with, ultimately, a self-destructive desire for freedom.
Mikhail Gorbachev, former General Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Soviet Union, is the father of the political reform movements Glasnost and Perestroika. His brave politics earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. US filmmaker Leila Conners’ Swiss co-production THE ARROW OF TIME is the portrait of a Russian politician, who still continues in his tireless quest for global peace.
Born in Zurich in 1936, Rolf Lyssy is regarded as the ‘old master’ of Swiss filmmaking. His film DIE SCHWEIZERMACHER, which he made in 1978, remains at the top of Switzerland’s list of greatest box-office successes in the last 50 years. His most recent comedy DIE LETZTE POINTE highlights the less light-hearted subject of assisted suicide. Monica Gubser excels in her role as a life-weary pensioner.
37-year-old, Berne-born Juri Steinhart’s LASST DIE ALTEN STERBEN also falls into the tragicomedy category. His most recent film is the portrait of a present-day generation’s malaise brought on by living in a cotton-candy world – what is there to rebel against when everything is accepted and permitted? Lead actor Max Hubacher plays the wannabe young revolutionary.
The Swiss Cancer League (Krebsliga) presents eight short films about cancer. Filmmakers from around the word highlight in five short fiction films, two animation films and a short documentary film what it means to live with cancer. The project was initiated and supported by the Swiss Cancer League. Each director has tackled a different aspect of the illness.
Topics raised include dealing with extreme experiences, saying goodbye and the fears a cancer diagnosis can trigger, for example the fear of no longer being able to cope with everyday life or the fear of losing ones own parents. The films also demonstrate how cancer affects a person’s whole social setting.
The aim of the Swiss Cancer League’s film programme is to encourage greater understanding and increase public awareness of the plight faced by cancer sufferers and their loved ones. The Swiss Cancer League informs, accompanies and supports people during and after the diagnosis of cancer, and is committed to making sure their concerns are heard both socially and politically.
Flavio undergoes a mammography out of solidarity for his wife – with surprising results for both. A Turkish girl loses her grip when her mother is sent home from hospital, (apparently) showing no sign of having healed. Regina’s reoccurring dream sees her battle a mysterious beast – she finally manages to escape its clutches. A young woman refuses to accept that her partner is ill and finds comfort in daydreaming. SIE offers an unembellished peek at the experiences of two men whose partners both suffer from cancer. Béa sees the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly as the symbol of her imminent death. An unusual friendship develops when a stubborn old man and a nervous young girl are forced to share a hospital room. And a mother, who lies dying, gradually says goodbye to her loved one.
-
Aaron Sorkin to Receive Career Achievement Award + Premiere MOLLY’S GAME at Zurich Film Festival
Aaron Sorkin will receive the Festival’s Career Achievement Award at this year’s Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), which takes place from September 28 to October 8, 2017.
The Academy-Award® winning screenwriter and renowned playwright will receive the Award for his life’s work on October 4 at the Corso Cinema. The presentation will be followed by a Gala Premiere screening of his latest film and directorial debut Molly’s Game, which will have it’s European premiere at the ZFF. Molly’s Game stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba and Kevin Costner.
Molly’s Game is based on the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier who ran the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game for a decade before being arrested in the middle of the night by 17 FBI agents wielding automatic weapons. Her players included Hollywood royalty, sports stars, business titans and finally, unbeknownst to her, the Russian mob. Her only ally was her criminal defense lawyer Charlie Jaffey, who learned that there was much more to Molly than the tabloids led us to believe.
Said the Festival’s Co-Directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri: “Aaron Sorkin is not only regarded as one of US cinema’s greatest screenwriters, he is also widely acknowledged as the writer of several legendary plays and as the celebrated creator of The West Wing, one of the most acclaimed TV series ever made, which began in 1999 and sees Martin Sheen play the US President. We are immensely proud to welcome Aaron Sorkin to Zurich, screen his directorial debut Molly’s Game and present him with this year’s ZFF Career Achievement Award.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu4UPet8Nyc
-
Jake Gyllenhaal to Receive Golden Eye Award + Premiere STRONGER at Zurich Film Festival
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal will receive the prestigious Golden Eye Award at this year’s Zurich Film Festival (ZFF). Gyllenhaal will be in Zurich to present Stronger as a Gala Premiere on Tuesday October 3.
ZFF Co-Directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri state “Jake Gyllenhaal has consistently proven himself to be one of the most exciting and versatile actors working today. We are thrilled to present him with the Golden Eye Award and present Stronger as part of the festival.”
Stronger is the inspiring true story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become the symbol of hope following the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Jeff, a 27-year-old, working-class Boston man who was at the marathon to try and win back his ex-girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany). Waiting for her at the finish line when the blast occurs, he loses both his legs in the attack.
After regaining consciousness in the hospital, Jeff is able to help law enforcement identify one of the bombers, but his own battle has just begun. He tackles months of physical and emotional rehabilitation with the unwavering support of Erin and his family. It is Jeff’s deeply personal account of the heroic journey that tests a family’s bond, defines a community’s pride and inspires his inner courage to overcome devastating adversity.
Filled with raw emotion, humanity and humor, Stronger is the inspirational real-life story of the man who became the living embodiment of “Boston Strong.” The film also stars Academy Award® nominee Miranda Richardson and is directed by David Gordon Green.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkoM5r9LR14
-
Zurich Film Festival to Spotlight New Hungarian Cinema
The Zurich Film Festival will spotlight Hungary’s cinema, featuring 18 films made by a thriving new generation of Hungarian filmmakers.
Hungarian cinema has a long history of creating great masters. During the 1970s, a period of cultural thaw in the then socialist state, Hungary was regarded as one of the most important film producing countries in the world. Miklós Jancsó, Márta Mészáros and István Szabó astonished both Soviet and western audiences alike with their extraordinary political candour and their spectacular, cutting-edge film language.
Despite the efforts of some of its leading exponents, namely Bela Tarr and János Szász, the collapse of the Soviet Union signalled a downturn in the popularity of auteur film, and the country’s homegrown productions, which looked to the American model for inspiration, fell on blind eyes.
During a time in an ever more authoritarian country when democratic institutions, such as schools and universities, are closing and press freedom is becoming increasingly less free, a pleasing image is developing: filmmakers are clearly defying the situation – Hungarian cinema is back – and it’s thematically diverse, artistically radical, bursting with international esprit and enjoying remarkable success at the domestic box-office.
One of this cinema’s most striking thematic interests is the outsider, characters who are forced to assert themselves in a world where they feel alone. They do this in a whole variety of contexts, but always with resolute commitment and often with a huge pinch of humour, which can quite easily drift into the dark and absurd.
Hungary’s filmmakers are already at the highest international level when it comes to practising their craft. The renowned Budapest University of Drama and Film, and the countless international large-scale productions made in the capital, form two of Hungary’s most important talent forges. Here, they not only shape great directors, but also form their befitting cinematographers and technicians.
After celebrating success on the film world’s greatest stages, three filmmakers have become synonymous with the latest upturn in Hungarian cinema: director Kornél Mundruczó, an equally well-known force in the theatre world, astounded at Cannes in 2014 with his spectacularly directed, highly metaphoric film WHITE GOD (Un Certain Regard Award).
László Nemes’ debut-of-the-century, the Holocaust drama SON OF SAUL (2015), not only won the Jury Prize at Cannes and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, but also proved an astronomical success with Hungarian audiences after clocking up an almost unheard of 270’000 cinema entries in a country where 50’000 entries is already considered a hit. And finally, Ildikó Enyedi, whose breakthrough came in the 1990s, returned after an 18-year respite with her sensual and insidious romantic drama ON BODY AND SOUL (2017) to win a Golden Bear at the Berlinale and captivate the hearts of the Hungarian public.
These three great names of Hungarian cinema are far from standing alone: Hungary has been the recipient of many awards in recent years at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, Central and Eastern Europe’s most important platform, including for Lili Horváth’s coming-of ager THE WEDNESDAY CHILD (2015) and Szabolcs Hajdu’s dark-humored family drama IT’S NOT THE TIME OF MY LIFE (2016), who, in a true Budapest spirit, shot the film in his own apartment with his own family members.
International multi award winning debuts such as Virág Zomborácz’s tragicomedy AFTERLIFE (2014), Gábor Reisz’s pioneering underground comedy FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON (2014) and Attila Till’s black comedy KILLS ON WHEELS (2016) complete this new and remarkable image of a thriving filmmaking country.
This year’s most riveting Hungarian films further enhance the section’s program: Roland Vranik’s naturalization drama THE CITIZEN, György Kristof’s Cannes premiered debut OUT and the Berlin Panorama section’s audience favorite 1945 by Ferenc Török will screen alongside the award-winning documentary films JUDGMENT IN HUNGARY by Eszter Hajdú and DRIFTER by Gábor Hörcher. For the tenth time this year, the International Short Film Festival Winterthur has put together a comprehensive short film block comprising five films to round off the New World View section.
New World View: Hungary Films
AFTERLIFE, Virág Zomborácz, 2014 DRIFTER, Gábor Hörcher, 2014 FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON, Gábor Reisz, 2014 IT’S NOT THE TIME OF MY LIFE, Szabolcs Hajdu, 2016 JUDGMENT IN HUNGARY, Eszter Hajdú, 2013 KILLS ON WHEELS, Attila Till, 2016 ON BODY AND SOUL, Ildikó Enyedi, 2017 OUT, György Kristof, 2017 SON OF SAUL, László Nemes, 2015 THE CITIZEN, Roland Vranik, 2016 THE WEDNESDAY CHILD, Lili Horváth, 2015 WHITE GOD, Kornél Mundruczó, 2014 1945, Ferenc Török, 2017Short films
DIALOGUE, Gábor Fabricius, 2016 SZEP ALAK, Hajni Kis, 2016 LOVE, Réka Bucsi, 2016 GARAGE INVENTORY, Alyx Ayn Arumpac, 2015 WELCOME, Balázs Dudás, 2016
-
BORG/McENROE Starring Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason to Open Zurich Film Festival
Danish director Janus Metz Pedersen’s tennis drama Borg/McEnroe starring Shia LaBeouf and Sverrir Gudnason will open the 13th Zurich Film Festival on September 28, 2017. Director Janus Metz Pedersen and Björn Borg-actor Sverrir Gudnason will attend as the Zurich Film Festival’s honorary guests.
Wimbledon, July 5, 1980: tennis pros Björn Borg and John McEnroe square up at the Wimbledon final for one of sporting history’s most legendary duels. The 24-year-old Swede and world’s number one ranked tennis player (Sverrir Gudnason) is feeling exhausted and burned out. The 20-year-old New Yorker (Shia LaBeouf) is determined to beat him. The two opponents go on to deliver a nerve-racking and grinding battle in one of the most suspense-packed matches in tennis history.
Said ZFF Co-Directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri: „We are extremely proud to be opening the ZFF for the first time with a Swedish production. Borg/McEnroe is one of the year’s most hotly anticipated movies and is sure to delight cinemagoers around the globe.” They continued: “Borg/McEnroe is most definitely not a film just for tennis fans, but a thrilling cinema experience for everybody.”
Legends of the tennis world
The Swede Björn Borg and US American John McEnroe are two of the tennis world’s greatest legends – and their on-court rivalry is just as legendary. Borg/McEnroe depicts the two tennis icons as they prepare for the Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon. Borg is desperate to leave his mark as the winner of five titles in a row. His opponent is the ambitious young McEnroe, who is only driven by the thought of finally knocking Borg off his throne.
While Borg prepares for the duel aided by his trainer Lennart Bergelin (Stellan Skarsgård), McEnroe continues to hit newspaper headlines. But despite the difference in their personalities, the two men come to realise that they have more in common than they could possibly have imagined.
Björn Borg and John McEnroe played each other a total of 14 times between 1978 and 1981. Their on-court rivalry was famous the world over and compounded by the competitors’ conflicting personalities: while Borg remained cool and placid, McEnroe was famous for his fits of temper.
Sverrir Gudnason and Shia LaBeouf undertook two months of intensive tennis training in order to lend their characters more authenticity. The movie was shot in Borg’s hometown of Södertälje near Stockholm in Sweden, and further in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Prague, London and Monaco.
Borg/McEnroe hits cinemas in Switzerland on October 12, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgfFdEOGUqE
-
Lisa Langseth’s EUPHORIA Starring Alicia Vikander to Premiere at Zurich Film Festival
[caption id="attachment_24269" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Euphoria[/caption]
Euphoria directed by Lisa Langseth and starring Alicia Vikander will receive its European premiere as a Gala Premiere at the 2017 Zurich Film Festival on September 29. The film also stars Eva Green, Charlotte Rampling, Charles Dance, Mark Stanley, Adrian Lester.
In the film, two sisters Ines (Alicia Vikander) and Emilie (Eva Green), who have become estranged, after years apart, meet up again and undertake a profound journey together.
In addition to previous Gala Premieres, the festival also announced new films from Tonie Marshall, Destin Daniel Cretton, Amanda Sthers and Silvio Soldini.
NUMÉRO UNE
Directed by: Tonie Marshall
Cast: Emmanuelle Devos, Suzanne Clement, Richard Berry, Benjamin Biolay, Sami Frey
THE GLASS CASTLE
Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton
Cast: Brie Larson, Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield
MADAME
Directed by: Amanda Sthers
Cast: Toni Collette, Harvey Keitel, Rossy de Palma, Michael Smiley
IL COLORE NASCOSTO DELLE COSE
Directed by: Silvio Soldini
Cast: Adriano Giannini, Laura Adriani, Valeria Golino, Arianna Scommegna, Anna Ferzetti, Andrea Pennacchi
-
Zurich Film Festival to Honor Andrew Garfield with Award, BREATHE to Screen as Gala Premiere
[caption id="attachment_22908" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Breathe[/caption]
Andrew Garfield will receive the prestigious Golden Eye Award at this year’s Zurich Film Festival, and his latest film Breathe will have its Gala Premiere at the festival on Friday, October 6th.
Garfield will be in Zurich alongside actor Andy Serkis, who is making his directorial debut, and producer Jonathan Cavendish, whose parents’ story the film is based on.
“Following on from his masterful performances in Hacksaw Ridge and Silence, Andrew Garfield’s powerful and enthralling turn in Breathe reinforces him as one of the true stars of his generation” stated ZFF Co-Directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri. “We are delighted to welcome him to Zurich and present him with our Golden Eye award at this year’s Festival.”
Andrew Garfield
In 2016, Garfield appeared on the big screen in Mel Gibson’s Academy Award®-nominated World War II epic, Hacksaw Ridge. Garfield’s critically acclaimed performance earned him lead actor nominations at the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards and BAFTA Awards. That year Garfield also starred in Martin Scorsese’s adaptation of the literary classic Silence alongside Liam Neeson and Adam Driver. Garfield’s additional film credits include: Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which combined grossed over 1.5 billion at the box-office; Ramin Bahrani’s 99 Homes opposite Michael Shannon and Laura Dern; David Fincher’s The Social Network, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor; Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go opposite Keira Knightley and Carey Mulligan; Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus; Spike Jonze’s robot love story I’m Here; Robert Redford’s Lions for Lambs; Julian Jarrold’s Red Riding Trilogy – 1974; and John Crowley’s Boy A, for which he earned BAFTA’s Best Actor Award in 2008. Garfield will soon be seen in A24’s modern noir crime thriller Under the Silver Lake, written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. Garfield could last be seen on stage in the UK in the National Theatre’s acclaimed production of Tony Kushner’s ‘Angels in America’ directed by Tony Award®-winning Marianne Elliott. Garfield made his Broadway debut in 2012 in the revival of Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play ‘Death of a Salesman’, opposite Phillip Seymour-Hoffman and directed by Mike Nichols. His portrayal of Biff Loman earned him a Tony® nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Play.Breathe
Based on the true story of Robin Cavendish, Breathe is a heart-warming and highly emotional celebration of bravery and human possibility, a love story about living every breath as though it’s your last. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Cavendish and Claire Foy as his wife Diana. From a script by twice Academy Award-nominated screenwriter William Nicholson , Andy Serkis (globally known for his performances including, War for the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) delivers a hugely impressive directorial debut with this inspirational true story of love without limits. Adventurous and charismatic, Robin Cavendish has his whole life ahead of him when he is paralysed by polio whilst in Africa and given just months to live. Against all advice, Robin’s wife Diana brings him home from hospital where her devotion and witty determination inspire him to lead a long and fulfilled life. Together they refuse to be limited by expectations, dazzling others with their humour, courage and lust for life. The film’s supporting cast members include Hugh Bonneville (Paddington) and Tom Hollander (The Night Manager) as Robin’s devoted, long-time friends. Stephen Mangan (Rush) and acting legend Dame Diana Rigg (Game of Thrones, the original The Avengers) complete the cast, with a soundtrack by the acclaimed composer Nitin Sawhney.
-
Zurich Film Festival 2017 Gala Premieres – BATTLE OF THE SEXES, THE FLORIDA PROJECT and More
[caption id="attachment_23729" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
THE FLORIDA PROJECT[/caption]
With the 13th Zurich Film Festival, taking place September 28 to October 8, 2017, about a month away, the festival is giving a first look at the 2017 Gala Premieres films. Films from Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris, Mike White, Claire Denis, Sean Baker, Ruben Östlund, Michael Haneke, Yorgos Lanthimos and Luca Guadagnino will be presented as Gala Premieres.
The festival previously announced the inclusion of AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH TO POWER with Al Gore and THE WIFE with Golden Icon Award recipient Glenn Close.
2017 Zurich Film Festival Gala Premieres
BATTLE OF THE SEXES Directed by: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris Cast: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough BRAD’S STATUS Directed by: Mike White Cast: Ben Stiller, Michael Sheen, Jenna Fischer, Luke Wilson, Austin Abrams UN BEAU SOLEIL INTERIEUR Directed by: Claire Denis Cast: Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine, Josiane Balasko, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Gérard Depardieu THE FLORIDA PROJECT Directed by: Sean Baker Cast: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, Bria Vinaite, Macon Blair, Sandy Kane, Caleb Landry Jones, Karren Karagulian THE SQUARE Directed by: Ruben Östlund Cast: Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West, Terry Notary, Christopher Laessø, Marina Schiptjenko, Elijandro Edouard, Daniel Hallberg, Martin Sööder HAPPY END Directed by: Michael Haneke Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER Directed by: Yorgos Lanthimos Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Sunny Suljic, Raffey Cassidy, Alicia Silverstone CALL ME BY YOUR NAME Directed by: Luca Guadagnino Cast: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois, Vanda Capriolo, Antonio Rimoldi, Elena Bucci, Marco Sgrosso, André Aciman, Peter Spears