The 2015 Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will feature 36 debut films and 14 world premieres, with celebrity guest appearances from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kiefer Sutherland and Mike Leigh.
Now in its 11th year, ZFF has gone from strength to strength, attracting some some of the biggest names in English and German cinema, alongside the work of talented emerging filmmakers from around the globe.
The full 2015 festival programme, which was announced yesterday in a press conference at Zurich's Dolder Grand hotel by Festival directors Nadja Schildknecht and Karl Spoerri, boasts 161 films from 27 countries, including nine Swiss-made productions, as well as a spotlight on movies from Iran, Hong Kong and San Sebastian.
Some of the 2015 festival's hottest tickets include:
- "A Conversation With... Arnold Schwarzenegger" - where the Austrian-born ex-governor of California - this year's ZFF Golden Icon winner - will discuss his work, followed by a screening of his latest film Maggie (dir Henry Hobson). 30 Sep
- A screening of Jim Jarmusch's Night on Earth at which German-born actor Armin Mueller-Stahl will be awarded this year's ZFF Lifetime Achievement Award. 28 Sep
- Kiefer Sutherland will be presented with the festival's Golden Eye Award at a screening of the actor's latest, Western-style film Forsaken (dir Jon Cassar) 25 Sep
- A screening of Inglourious Basterds at which German actor Christoph Waltz will discuss his career and his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino 26 Sep
- Gala Premieres introduced by the directors including Todd Haynes' Carol starring Cate Blanchett, Alejandro Amenábar's Regression, Black Mass by Scott Cooper, and Anton Corbijn's Life.
Other big names set to make an appearance at this year's ZFF include actors Ellen Page, Joseph Fiennes and Maria Furtwängler, alongside Swiss stars Mona Petri, Anatole Taubman and Xavier Koller.
ZFF also features an exciting programme of competitions, talks and features on various aspects of filmmaking as well as fringe events.
Zurich Film Festival opens on Sep 24 with the European premiere of Matthew Brown's The Man Who Knew Infinity starring Jeremy Irons. Tickets to all screenings and events go on sale 14 Sep at www.zff.com.
For more information about the Festival Centre, other festival venues and film reviews by Time Out contributors, read our 2015 Zurich Film Festival Essential Guide.