Zurich Film Fest 2026 Galas: I Play Rocky, Josephine, Possible Love

The Zurich International Film Festival unveiled highlights from its gala program Thursday, with a selection of “auteur cinema for a broader audience” in the words of festival boss Christian Jungen —that should further cement Zurich’s position as a key international stop for awards season.

The gala lineup includes several of this year’s buzziest titles, among them Peter Farrelly’s I Play Rocky, Beth de Araújo’s Josephine starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan and Possible Love, the new drama from acclaimed Korean director Lee Chang-dong (Burning).

I Play Rocky, starring Anthony Ippolito as a young Sylvester Stallone, will have its world premiere in Toronto. Netflix title Possible Love premieres in Venice. Josephine screened at Sundance and Berlin.

Zurich also announced three world premieres. Films from two of Germany’s most acclaimed directors: Love, After All from Andreas Dresen (Cloud 9) and Doris Dörrie’s How Can I Help? will both launch at the Swiss fest — “their films are grounded in everyday life and, with a little wink, reflect on the state of our society,” says Jungen — as will Simon Wallon’s documentary The Hammer, a look a famed auctioneer Simon de Pury.

Other 2026 Zurich festival galas include 111 – Echoes from Halifax, a true-life drama from Mexican-Swiss director Mauro Mueller about the 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111 off the coast of Halifax. The film will open this year’s Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax in its world premiere.

Three more Venice titles: Casey Affleck’s Company starring Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn; Nanni Moretti’s It Will Happen Tonight with Louis Garrel and Jasmine Trinca; and the documentary Burgundy from The Truffle Hunters directors Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw will also screen as Zurich galas.

The 22nd edition of the Zurich Film Festival runs Sept. 24 – Oct. 4.