The Zurich Film Festival commences its 20th edition on Thursday, showcasing a selection of new European discoveries, some of the year's most acclaimed films, a new center, and a wide-ranging industry forum.

In addition to a remarkable lineup of international stars, featuring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Jude Law , Richard Gere, and Pamela Anderson, the event dives deep into crucial industry issues at its annual Zurich Summit Conference.

Opening the fest will be Justin Kurzel’s neo-Nazi thriller “The Order,” starring Law, who will receive the festival’s Golden Eye career achievement award.

The organizers have streamlined the festival this year, eliminating the German-language Focus Competition and reducing the number of films to 107, down from 148 last year. Zurich now features two main competitions, one for feature films and another for documentaries, along with additional sections such as Gala Premieres, Signatures, Border Lines, Hashtag #BigCityLife, Sounds and ZFF for Kids.

On the professional front, the Zurich Summit Conference brings together leading figures from the international film industry, including producers, sales executives, creators, technology innovators, and financiers.

This year, the summit will honor CAA co-head and Zurich regular Roeg Sutherland with its prestigious Game Changer Award.

The conference will also delve into key topics such as the impact of artificial intelligence, financing independent films, the role of investors, the benefits of filming in Europe, the evolving film industry landscape, and the challenges facing the theatrical industry.

Attendees of this year's summit, taking place on October 5th, include Rebecca Kearey from Searchlight Pictures; Tom Quinn from Neon; Stuart Ford from AGC Studios; Alex Brunner and Theresa Peters from UTA; Christian Vesper from Fremantle; Elisabeth d'Arvieu from Mediawan; Stefanie Fahrion from Film4; Sébastien Raybaud from Anton; Maren Olson from 30West; and David Unger from Artist International Group.

Zurich also showcases a selection of the year’s most acclaimed festival hits alongside world premieres, including Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump-themed film “The Apprentice”; Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Room Next Door”; Richard Gray’s western “The Unholy Trinity”; “Queer,” by Luca Guadagnino; Edward Berger ’s “Conclave,” Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl”; Tim Fehlbaum’s “September 5”; Gia Coppola’s “The Last Showgirl”; Steve McQueen’s “Blitz”; and Sean Baker’s Cannes winner “Anora.”

Also premiering is Cyrill Boss and Philipp Stennert’s grand German fantasy “Hagen,” a reimagining of the Nibelung saga.

Female directors are strongly represented, particularly in the race for the prestigious Golden Eye award.

“This year the female perspective dominates our competition,” says artistic director Christian Jungen. “Numerous films tell their stories from the viewpoint of women, for example ‘Linda’ or ‘Mother Mara.’ Eight out of 14 films are directed by women, which is exciting.”

Regarding the Documentary Competition, it’s “more politically charged than ever,” Jungen adds. “Many of the films, such as ‘Homegrown,’ which portrays three Proud Boys, or ‘Russians at War,’ about Russian frontline soldiers in Ukraine, explore the fragility of democracy. Another major theme that emerges in the film ‘The Battle of Laikipia’ [which focuses on agricultural communities in Kenya facing the effects of climate change] is the question of land ownership and the extent to which it can be used for commercial purposes.”

Swiss cinema plays a prominent role in the festival’s lineup. “The ZFF takes place in Zurich, where a significant number of Swiss distributors and production companies are based,” Jungen notes. “Therefore, it is crucial that we provide Swiss films a prominent platform and bring them into the conversation.”

Zurich this year is showcasing 12 world premieres of Swiss films, including Lisa Brühlmann’s heartwarming family drama “When We Were Sisters” and Jasmin Gordon’s “The Courageous,” about the challenges of an eccentric and rebellious mother in a small Swiss town.

Other Swiss films include Maria Brendle’s historical drama “Frieda’s Case”; Flavio Gerber and Alun Meyerhans’ ski documentary “Aiming High – A Race Against the Limits”; and Michael Krummenacher’s World War II espionage thriller “The Traitor.”

The event is also introducing a new festival hub to commemorate its 20th anniversary.

“For our 20th anniversary, we are presenting a center that is more innovative, more welcoming, and more sustainable, both in its architecture and its spirit,” says Jungen. “The new center is primarily designed for our audience, for our visitors to experience the stars as closely as possible. An even more open red carpet and a new outdoor deck ensure that film talents and audiences connect even more directly.”

Other stars and filmmakers being celebrated at this year's festival include Winslet, who will receive the Golden Icon Award while presenting her latest work, Ellen Kuras' “Lee”; Anderson, awarded a Golden Eye for her diverse career and role in Gia Coppola's “The Last Showgirl”; and Berger, who will be recognized with the A Tribute to… Award at the premiere of “Conclave.”

Also receiving Golden Eye awards will be Alicia Vikander, who will be present for the European premiere of Fleur Fortuné's “The Assessment.” Composer Howard Shore will be recognized with a Career Achievement Award, and Swiss cabaret artist Emil Steinberger will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.