Star photographer and movie director Anton Corbijn returns to Zurich to preside over the feature film jury. The Dutchman is the art director of bands like U2 and Depeche Mode and has forged a name for himself as a director with films like CONTROL, THE AMERICAN and LIFE. Academy Award-winner Malte Grunert (IM WESTEN NICHTS NEUES) is jury president for the Focus competition. The documentary competition jury is headed by the Academy Award and Emmy-winning Feras Fayyad. The juries each award a Golden Eye endowed with a CHF 25’000 cash prize during the Award Night, which takes place on October 7, 2023 at Zurich Opera House.
All three juries of this year’s edition of the ZFF feature prestigious names from the world of international auteur cinema. The well-known Dutch director and photographer Anton Corbijn (A MOST WANTED MAN, CONTROL) presides over the International Feature Film Jury. He will be joined by Academy Award-nominated producer Finola Dwyer (BROOKLYN), the Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen (COMPARTMENT NO. 6) and others to decide which of the feature films triumphs this year.
The Focus competition is headed by the German producer Malte Grunert. His most successful productions include A MOST WANTED MAN by Anton Corbijn, PERFECT SENSE by David Mackenzie and LAND OF MINE by Martin Zandvliet. Grunert’s latest movie ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by director Edward Berger has won four Academy Awards.
In charge of the jury for the documentary films is Syrian director Feras Fayyad, whose last two works LAST MEN IN ALEPPO (2017) and THE CAVE (2019) both received an Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary Feature.
“Anton presented his film LIFE about James Dean at ZFF eight years ago, now we’re delighted that the world-famous director and photographer is returning to preside over the feature film jury,” enthused Christian Jungen. “Producer Malte Grunert and documentary film director Feras Fayya are also set to enrich the ZFF with their wealth of experience. Our competitions are dedicated to promoting the next generation, so it’s encouraging for all the participants that the juries are presided over by such inspirational greats from the world of international auteur cinema.”
The following is an introduction to the jurors. More detailed information about this year’s jury members can be found on our website at zff.com.
Feature Film Competition
Anton Corbijn, President
Dutch film director and photographer Anton Corbijn is best known for his meaningful portraits of some of the greatest artists of our time, like U2, the Rolling Stones, Gerhard Richter, Martin Scorsese, Sinead O’Connor and Miles Davis. In 2006 he directed his first feature film CONTROL which won many awards worldwide, including 5 BIFA’s and the Camera d’Or Special Mention at Cannes Film Festival 2007. Corbijn’s further work as a director includes THE AMERICAN starring George Clooney, A MOST WANTED MAN with Philip Seymour Hoffman and LIFE which was shown at zurich film festival in 2015. His first feature documentary ‘Squaring The Circle’ is being released this autumn in Europe.
Finola Dwyer
London based Finola Dwyer is a two-time Academy Award-nominated film and television producer from New Zealand. She has produced under the Finola Dwyer Productions label and Wildgaze Films. Her most successful productions include the three-time Academy Award-nominated, BAFTA-winning movies BROOKLYN by John Crowley and AN EDUCATION by Lone Scherfig. Other notable films are Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut QUARTET, and OUR SOULS AT NIGHT by Ritesh Batra, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre’s film LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER, starring Emma Corrin and Jack O’Connell, premiered on Netflix on December 2nd. Laure premiered her directorial debut THE MUSTANG for Focus with Matthias Schoenaerts and Bruce Dern, from a screenplay she wrote, at Sundance 2019. She won the IFP Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director for the film and was nominated for Best First Feature at the Indie Spirit Awards. In TV, Laure directed the pilot, second and sixth episodes of Hulu’s Emmy-winning THE ACT. She also directed a block of Cate Blanchett’s FX limited series MRS. AMERICA, and of the FX limited series IMPEACHMENT.
Juho Kuosmanen
The Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen is a graduate of the ELO Helsinki Film School. His first two films THE PAINTING SELLERS and THE HAPPIEST DAY IN THE LIFE OF OLLI MAKI both won awards at Cannes Film Festival. The latter also won the Feature Film Competition at ZFF 2016. His third feature film COMPARTMENT NO. 6 screened as a Gala Premiere at ZFF 2021.
Bryce Nielsen
Bryce Nielsen is a multi-award-winning creative producer and VFX consultant. He has worked on some of the industries biggest award-winning productions, including ROMA, SWAN SONG, IRON MAN 2, PLANET OF THE APES and CLOUD ATLAS. Originally from Sydney, Bryce now lives in Berlin, where he heads his own production company Red Island Films.
Focus Competition
Malte Grunert, President
Malte Grunert is founder and CEO of Amusement Park Film. His credits include the John le Carré adaption A MOST WANTED MAN, directed by Anton Corbijn, starring Philip Seymore Hoffmann and Rachel McAdams. Other productions with renowned talent are PERFECT SENSE by David Mackenzie starring Ewen McGregor and Eva Green or Academy Award nominated LAND OF MINE by Martin Zandvliet. His most recent film ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT by Edward Berger has won 4 Academy Awards and 7 Baftas.
Gabrielle Tana
Gabrielle Tana is an Oscar and BAFTA-nominated producer. She has produced some of the UK’s most successful independent films, including THE DIG (2021), PHILOMENA (2013), and THE DUCHESS (2008). Along with producers Troy Lum and Andrew Mason, in 2021 Gabrielle formed Brouhaha. Brouhaha’s first UK production, FIREBRAND, directed by Karim Aïnouz and starring Alicia Vikander and Jude Law, was selected for Official Competition at Cannes. Gabrielle is in post for MOTEL DESTINO, Aïnouz’s latest film, and an adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT starring Jessica Lange and Ed Harris.
Katrin Renz
The German producer Katrin Renz is Executive Manager at the tellfilm production company in Zurich. Her list of most successful titles includes BLUE MY MIND, MONTE VERITÀ and INGEBORG BACHMANN – JOURNEY INTO THE DESERT. In 2018, Katrin Renz was Producer on the Move at Cannes. She is a member of the European as well as Swiss Film Academy.
Heike Parplies
Film editor Heike Parplies won the Filmplus Editing Award for EVERYONE ELSE in 2009 and again in 2017 for TONI ERDMANN, for which she also received the German Film Award and the German Critics’ Prize. Her montage project FIREBRAND was selected to screen in-competition at Cannes 2023. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Sven Schelker
The Swiss actor Sven Schelker gave his feature film debut performance in the 2013 movie DER KREIS by Stefan Haupt and promptly won the Swiss Film Award and the Berlinale’s Shooting Star Award. In 2019, he played the lead in Niklaus Hilber’s BRUNO MANSER – DIE STIMME DES REGENWALDES, which had its world premiere at ZFF and brought Schelker his second Swiss Film Award.
Documentary Film Competition
Feras Fayyad, President
Feras Fayyad is a two-time Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning Syrian director, producer and author. He gained international recognition for his documentary films LAST MEN IN ALEPPO and THE CAVE. His works have received more than 80 awards to date.Fayyad is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Monica Lazurean-Gorgan
Monica Lazurean-Gorgan is an experienced producer and documentary filmmaker from Romania. Her most successful productions include ACASA, MY HOME by Radu Ciorniciucand BETWEEN REVOLUTIONS by Vlad Petri, winner of FIPRESCI award at Berlinale 2023. She directed the films WOOD and A MERE BREATH, winner of Best Doc at Sarajevo IFF 2016. Monica is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and of EFA.
Claudio Cea
The Swiss-Italian film editor Claudio Cea has been editing movies for the past 15 years. His list of greatest successes includes BRUNO MANSER – DIE STIMME DES REGENWALDES, which opened the 15th Zurich Film Festival, HIVE, for which he was an Editing Consultant. The movie won several awards at the Sundance Film Festival 2021. Claudio Cea is a member the Swiss and European Film Academy.
Crystal Moselle
Crystal Moselle’s debut film THE WOLFPACK won the 2015 Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival. The American filmmaker released the 2015 short film THAT ONE DAY in collaboration with Miu Miu, which had its world premiere at Venice Film Festival. Her film SKATE KITCHEN had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2018 which led to her series BETTY at Hbo. Her latest film SOPHIA will drop later this year.
Shaunak Sen
Shaunak Sen is a filmmaker and scholar from Delhi. His film ALL THAT BREATHES earned him an Academy Award Nomination, a BAFTA Nomination, a DGA Nomination and won over 25 awards. His first documentary, CITIES OF SLEEP was shown at various festivals and won six international awards. Shaunak is the recipient of grants from Sundance, Tribeca and IDFA.