Los Angeles, Jan. 12 — The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) will honor Swiss filmmaker Petra Volpe with its Golden Eye Award on Monday in Los Angeles for her acclaimed film LATE SHIFT, which is currently shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
The award will be presented during an exclusive For Your Consideration (FYC) screening for members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) at Soho House Los Angeles. The event is hosted by ZFF in collaboration with U.S. distributor Music Box Films, and Volpe will attend in person to accept the honor.
ZFF CEO Christian Jungen praised Volpe’s work, calling LATE SHIFT “a socially realist auteur film” that highlights the harsh working conditions in the nursing profession while honoring healthcare workers. The film became Switzerland’s most successful domestic release of the year, drawing more than 200,000 admissions and sparking a nationwide debate on care-sector reform.
“In recognition of the film’s cinematic quality and its powerful contribution to public discourse, we are honoring Petra Volpe with the Golden Eye Award and wish her every success in the Oscar race,” Jungen said.
Volpe welcomed the recognition, noting her long-standing relationship with the festival. “LATE SHIFT continues to travel internationally and shows that Swiss cinema can have global impact,” she said. “I have a special connection to ZFF, as my first feature premiered there. And when it comes to our chances—you gotta believe!”
Volpe and ZFF share a history dating back to 2013, when her debut feature DREAMLAND premiered at the festival. She later served on the ZFF International Feature Film Jury in 2022 and returned with LATE SHIFT, which also screened for industry participants at the ZFF Summit.
Born in 1970 in Aargau, Switzerland, Volpe is among the country’s most internationally recognized filmmakers. Her 2017 film THE DIVINE ORDER was a major global success and Switzerland’s official Oscar submission. Her latest project, FRANK & LOUIS, her first English-language feature, has been invited to the Sundance Film Festival 2026.
By honoring Volpe in Los Angeles, ZFF continues to strengthen its presence in Hollywood, following a similar award presented to director Tim Fehlbaum in 2024, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to supporting Swiss filmmakers on the international stage.