Film tips for October

As soon as the leaves turn colour, Zurich transforms into a film metropolis. From 25 September, the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) invites you to discover new international releases for the 21st time. Stars such as Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell and Claire Foy are expected to attend, while big-name directors such as Noah Baumbach and Edward Berger will present their latest works. A special highlight: two prizewinners from this year's Venice Film Festival will celebrate their Swiss premiere in Zurich - Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab" and Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother".

From Thursday, 25 September. September 2025, various cinemas in Zurich, 18:00
Film programme

The self-taught pianist Erroll Garner is regarded as one of the style-defining pianists of jazz music. Although he couldn't read music, he created one of the great jazz standards and one of the most covered ballads in the world with "Misty" (1954). With "Misty - The Erroll Garner Story" (2024), director Georges Gachot approaches this exceptional pianist in a way that is both intimate and revealing: Using previously unpublished archive material and touching interviews with contemporary witnesses, he creates a portrait of an artistic personality whose influence on jazz history can hardly be overestimated. The documentary will be shown at Kulturraum Thalwil in the presence of the director.

Friday, 24 October 2025, Kulturraum Thalwil, 19:30

Many successful films begin as books - but translating literary classics into moving pictures remains one of the greatest challenges in cinema. Director Stefan Haupt has taken on this task with his latest work: With his film adaptation of Max Frisch's "Stiller" (1954), he dares to tackle a milestone in Swiss literature. At the Debattierhaus Karl der Grosse, Haupt talks to literary scholar and author Thomas Strässle about the art of film adaptation. The book adaptation can be seen in advance at the Zurich Film Festival.

Saturday, 25 October 2025, Karl der Grosse, 15:30

Stephen King is regarded as the horror author par excellence. The master of horror has been inspiring not only readers but also filmmakers for decades - from Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" (1980) to Andy Muschietti's "It" (2017). In October, Kino Xenix is dedicating a programme focus to him, including a special Halloween screening featuring two rarities: "Creepshow" (1982), in which King himself appears in front of the camera, and "Maximum Overdrive" (1986), his only directorial work to date.

Friday, 31 October 2025, Kino Xenix, 20:00
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