A look behind the ZFF programming work at the Sundance Film Festival

It's been three months since #ZFF2025 ended, but the programming work for the next Zurich Film Festival has long since begun – and for that, our team starts traveling to various Film Festivals early in the year. One of the first stops: the legendary Sundance Film Festival.

To ensure we can present the most exciting new voices and stories in the autumn, our programming team is already watching films, including at international festivals. Last week, our Head of Program, Anja Fröhner, was at the Sundance Film Festival – one of the world’s most influential meeting points for independent cinema and an important trendsetter for upcoming film years. In this interview, she explains why Sundance remains a fixed point for ZFF, what a typical day there looks like, and which films stood out this year.

Anja, ZFF 2025 wrapped up just three months ago. And yet you’re already on a mission for the next edition – this time at the Sundance Film Festival. What brings you there?

The Sundance Film Festival is the starting point for our programming work every year. The films shown at Sundance give a very good impression of what the upcoming film year has in store.

In its early years, Sundance served as a model for the Zurich Film Festival. In what way?

In the beginning, ZFF was strongly inspired by Sundance’s programming structure – both in its general focus on independent cinema and in its two main competition sections: the Feature Film and Documentary Film competitions.

What role does Sundance play for ZFF today?

Sundance has an exceptionally strong documentary film program, but it also presents several exciting American fiction films each year, many of which hope to secure a US distributor there. Every year, there are one or two films that sell for 15 to 20 million dollars – the big dream. Whether documentary or fiction: the films that impress us most are the ones we want to bring to Zurich.

What does a typical day look like for you there? Watching films all day – or is there more to it?

You really do watch a lot of films, but it’s far less glamorous than you might expect. I leave the apartment at 7:15 a.m. and head to the industry screenings, which start at 8:30 a.m. You often have to stand in line 45 minutes beforehand to make sure you get in. Since it’s usually very cold, everyone waits in huge tents. Often you get back in line right after a screening. The queue is also the best place for networking: you often end up next to distribution executives you wouldn’t easily get a meeting with otherwise.

Was there a highlight this year that particularly impressed you?

One highlight is FRANK & LOUIS by Swiss director Petra Volpe. It’s wonderful to see a Swiss production receiving so much attention and such positive reviews. It’s her English-language debut following HELDIN, and the premiere of her new film even received a standing ovation. A second highlight was the documentary KNIFE: THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF SALMAN RUSHDIE, about Salman Rushdie’s recovery after the attempt on his life – especially because there was a fascinating discussion with him after the screening.

After so many years in Park City, the festival is moving to Boulder, Colorado next year. What made Park City special for you and for the festival?

Park City had something truly unique, due to the festival’s history and its founder Robert Redford – who passed away in 2025. I was always impressed by the landscape, especially when the sun was shining. You walk out of a cinema and find yourself surrounded by mountains and nature that look completely different from our own. After so many years, you simply feel at home – you know all the cinemas, their capacity, and your chances of getting in. You know all the restaurant tips and bus routes. I think that’s what many people will miss. At the same time, Boulder is larger, has better infrastructure, and is therefore a bit more affordable – which will make many filmmakers happy.