Hollywood star Andy García is the special guest at the Award Night of the 22nd Zurich Film Festival. On October 3, the American actor, director, and producer will personally present his new film, DIAMOND, at the Zurich Opera House. For this multi-layered film noir drama, García not only starred in the lead role, but also directed the film, wrote the screenplay, composed the music, and served as producer.
The Zurich Film Festival is pleased to welcome Andy García as the special guest of honor at the Award Night on October 3. With DIAMOND, the multi-award-winning Hollywood star presents his most personal directorial project to date. This film noir homage to his adopted home of Los Angeles features a star-studded cast including Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Brendan Fraser, and Vicky Krieps. García took on several roles in the film: he directed it, wrote the screenplay, produced it, and played the lead role. DIAMOND premiered out of competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, after which Sony Pictures Classics acquired the distribution rights. At the Zurich Film Festival, Andy García will personally present his film to the audience.
«DIAMOND is one of my favorite films of the year. It’s a superbly directed film noir that pays homage to Los Angeles and classic Hollywood cinema. Andy Garcia plays a private detective hired by a widow to prove her innocence in a murder case,» explains Christian Jungen, CEO of the Zurich Film Festival. «The film is imbued with a quiet melancholy, making it the ideal way to bring the ZFF to a close. The fact that cult actor Andy Garcia – who cemented his legacy with films like THE GODFATHER 3, THE UNTOUCHABLES, and the OCEAN'S series – will introduce this project close to his heart to our audience is a highlight of the upcoming festival.»
From Basketball to a Hollywood Star
Andy García was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1956 and grew up in Miami Beach after his family emigrated there. After studying acting, he moved to Hollywood, where he made his international breakthrough in 1990 with his role as Vincent Mancini in Francis Ford Coppola’s THE GODFATHER PART III. For this role, he was nominated for an Oscar in 1991. He went on to play memorable roles in films such as THE UNTOUCHABLES, BLACK RAIN, WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, and Steven Soderbergh's SODERBERGH’S OCEAN'S ELEVEN and its sequels. García has also appeared in more recent productions, such as THE MULE, written and starring Clint Eastwood, and THE EXPENDABLES. In addition to his long acting career, García regularly works as a director and producer.
The Awards Night at the Zurich Opera House
The Award Night is one of the highlights of the Zurich Film Festival. At the Zurich Opera House, the winners of the two competitions are honored, and the highlights of the 22nd festival edition are celebrated. The evening is a special gathering for the film industry, with international filmmakers and prominent guests in attendance. This year's guest of honor is Andy García, a Hollywood star with a career spanning more than four decades as an actor, director, and producer.
