Benedict Cumberbatch © Gavin Bond
Benedict Cumberbatch, CBE, will be honored by The ZFF for his multifaceted career and his impressive role in the drama THE THING WITH FEATHERS, which he also produced with his company SunnyMarch and Lobo Films. Cumberbatch will receive the award in person on September 29. Afterwards, he will give insights into his career at a ZFF Masters, accompanied by a screening of the film.
Charisma, intelligence and an unmistakable voice define Benedict Cumberbatch, who is best known to many for his iconic role as Sherlock. Cumberbatch has worked with some of the most important directors of our time, including Jane Campion, Joe Wright, Steve McQueen and Wes Anderson, and has breathed life into a wide variety of characters. In his new film THE THING WITH FEATHERS, directed by Dylan Southern, Cumberbatch takes on dual roles, as both lead actor and producer through his company SunnyMarch in partnership with Lobo Films. He portrays a father of two, grappling with grief and the challenge of rebuilding his life after the death of his wife.
«Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most versatile character actors of his generation. He comes from the theater, masters his craft in every role and gives his characters emotional depth - whether as Alan Turing in THE IMITATION GAME or as superhero DOCTOR STRANGE in the Marvel universe. We have shown many of his films at the ZFF in recent years and are delighted to be able to welcome him to Zurich in person for the first time – both as an actor and as the producer of THE THING WITH FEATHERS,» explains Christian Jungen, Festival Director.
Benedict Cumberbatch is also looking forward to his visit to Zurich: «I am honoured to be invited to The Zurich Film Festival to receive The Golden Eye Award. This festival is important in recognising, encouraging and supporting all film makers across the world, with emphasis on inspiring new talent and voices, something close to my heart. I am delighted to be accepting this special award.»
THE THING WITH FEATHERS © LTD The British Film Institute Channel Four Television Corporation /
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From Shakespearean theater to Marvel hero
Born in London in 1976, Benedict Cumberbatch is regarded as one of the most influential actors of his generation. The son of two actors, he discovered his passion for stage and screen early on, studying drama at the University of Manchester and later at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). He began his career on various London stages, including the National Theatre, and appeared in Shakespearean roles such as HAMLET as well as in plays like HEDDA GABLER and FRANKENSTEIN.
He rose to international fame in 2010 with the title role in the BBC series SHERLOCK. In addition to his roles in blockbusters such as Peter Jackson’s HOBBIT trilogy, where he brought the dragon Smaug to life with both his voice and motion, Benedict Cumberbatch has also made his mark in numerous independent and arthouse productions.
In the 2010 film THIRD STAR, he delivered a moving performance as a young man facing terminal cancer on a final journey to the sea with his closest friends. In AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY from 2013, he played a sensitive supporting role alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. That same year, he appeared as the conflicted plantation owner William Ford in 12 YEARS A SLAVE. In 2015’s BLACK MASS, he played William "Billy" Bulger brother of gangster boss Whitey Bulger. In THE COURIER (2020), he portrayed British businessman and spy Greville Wynne during the Cold War. Around the same time, he delivered a powerful performance in the miniseries PATRICK MELROSE as a man wrestling with the aftermath of trauma and addiction, which earned him a BAFTA. Benedict Cumberbatch has been shaping the Marvel universe as Stephen Strange since 2016 and can be seen in DOCTOR STRANGE as well as in the AVENGERS films AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR and AVENGERS: ENDGAME. He received his first Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Alan Turing in 2014's THE IMITATION GAME, followed by his second Oscar nomination for his role as a torn rancher in 2021's THE POWER OF THE DOG. He can also currently be seen in Wes Anderson's film THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME. He will also star in the upcoming satirical black comedy THE ROSES alongside Olivia Colman.
