Richard Linklater Retrospective: A Journey Through the Work of an Exceptional Artist

In addition to presenting the Career Achievement Award and the ZFF Masters at the Filmpodium Zürich, a retrospective will bring selected films from Linklater's extensive body of work to the screen, gathering key milestones from a career spanning over three decades. For the first time, BLUE MOON (2025), one of Linklater's most recent films, will have its Swiss premiere at the Filmpodium Zürich. The program also offers the unique opportunity to experience many of Linklater's films – including BEFORE SUNRISE, BEFORE SUNSET, SLACKER, A SCANNER DARKLY and SCHOOL OF ROCK – in 35mm format. The retrospective program is the result of a collaboration between the ZFF, the Filmpodium and the Cinémathèque suisse. The respective screenings have been curated and organzied by the Filmpodium Zürich for Zurich and by the Cinémathèque suisse for Lausanne.

Between nostalgia and new art: Richard Linklater's films are classics that, on the big screen, invite audiences to immerse themselves in past, possible and imagined worlds and realities. The retrospective program offers the chance to rediscover both beloved long-time favorites and more recent cinematic works of art at the cinema. A collaboration between the ZFF, the Filmpodium Zürich and the Cinémathèque suisse .

Retrospective in Zurich and Lausanne

Linklater will be a personal guest at the Filmpodium Zürich: on September 28, the director will be honored with the Zurich Film Festival's Career Achievement Award. Following the award ceremony, he will offer insights into his artistic work as part of a ZFF Masters session. The talk will be followed by a screening of BEFORE SUNRISE in 35mm – a must for fans of the BEFORE trilogy and newcomers to Linklaters films alike.

At the Cinémathèque suisse in Lausanne, Linklater will visit ECAL on September 30 for a masterclass. Afterwards, a screening of BLUE MOON will take place at Cinema Capitole in the director's presence. On October 1, Linklater will also attend a screening of BOYHOOD.

Over the course of the eleven ZFF festival days, the following films will be shown as part of the retrospective:

On March 31, 1943, Richard Rodgers’ musical «Oklahoma!» premieres in New York, turning the city’s theatre scene into a major social event. At Sardi’s Bar, the theatre world gathers to celebrate, while Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), once Rodgers’ creative partner, struggles with the end of their collaboration and his own path in life. Among friends, artists and fellow performers, the night unfolds as a journey through friendship, art and unfulfilled love. Richard Linklater tells the story in real time, bringing together a stellar cast including Andrew Scott, Margaret Qualley and Bobby Cannavale.

Austin, Texas, 1990: a single day in the life of a town full of unambitious loners, dropouts, and free thinkers. With no conventional plot, the camera drifts from one oddball encounter to the next – from a backseat philosopher expounding his dream theories to an apathetic cab driver, to a young woman trying to sell Madonna's supposed Pap test, to a friendly old anarchist looking for new recruits. Shot on a shoestring budget, SLACKER is regarded as a landmark of 1990s American independent cinema, drawing us into the lives of its curious characters through its causal, observational style.

Texas, 1976: the last day of school before summer break. For a high school clique of jocks, freaks, and geeks, a night of dares, parties, and rock 'n' roll is about to begin. At the center of it all is quarterback Randall "Pink" Floyd, who moves effortlessly between the groups – until his coach tries to force him to sign an anti-drug pledge, though Pink would rather get high. Shot in Austin, Linklater's multi-voiced ensemble piece is a quintessential American summer hit, celebrating the pop culture, freedom, and rebellious youth of the 70s. It was this film that launched young Matthew McConaughey's breakthrough – alright, alright, alright!

The young Frenchwoman Céline (Julie Delpy) and the equally young American Jesse (Ethan Hawke) meet on a train. They spontaneously decide to spend the hours until his flight back to the USA together in Vienna. Over the course of the night, they share stories and thoughts about life and love, and discuss the state of the world. A quiet intimacy develops between them, aware that this could be their only night together. A classic among film lovers, it successfully brings the difficult question of the meaning and purpose of human existence to the screen.

Nine long years after the bittersweet farewell at a Vienna train station in BEFORE SUNRISE, star-crossed lovers Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) reunite for a single day in cosmopolitan Paris. There, Jesse wraps up a promotional tour of his latest book in a cosy Parisian bookshop. And just like that, a chance encounter with Céline rekindles their relationship, encouraging the estranged soulmates to pick up where they left off. But once again, Jesse has a plane to catch. As Jesse and Céline tingle with excitement, they try to process a flurry of emotions amid pale memories and heartbreaking revelations during a slow, twisty afternoon stroll around the city's picturesque streets.

With an estranged son living in America and two twin daughters in tow, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) are on holiday in Greece — nine eventful years after their meeting in Paris in BEFORE SUNSET. While the couple strolls through the narrow streets of the coastal town of Kardamyli, they confront the past, present, and future. Eighteen years after their first meeting in Before Sunrise, time and stress have taken a toll on their relationship. Now, more than ever, it's important to keep the romance alive. Will the dream die before midnight?

Anyone who takes the so-called drug «D» develops multiple personalities. «D» has taken over the country; the government is powerless and has undercover police officers spying on the population. Even police officer Bob (Keanu Reeves) has become addicted to the substance. Because he wears a camouflage suit, his true identity remains a secret. Not even Fred’s girlfriend, Donna (Winona Ryder), or his roommates, James (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Ernie (Woody Harrelson), know about his double life. And so, Bob is tasked with spying not only on his friends, but also on himself. A suspenseful sci-fi thriller that blends animation and live-action.

Mason (Ellar Coltrane) grows up with his sister and divorced mother (Patricia Arquette). Over twelve years, the film follows him from first grade through to college. Director Richard Linklater turned the story into a unique cinematic experiment: from 2002 to 2013, he filmed with the same cast, allowing them to age alongside their characters. BOYHOOD blurs fiction and lived time in a moving portrait of growing up, a groundbreaking film that has since become a landmark in cinema history.

Paris, in the late 1950s. The streets pulsate to the beat of jazz, cigarette smoke hangs in the air, and young cineastes hang around cafés talking about a revolution – not political, but cinematic. Nouvelle Vague tells the story of Jean-Luc Godard and the making of his debut film, BREATHLESS, that went on to become a cult classic. The film is directed by Richard Linklater in the style of the eponymous «Nouvelle Vague» itself: innovative, independent, and rebellious. Starring Guillaume Marbeck as Godard and Zoey Deutch as Seberg, it is a tribute to the creative chaos that changed the course of cinema.

Bernie Tiede (Jack Black), the assistant to the local funeral director, is one of the most popular residents of the small Texas town of Carthage. He teaches Sunday school, sings in the church choir and organizes elaborate funerals. He is friends with everyone, including Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine), a wealthy but bitter widow whom no one else can stand. When Marjorie is found dead in her home, Bernie is accused of murder. The concerned citizens of Carthage immediately rally to his defense. A biting comedy based on a true crime story.

The retrospective at Filmpodium Zürich will also be complemented by the film series «Cinema Seen Through the Eyes of… Richard Linklater». The series is made up of films that Linklater has personally selected and that have shaped and inspired him as a filmmaker. The program runs at the Filmpodium Zürich through mid-November, offering insights into Linklater's cinematic influences. On September 29, filmmaker and curator Alexander Horwath will hold a conversation with Linklater following the screening of SOME CAME RUNNING, as part of «Cinema Seen Through the Eyes of… Richard Linklater». The retrospective will continue on the big screen at the Filmpodium Zürich and the Cinémathèque with APOLLO 10½, SCHOOL OF ROCK, GOD SAVE TEXAS – EPISODE 1, EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!, WAKING LIFE, TAPE and IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN TO PLOW BY READING BOOKS – with plenty of cinema magic, endless conversations that last until dawn, and lots of room for cinematic longing and daydreaming.