ZFF Honors LATE SHIFT Director Petra Volpe in Los Angeles
© Gabriel Hill for Zurich Film Festival
The Zurich Film Festival is honoring Swiss director Petra Volpe in Los Angeles on Monday, January 12, with the Golden Eye Award for her film LATE SHIFT. The award will be presented in the context of an exclusive screening of LATE SHIFT. The film is currently shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. The screening is hosted by ZFF in collaboration with U.S. distributor Music Box Films and will take place at Soho House Los Angeles. Petra Volpe will accept the award in person.
Since its founding, the Zurich Film Festival has been committed to supporting Swiss cinema – championing new talent, strong storytelling, and visibility on the big screen. This commitment extends well beyond the festival itself: through targeted industry events, international screenings, and an increased presence during awards season, ZFF actively promotes the international reach of Swiss films and filmmakers.
Christian Jungen, CEO of the Zurich Film Festival, says:
“Petra Volpe has once again succeeded with LATE SHIFT in creating a socially realist auteur film that is firmly rooted in the present, shedding light on the precarious working conditions in the nursing profession while paying tribute to the dedication of healthcare workers. In Switzerland, LATE SHIFT became the most successful domestic film of the year with more than 200,000 admissions and sparked a national debate about improving working conditions in the care sector. In recognition of the film’s cinematic quality and its powerful contribution to public discourse, we are honoring Petra Volpe with the Golden Eye Award and wish her every success in the Oscar race.”
Petra Volpe also welcomes the upcoming honor:
“We are incredibly grateful for this award and for the special recognition it represents. LATE SHIFT continues to travel internationally and shows that Swiss cinema can have global impact. I have a special connection to ZFF, as my first feature film celebrated its premiere there. It is wonderful to see how the festival has evolved, and I would like to sincerely thank Christian Jungen and the entire team for the award as well as for their support during the Oscar campaign. And when it comes to our chances: you gotta believe!”
A Longstanding Relationship Between Petra Volpe and ZFF
Petra Volpe has shared a close relationship with the Zurich Film Festival for many years. In 2013, her feature film debut DREAMLAND celebrated its world premiere in the ZFF competition and received strong international attention. In 2022, Volpe served as a member of the ZFF International Feature Film Jury under the presidency of Asghar Farhadi. That same year, she also presented the film GOLDEN YEARS, directed by Barbara Kulcsar, as its screenwriter at the festival.
Feature Film Jury Piodor Gustafsson, Petra Volpe, Clio Barnard and Daniel Dreifuss at ZFF 2022. © Joshua Sammer (Getty) for Zurich Film Festival
Petra Volpe has also been present at ZFF with her film LATE SHIFT: the festival organized a For Your Consideration screening for participants of the ZFF Summit. The film stars Leonie Benesch, who served as a member of the ZFF International Feature Film Jury in 2025. The drama, which portrays the demanding night shift of a nurse, attracted more than 200,000 admissions in Swiss cinemas and became one of the most successful Swiss films of recent years. LATE SHIFT is currently shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. This outstanding success is now being recognized by ZFF with the Golden Eye Award presented to Petra Volpe in Los Angeles.
Petra Volpe – One of the Leading Voices in Swiss Cinema
Petra Volpe (born 1970 in Suhr, Aargau, Switzerland) is one of the most successful and internationally recognized Swiss filmmakers. After studying at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf in Potsdam, she established herself as both a director and screenwriter. Her feature film THE DIVINE ORDER (2017) became one of the most successful Swiss films of all time, screened at festivals worldwide, and was selected as Switzerland’s official submission for the Academy Awards. With LATE SHIFT, Volpe has now reached the Academy Award shortlist for the first time. Her work consistently explores socially relevant themes, combining emotional depth with precise character development and strong dramaturgy. Her latest film FRANK & LOUIS – an international co-production and her first English-language feature – has been invited to the program of the Sundance Film Festival 2026.
Continuity of ZFF’s Presence in Hollywood
By honoring Petra Volpe, the Zurich Film Festival continues its presence in Hollywood. Following the award presented to Tim Fehlbaum in Los Angeles in 2024, ZFF once again underscores its role as a festival that not only discovers and supports Swiss filmmakers early on, but also accompanies them on their international journey, fostering visibility and networking opportunities during awards season.
