Zurich Summit: Kane Parsons, Bill Kramer, Elisabeth d’Arvieu, Kevin Mayer, Efe Cakarel and Eline van der Velden among high-profile speakers at Swiss conference during Zurich Film Festival

BACKROOMS director Kane Parsons, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences CEO Bill Kramer, Candle Media Co-Founder and Co-CEO Kevin Mayer, Mediawan Pictures CEO and Group Chief Content Officer Elisabeth d’Arvieu, MUBI Founder and CEO Efe Cakarel, and Particle 6 Founder and CEO Eline van der Velden are among the distinguished industry leaders set to speak at the Zurich Summit, alongside 2026 Game Changer Award recipient Glen Basner, Founder and CEO of FilmNation Entertainment. Long-standing associates of the event, CAA Media Finance’s Roeg Sutherland and Sarah Schweitzman, will also be in attendance, alongside representatives from all three major agencies with UTA Independent Film Group Partner and Head, Rena Ronson, UTA’s Alex Brunner, as well as former WME Independent Co-Lead and Partner, Alex Walton.

Top row, l-r: Kane Parsons, Bill Kramer, Elisabeth d’Arvieu
Bottom row, l-r: Kevin Mayer, Efe Cakarel, Eline van der Velden

Zurich Summit to Tackle AI, the Creator Economy, Box Office Recovery and Industry Resilience

Taking place September 25 to 27, 2026, at The Dolder Grand during the 22nd edition of the Zurich Film Festival, the boutique conference has established itself as the «Davos of the film industry», where Hollywood meets Europe. Each year, global industry leaders gather to discuss and debate the state of the business, while the event creates opportunities for networking and collaboration, connecting the EMEA and U.S. markets and fostering cross-border exchange.

This year’s Zurich Summit will place a strong emphasis on the creator economy, exploring its evolving landscape, growing influence and impact on the industry, with a particular focus on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, both of which will have a presence at the event. The ZFF also recently announced a partnership with TikTok LIVE to bring behind-the-scenes content from the festival to a global audience of more than 1 billion people, offering viewers access to its Green Carpet. Additionally, the program will also address a range of relevant and timely topics, including AI, the resurgence of the theatrical box office, and how to build resilient media companies in an age of disruption.

As the Zurich Summit’s official media partner, Deadline will be on the ground covering and moderating panels, as well as providing exclusive interviews with key executives and attendees via the Deadline Studio, while also releasing videos from key panels.

ZFF Festival Director Reta Guetg has led the curation of the Zurich Summit program for the past 10 years alongside her team, guiding the conference as it has grown in reach, significance and prestige. Guetg is supported by Jean de Meuron, who co-curates the program.

«The Zurich Film Festival was named one of Europe’s ten best festivals by The Guardian and recognized as a trendsetter. While we embrace technology and innovation, our commitment to cinema and the theatrical experience remains as strong as ever. At the same time, we keep a close eye on the zeitgeist and emerging trends. This approach is deeply aligned with Zurich’s DNA. The city is one of Europe’s leading technology hubs and home to major offices of Google, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and Disney. The Zurich Summit is designed to stay at the cutting edge and set the agenda on issues that continue to shape industry conversations for months, as last year’s viral discussion around Tilly Norwood demonstrated», explains

. «But the Summit is not only about conversation. It is also about collaboration, concrete action and deal-making. By bringing industry leaders, filmmakers, financiers and researchers together in Zurich, we create an environment where ideas can turn into partnerships and business opportunities. For us, it is essential to foster meaningful exchange, encourage collaboration and provide a platform where the industry can not only discuss the future, but actively help shape it.»

«The Zurich Summit is a business relevant event for many national and international decision-makers. In recent years, numerous participants have connected with investors through the Summit or significantly increased the value of their companies by presenting their vision, projects and growth plans. The Summit offers a crucial and unique opportunity to learn, network, build meaningful relationships and exchange ideas in an intimate and highly personal setting. Despite strong demand, we deliberately limit participation to 150 attendees and grant accreditations access exclusively to high-profile leaders in the global film industry», says

Kane Parsons is the director of BACKROOMS, A24’s highest-opening and -grossing film of all time, amassing an impressive +$395M worldwide gross on an estimated $10M production budget. He and Bill Kramer, who leads the esteemed Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will join other industry leaders on a panel to discuss the theatrical box office’s massive comeback, including record-breaking numbers and its strongest performance since 2019. They will also explore the importance of digital media for getting an audience's attention as well as the growth of YouTube in the entertainment ecosystem, particularly in light of Parsons’ viral BACKROOMS series, which has amassed millions of views, and the Academy’s landmark deal and partnership decision to stream the Oscars exclusively on the platform beginning in 2029. Kramer will kick off this session with a keynote focused on his vision for the Academy as a growing global film organization and the future of the Oscars.

Eline van der Velden, creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood, who attended the conference last year, will return as a speaker for a conversation in a fireside chat with Tilly. Her AI panel sparked global media attention and widespread press coverage, propelling her creation into the international spotlight. For this year’s AI panel, the Zurich Film Festival has partnered with ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich), one of the world’s leading institutions for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The renowned university counts Albert Einstein among its prolific alumni. Moderating the AI Panel is Nathalia Ramos An, Associate Director of Studio B, the multimedia production company at the Berggruen Institute. Ramos An is also a co-founder of the Creators Coalition on AI (CCAI).

The Zurich Film Festival runs from September 24 to October 4, 2026. Confirmed Golden Eye Award honorees attending the festival include Richard Linklater, who will receive the Career Achievement Award, and Martin McDonagh, who will be honored with the A Tribute To … Award. As part of the honor, the ZFF is presenting an extensive retrospective of Linklater’s work in collaboration with the Filmpodium Zurich and the Cinémathèque suisse. Linklater will also offer insights into his career during a public ZFF Masters. McDonagh will present his latest film, WILD HORSE NINE, as a Gala Premiere at the festival. Most recently, ZFF announced a strategic partnership with the El Gouna Film Festival (GFF), further expanding its international industry relationships. The alliance was exclusively communicated via Deadline by ZFF CEO Christian Jungen and Samih Sawiris.