The Zurich Film Festival will host European premieres of The Crush Machine , Hedda , and The Missing Bus as part of its 2025 “Gala Premieres” lineup, alongside several high-profile world debuts from Germany.
The 21st edition of the festival, which runs from September 25 to October 5, will open its main gala section to a mix of Hollywood Award contenders and German-language productions with broad audience appeal. Festival director Christian Jungen noted that the section has a history of screening films that go on to earn Oscar nominations.
Benny Safdie's The Crush Machine starring Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr marks a dramatic departure for the actor, with the film exploring Kerr's rise and struggles outside the Octagon. Emily Blunt co-stars as Kerr's wife, Dawn Staples.
Paul Greengrass's The Missing Bus , inspired by true events, casts Matthew McConaughey as a school bus driver caught in one of America's deadliest wildfires, with America Ferrera as a teacher who helps rescue 22 children.
Other titles in the Gala lineup include Rebecca Zlotowski's A Private Life starring Jodie Foster, Erik Schmitt's The Life of Desires starring Matthias Schweighöfer, Swiss literary adaptation I Am Not Stiller from director Stefan Haupt, Neele Leana Vollmar's Time We Lost with Anke Engelke and Ulrich Tukur, Unidentified from Haifaa Al Mansour, Christian Ditter's children's film Momo and the documentary The Balloons from director John Dower.
The full festival program will be announced on September 11.
