The Zurich Film Festival will honour Swiss director Petra Volpe with the Golden Eye Award for her film Late Shift.
The award will be presented in Los Angeles on Monday 12 January, during an exclusive For Your Consideration screening of the film for members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Late Shift is currently shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Christian Jungen, CEO of the Zurich Film Festival, said: “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 honouring Petra Volpe with the Golden Eye Award and wish her every success in the Oscar race.”
Volpe added: “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!”
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.
Late Shift stars Leonie Benesch, who served as a member of the ZFF International Feature Film Jury in 2025, as a nurse during a demanding night shift.
The film 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, and its cinematographer, Judith Kaufmann BVK, recently scooped the Golden Frog at Camerimage.
