Zurich Film Festival Embarks on New Era With Director-Led Buyout

Christian Jungen and key partners acquire ZFF from NZZ Group, aiming to position it among Europe’s top-tier film festivals.

Following a management buyout of festival owners the NZZ group, headed by Christian Jungen, the director of the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), a new chapter is about to begin. The festival and the Swiss media business had a ten-year collaboration before the buyout was announced on Thursday.

Festival deputy director Reta Guetg, Swiss businessman and television broadcaster Max Loong, longtime ZFF President Felix E. Müller, and financial specialist Marek Skreta join Jungen in the takeover. The new proprietors intend to raise the Zurich film festival to the highest level among European film festivals.

In a statement, Jungen said, “I am thrilled to guide the ZFF into a new era alongside our current team and new owners who are film buffs and intimately familiar with the festival.” “The filmmaking community and our partners trust us as a Zurich-based solution. We are thinking globally and with a broad perspective. By showcasing the films and actors who will win Oscars later in the season, we hope to establish the ZFF as one of Europe’s top film festivals.

We hope to create a festival Zurich can be proud of, bringing happiness and a festive mood to the city. We will increase assistance from foundations, donors, and public institutions in addition to securing additional private partners in order to do this.

According to the new proprietors, NZZ, which purchased the Zurich film festival 10 years ago, will continue to be an important partner for the ensuing three years. The decision, according to NZZ CEO Felix Graf, is a step toward increased professionalization while maintaining the festival’s current structure.

The new leadership team combines worldwide business savvy with extensive festival experience. After working for NZZ for ten years as a writer, Jungen has been in charge of the ZFF’s artistic direction since 2019. With ten years of experience as ZFF’s industry and programming leader, Guetg has solid connections to the global film community. Müller is an important person in Swiss culture and the editor-in-chief of NZZ am Sonntag. He wrote a book about the history of the ZFF. With Skreta’s connections to the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Loong and Skreta contribute their knowledge of sponsorship, hospitality, and international festival strategy.

The 21st edition of the ZFF, which attracted 140,000 people the previous year, will take place from September 25 to October 5.