Zurich Film Festival Adds Danny Boyle’s ‘Ink’ and Jordan Firstman’s ‘Club Kid’

The architect is drawn toward the project even as his wife questions what it says about their marriage. Yahoo’s synopsis frames the central tension in blunt terms: after 17 years together, do they still share the same values, ambitions and dreams? The film is heading to Zurich from Venice, where it is bound to attract attention for the pairing of Cruz and Bardem as spouses rather than simply as marquee names.

That casting is part of the festival’s pitch. Director Reta Guetg said the new premieres include major screen figures such as Cruz, Bardem and John Turturro, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The lineup’s star power is easy to see, but Bunker also brings a pointed question about wealth and moral compromise into the gala slot.

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Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid follows a career that no longer fits

Club Kid may be the most unpredictable title in the group. Firstman directs and stars as a washed-up New York underground party promoter whose life is upended when he discovers he has a son he never knew about. Cara Delevingne and Diego Calva co-star.

Screen Daily describes the film as a story about a promoter forced to care for a 10-year-old child. The Hollywood Reporter adds that the film sparked this year’s most exciting bidding war, won by A24. That piece of business matters: Zurich is not only importing an already established festival title, but giving a high-profile platform to a film whose profile grew through Cannes and the market response around it.

The setup carries an appealing collision of worlds. Firstman’s character is trying to salvage a career built on nightlife while learning a role that is entirely foreign to him. It is a comedy-drama with an LGBTQIA+ label, but the practical problem is what makes the premise sharp: a person accustomed to managing a room now has to manage a child.

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Two world premieres anchor the expanded gala slate

Frauke Finsterwalder’s Eurotrash will have its world premiere in Zurich. Based on Christian Kracht’s novel, it follows writer Philipp on a road trip through Switzerland with his terminally ill, hopelessly drunk mother, Helene. Screen Daily says Philipp comes to recognise that he and his wealthy family are the worst kind of people; Yahoo adds that the pair attempt to give away Helene’s fortune while encountering eccentric characters.

The second world premiere is Enkelejd Lluca’s Albanian boxing drama Blood Money. According to Screen Daily, an ex-convict is pushed into a brutal underground fighting arena by a charming gambler seeking one last big score. Yahoo identifies the protagonist as Arion and says he is offered a fortune to lose the final fight, forcing a choice between escape and dignity. The cast includes rapper Noizy, Blerim Destani and Moritz Bleibtreu.

The remaining additions widen the range: Lauren Miller Rogen’s Babies receives its European premiere, while Noah Segan’s crime thriller The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, Fred Cavayé’s Les Misérables, Alex Schulmann’s Adult Supervision, Géraldine Nakache’s Think Good and Bechis’ Back to Buenos Aires complete the list. Zurich says its full programme will be published September 9.

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