List of winners of the Zurich Film Festival Awards 2024

Rungano Nyonis About becoming a guinea fowl received top honors at the 20th Zurich Film Festival and won the Golden Eye for best film.

The Zurich competition jury, led by Lee Daniels, praised the film for its spectacular cinematography, exquisite sound design and breathtaking performances. Nyoni’s follow-up to her breakout debut I’m not a witch is a surreal and seriocomic family drama about sexual abuse set in Zambia’s capital Lusaka. About becoming a guinea fowl premiered in the Un Sure Regard section of Cannes this year and won best director for the Welsh-Zambian filmmaker.

Shiori Itōs Black box diaries won the Zurich Audience Prize and was named best documentary film. The astonishing investigative film follows the five years Itō spent bringing to justice the older, more powerful man who sexually abused her. The film, which premiered at Sundance, was praised by the documentary jury for its bold and personal approach to tackling misogyny.

Jasmin Gordon’s Swiss family drama Les Courageux (The brave one) won the Critics’ Prize at the Zurich Film Festival. In the film, Ophélia Kolb plays Jule, a single mother of three who struggles to keep up appearances and forms an unlikely, deep friendship with a Muslim woman.

The awards for the 20th Zurich Film Festival were awarded on Saturday evening at a gala at the Zurich Opera House. Honorary “Golden Eye” awards were previously presented to Jude Law and Pamela Anderson for their contributions to cinema. Kate Winslet and Swiss comedy legend Emil Steinberger received lifetime achievement awards. The film industry’s Game Changer Awards went to Roeg Sutherland, co-head of media finance at CAA.

The full list of winners can be found below.

Golden Eye Feature Film Competition

About becoming a guinea fowl

Golden Eye documentary film competition

Black box diaries

ZFF Critics’ Prize

Les Courageux

ZFF for Kids Jury Prize

Leeuwin

ZFF for Kids Audience Award

The Heinzels – New hats, new mission

Audience Award

Black box diaries

Zurich Church Film Prize

Les Courageux

Best international film music

Ahmed Soroko

Golden Icon Award

Kate Winslet

Golden Eye Award

Jude Law

Golden Eye Award

Pamela Anderson

Golden Eye Award

Alicia Vikander

A tribute to… award

Edward Berger

Award for his life’s work

Emil Steinberger

Professional Achievement Award

Howard Shore

Game Changer Award

Roeg Sutherland