Swiss Film Award 2026

LATE SHIFT (HELDIN) celebrated its world premiere at the Berlinale last year. The Swiss-German coproductionby Zodiac Pictures Ltd. (Reto Schaerli, Lukas Hobi) became a box-office hit in German-speaking countries and has been sold to over 50 territories. As Switzerland’s Oscar contender, the drama was shortlisted for the 98thAcademy Awards in the International Feature Film category last December. 

In addition to the award for Best Feature Film 2026, LATE SHIFT also garnered the awards for Best Screenplay(Petra Volpe) and Best Sound (Jacques Kieffer, Gina Keller, Marco Teufen). As last year’s box-office hit, LATE SHIFT was also honoured with the Box Office Quartz, awarded for the first time. This award will now be presented annually to the film with the highest number of admissions in Swiss cinemas.  

Two awards for I LOVE YOU, I LEAVE YOU 

The award for Best Documentary Film went to I LOVE YOU, I LEAVE YOU by Moris Freiburghaus (Sabotage Filmkollektiv GmbH, Leon Schwitter, Fabiana Seitz). Furthermore, musician Dino Brandão, who also stars as the protagonist in the film, won the award for Best Film Score. The film celebrated its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival 2025 and was honoured with both the Best Documentary Film Award and the Audience Award. 

Award-winning short films 

The Swiss-French coproduction YONNE by Julietta Korbel, Yan Ciszewski (Rita Productions Sàrl, Marine Dumas) was honoured with the award for Best Short Film. The award for Best Animated Film went to I'M NOT SURE (ICH BIN NICHT SICHER) by Luisa Zürcher (Luisa Zürcher). Both films celebrated their world premieres in the Pardi di domani in Locarno. 

Yet another animated film was honoured with an award, namely as Best Graduation Film: HUNTING (QUI PART À LA CHASSE) by Lea Favre (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne, Hélium Films) – an international festival hitthat has already received several awards. 

Awards for Acting and Cinematic Craft 

Bettina Stucky and Phil Hayes were honoured as Best Actress and Best Actor respectively for their performances in BAGGER DRAMA by Piet Baumgartner. Sven Schelker won the award for Best Supporting Role for his performance in the literary adaptation of I'M NOT STILLER (STILLER) by Stefan Haupt. 

The award for Best Cinematography went to Benoit Dervaux; Karine Sudan was honoured with the award for Best Film Editing – both for their work on SILENT REBELLION (À BRAS-LE-CORPS) by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo. 

Special and Honorary Award 2026 

Director Damien Hauser was honoured with the Special Academy Award for his “innovative use of new technology” in MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI. The film celebrated its world premiere in Venice and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, BFI London, the Mostra Sao Paulo, among others, and most recently at CPH:DOX. Hauser not only directed the film but was also responsible for the screenplay, editing, cinematography and music. 

The Swiss Film Honorary Award went to director and producer Villi Hermann. With a career spanning over 50years, which he continues to pursue to this day with social engagement and artistic sophistication, he has become a leading figure in Swiss filmmaking (albeit not exclusively) in the Italian language. 

The Swiss Film Awards ceremony took place in Zurich on Friday, March 27, 2026, and is organised by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC) in partnership with SRG SSR and the Association “Quartz” Genève Zürich, in collaboration with SWISS FILMS, the Swiss Film Academy and the Solothurn Film Festival. 

• Further information: www.quartz.ch 
• Media contacts: https://www.quartz.ch/en/press.html  
• Photo download: https://eduardmeltzerphotography.pixieset.com/schweizerfilmpreis2026/ 
  © FOC / Eduard Meltzer 

All winners of the 2026 Swiss Film Awards: 
 

Best feature film 
HELDIN by Petra Volpe (Zodiac Pictures Ltd, Lukas Hobi, Reto Schaerli)

Best documentary film 
I LOVE YOU, I LEAVE YOU by Moris Freiburghaus (Sabotage Filmkollektiv GmbH, Leon Schwitter, Fabiana Seitz)

Best short film 
YONNE by Julietta Korbel, Yan Ciszewski (Rita Productions Sàrl, Marine Dumas)

Best animated film
ICH BIN NICHT SICHER by Luisa Zürcher (Luisa Zürcher)

Best screenplay
HELDIN - Petra Volpe

Best actress
Bettina Stucky (Conny) in BAGGER DRAMA

Best actor
Phil Hayes (Paul) in BAGGER DRAMA

Best supporting role
Sven Schelker (Anatol) in STILLER

Best film score
I LOVE YOU, I LEAVE YOU - Dino Brandão

Best cinematography
À BRAS-LE-CORPS - Benoit Dervaux

Best film editing
À BRAS-LE-CORPS - Karine Sudan

Best sound     
HELDIN - Jacques Kieffer, Gina Keller, Marco Teufen

Best fraduation film 
QUI PART À LA CHASSE by Lea Favre (École cantonale d'art de Lausanne)

Special academy award
Damien Hauser - Innovative use of new technology in MEMORY OF PRINCESS MUMBI

Swiss film honorary award
Villi Hermann

Box Office Quartz
HELDIN by Petra Volpe (Zodiac Pictures Ltd / Filmcoopi Zürich)