Cinema and Style: Breuninger at the Heart of ZFF‘s Opening Night

On 25 September, the 21st Zurich Film Festival opened its doors with a spectacular gala at the Kongresshaus — a night where film, fashion, and culture came together. Breuninger took center stage as Opening Night Partner.

A star-studded evening unfolded on the Green Carpet: Dakota Johnson presented her new romantic comedy Splitsville and accepted the Golden Eye Award. With Breuninger, the Green Carpet 2025 gained a distinct fashion dimension, introducing looks from major fashion maisons and further enriching the connection between culture, entertainment, and fashion. The gala evening provided the perfect stage for stylish appearances: actress and digital creator Zoë Pastelle impressed with a modern red-carpet look by Anine Bing; DJ Morgan Mesple showcased an urban-elegant designer outfit from Acne Studios and Rohe; influencer Giovanna Schmitz made a glamorous statement in Versace.

Morgan Mesple, look by Acne Studios and Rohe

Also walking the Green Carpet in Breuninger looks were Christa Rigozzi, popular Swiss TV personality, as well as poet and Breuninger campaign talent Anna Seidel.

Breuninger’s partnership with the ZFF is not new — being Audience Partner last year, this year the brand elevated its presence by taking on the role of Opening Night Partner, making a bold cultural statement in Switzerland’s sophisticated film festival landscape.

“The Opening Night of the 21st Zurich Film Festival impressively demonstrated how strongly fashion and culture interact. I am delighted that Breuninger was able to be part of this special evening as a partner and that we could present our brand in such an inspiring environment,” said Breuninger CEO Holger Blecker.

Giovanna Schmitz, dress by Versace

Founded in 2005, the Zurich Film Festival has grown into one of Europe’s most respected festivals — blending premieres, competitions for emerging directors, industry forums, and its signature ZFF Talks and ZFF Masters series.

This year’s Zurich Film Festival presents a total of 114 films — including 41 world or European premieres and 16 Swiss productions. Among the most awaited Gala Premieres are The Life of Wishes (starring Matthias Schweighöfer), Jay Kelly (starring George Clooney), After the Hunt (starring Julia Roberts), Tuner (with Dustin Hoffman and Leo Woodall), Roofman (with Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst), Hedda, and Rental Family — all highly anticipated highlights of the program.

The ZFF Masters series invites world-renowned actors to present their movies and engage directly with the audience. This year, Russell Crowe, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, and Colin Farrell are among the big names holding their ZFF Masters events. Russell Crowe will also receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work during the presentation of his latest film Nuremberg. Benedict Cumberbatch will be honored with the Golden Eye Award for his versatile career during his ZFF Masters event, followed by a screening of his new film The Thing With Feathers.

Breuninger’s commitment to being further present on the Swiss market was additionally underlined when Breuninger hosted an event at popular Monocle Store & Café a week before ZFF to present its new Fall/Winter 2025 campaign. The campaign was centered around literature as a fashion statement. At the heart of the campaign are eight personalities from different literary genres whose individual styles and interpretations of writing and language shape the campaign narrative. A highlight of the event at Monocle Café was a poetry performance by campaign talent Anna Seidel.

All looks are available via the Swiss online shop of Breuninger.

The 21st Zurich Film Festival takes place from 25 September to 5 October 2025. The full film lineup of 114 movies — including premieres, competition sections, and special screenings — can be found at the official film program page.

About Breuninger

Founded in 1881 by Eduard Breuninger, E. Breuninger GmbH & Co. is today one of Europe’s leading omnichannel department stores with 13 department stores in Germany and Luxembourg. For over 140 years, Breuninger has set high standards in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle with an exclusive selection of international designer labels and carefully chosen newcomers.

Its online store, launched in 2008, is among the most successful in the premium segment and is also available in Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Spain, and Italy.

Alongside its trend expertise and fashion awareness, Breuninger is known for its strong customer orientation: services such as personal shopping, in-house tailoring, Click & Collect, online reservation, in-store ordering, and shuttle service ensure a unique shopping experience both online and offline.