It is RIFF’s true pleasure to place Switzerland in focus this year, with more than a dozen Swiss films being screened at the festival. í árIn a special category, RIFF presents a selection of new films that give cinema-goers at Háskólabíó a taste of the freshest creations coming from Switzerland these days.
Honorary Guests from Switzerland at RIFF 2025
Swiss honorary guests will grace the festival with their presence and their works. First, the multi-award-winning Ursula Meier will attend as the recipient of the RIFF Honorary Award for Creative Excellence.Joining her are the original and progressive Zürcher brothers, Ramon and Silvan, who will be honored as Emerging MastersRIFF will screen a selection of works from these fascinating artists from September 25th to October 5th, and all fans of exciting European cinema are encouraged not to miss this rare chance to see films that don’t often make it into Icelandic cinemas.
Among the new Swiss films screened at RIFF 2025, the highlights include Hanami (2024) by Denise Fernandes, which has swept up awards and recognition in recent months. Equally acclaimed is Queens (2024) eftir Klaudia Reynicke sem hefur farið sigurför um kvikmyndahátíðir heimsins.
Also featured are Late Shift 2025), which earned deserved attention at this year’s Berlinale, and The Shelter (La Cache, 2025), directed by Lionel Baier.
Finally, audiences can look forward to a special section of Swiss short films at RIFF 2025, exploring diverse topics ranging from playground disputes and open relationship entanglements to activists gluing themselves to objects..
She has also earned numerous awards for her short and documentary films and is now an inspiration for the next generation of filmmakers. With her sharp eye for detail and keen insight into human fragility, Meier creates films that move audiences while reflecting the present. Both Home and Sister will be screened at RIFF—a treat for all lovers of outstanding European cinema.
RIFF 2025 Honorary Guest: Ursula Meier
Ursula Meier is among the most influential and fascinating voices in contemporary Swiss cinema. Born in Besançon, France, in 1971, she has always worked across the border, and her personal vision uniquely combines French and Swiss film traditions.
Meier drew international attention with her debut feature Home (2008), screened at Cannes and praised for its inventive and sensitive storytelling. Her follow-up, Sister (2012), won the Silver Bear at Berlinale, cementing her as one of the most important voices in European cinema. Her films combine emotional sensitivity with political depth, exploring family, society, and the individual with warmth, humor, and social critique.
Emerging Masters: Ramon and Silvan Zürcher
With backgrounds in both directing and screenwriting, the Zürcher brothers have developed a distinctive aesthetic that blends understated suspense with poetic imagery. Their films explore the complexities of human relationships—the smallest gestures, the unspoken conflicts, and the moments of turmoil—with precision and sensitivity.
In 2024, they released The Sparrow in the Chimney, the final installment in their so-called “animal trilogy,” continuing their collaboration with cinematographer Alexander Haßkerl and composer Philipp Moll. Their works have screened at major festivals such as Locarno, Rotterdam, and Toronto, gaining more admirers of their slow yet radical storytelling. All three films of the trilogy will be screened at RIFF this year.
The Reykjavík International Film Festival will take place from September 25 to October 5. The full program will be announced soon.