Luna Wedler Receives the Golden Eye Award at the ZFF
The Zurich Film Festival is honoring Luna Wedler with the Golden Eye Award—making her the first Swiss actress ever to receive the award. Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will present her with the award at the Opening Night on September 24.
Luna Wedler and the Golden Eye Award: A Woman from Zurich on the International Stage
The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) is honoring Swiss actress Luna Wedler with the Golden Eye Award. Federal Councilor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider will present her with the award during the Opening Night on September 24. This makes Wedler the first Swiss woman to receive this award—and the youngest recipient in the award’s history. With the Luna Wedler Golden Eye Award, the ZFF honors a career that began eleven years ago at this very festival.
Eleven years ago, at the age of 15, Wedler made her film debut in *AMATEUR TEENS*—and thus celebrated her first premiere at the Zurich Film Festival. The film won the Audience Award there. Today, the Zurich native is one of the most renowned actresses of her generation in the German-speaking world and has long since made a name for herself internationally as well. A total of eight films starring Luna Wedler have since premiered at the ZFF.
From Zurich to the World: Milestones in a Remarkable Career
Luna Wedler was born in Zurich in 1999. At age 14, out of curiosity, she auditioned for Niklaus Hilber’s *AMATEUR TEENS* and landed the role of Milena. She made an international splash with her very first leading role in Lisa Brühlmann’s *BLUE MY MIND* (2017). For her portrayal of Mia, she was awarded the Swiss Film Prize for Best Actress in 2018. BLUE MY MIND also premiered at the Zurich Film Festival, where it won the Golden Eye in the competition. That same year, Wedler was named a European Shooting Star at the Berlinale.
Since then, she has moved with ease between sophisticated feature films, international TV series, and major genre films. She played leading roles in *JE SUIS KARL* and *22 BAHNEN* and portrayed the German resistance fighter in the web series *ICH BIN SOPHIE SCHOLL*. Internationally, she became known to a wide audience as the lead actress in the Netflix series *BIOHACKERS* and most recently appeared in the series *ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE*.
In 2025, another highlight of her career came with *Silent Friend* by Ildikó Enyedi. The film premiered in the competition section of the Venice Film Festival, where Wedler was awarded the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actress for her performance.
Two New Productions at the ZFF 2026
At this year’s Zurich Film Festival, Wedler is featured in two productions—making her a perfect example of the festival’s motto, «Dream Big.» In Frauke Finsterwalder’s *EUROTRASH*, she plays the driver for a writer who is traveling through Switzerland with his seriously ill mother. She also lends her voice to a character in the animated film *DE RÄGEBOGEFISCH*.
ZFF CEO Christian Jungen puts the significance of the award into perspective: «Luna Wedler is the first Swiss actress to receive our Golden Eye Award—an honor that in recent years has gone to Charlotte Gainsbourg, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, and Dakota Johnson. Luna is from Zurich; she launched her international career from our beautiful city and is known for her great versatility. She always infuses her characters with energy and charisma and captivates us time and time again.»
Festival Director Reta Guetg adds: «In a very short time, she has become one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. Like no other, she immerses herself in her roles with her entire being and body. With this Golden Eye Award, we are honoring an artist who is just at the beginning of a great career.»
Luna Wedler herself is visibly moved: «It’s wonderful to be honored by the Zurich Film Festival, which has been with me and supported me since the beginning of my career. I can’t put into words how much this award means to me.»
The Golden Eye Award at the Zurich Film Festival
With the Golden Eye Award, the Zurich Film Festival honors actresses and actors who have made a significant impact on the current film year and who, based on their body of work to date, are among the most relevant performers of their time. Past recipients include Jude Law, Kristen Stewart, and Dakota Johnson, among others.
The ZFF is the second-largest film festival in the German-speaking world and, every fall, presents the year’s most delightful discoveries and most anticipated films over the course of eleven days. The 22nd edition will take place from September 24 to October 4, 2026.
For more information about the ZFF, visit: https://zff.com
