Zurich Film Festival

Grant’s Latest Film “Florence Foster Jenkins”, Directed by Stephen Frears and Co-Starring Meryl Streep, To Screen in Zurich

The Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) announced today that Hugh Grant will receive the coveted Golden Icon Award at this year’s Festival, taking place September 22 – October 2. The announcement was made by ZFF Directors Karl Spoerri and Nadja Schildknecht.

Serving as the Festival’s most prestigious symbol of recognition, awarded in appreciation of the lifetime achievements of an actor or actress, the Golden Icon Award will be bestowed to Grant on the evening of September 27 at the Corso Cinema.

In addition to receiving ZFF’s Golden Icon Award, Grant will present his latest film, the Stephen Frears comedy drama “Florence Foster Jenkins,” in which he stars opposite Meryl Streep for Paramount Pictures.

Said Schildknecht and Spoerri, “Hugh is as beloved a star as there is in the world of film. His uncanny charm and charisma have fueled memorable performances for decades, but in watching his amazing body of work, the depth of his acting is unmistakable and equally as memorable. Having him in Zurich to receive the Golden Icon Award and present the eagerly anticipated ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ is a huge treat for the festival and the audiences who will share in the experience.”

Hugh Grant is an award-winning actor who has received acclaim for his work in a wide range of films, which have grossed more than $2.5 billion combined worldwide.

Prior to starring in FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS, Grant starred in Marc Lawrence’s romantic comedy THE REWRITE and Guy Ritchie’s film adaptation of the eponymous MGM series THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.. He also previously starred in the critically acclaimed drama CLOUD ATLAS, playing multiple roles throughout the film, from the Wachowskis to Tom Tykwer.  He also lent his voice to the lead role of The Pirate Captain in the animated film THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS in 2012, and starred in DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS opposite Sarah Jessica Parker in 2009.

His other credits include MUSIC AND LYRICS, AMERICAN DREAMZ; BRIDGET JONES’ DIARY, and its sequel, BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON; the ensemble comedy hit LOVE ACTUALLY; and TWO WEEKS NOTICE opposite Sandra Bullock. He won a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA for his performance in FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, and was nominated for Golden Globes for his performances in “Notting Hill” and “About a Boy.”  Among his many feature film credits are “An Awfully Big Adventure,” “The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “Mickey Blue Eyes,” “Small Time Crooks,” and “Extreme Measures,” which he also produced. 

In addition to his Golden Globe and BAFTA honors, Grant has been awarded The Peter Sellers Award for Comedy, Best Actor at The Venice Film Festival and an Honorary César Award.

Grant is also on the board of Hacked Off, which was started in response to the News International phone hacking scandal and campaigns for a free and accountable press.

Directed by two-time Oscar® nominee Stephen Frears (“Philomena,” “The Queen”), “Florence Foster Jenkins” tells the inspirational true story of the eponymous New York heiress who obsessively pursued her dream of becoming a great singer. The film celebrates the human spirit, the power of music and the passion of amateurs everywhere. The voice Florence (Streep) heard in her head was divine, but to the rest of the world it was hilariously awful. At private recitals, her devoted husband and manager, St Clair Bayfield (Grant), managed to protect Florence from the truth. But when Florence decided to give her first public concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall, St Clair realised he had perhaps bitten off more than he could chew.

The film's supporting cast members include Simon Helberg (“The Big Bang Theory”) as Florence's long suffering piano accompanist, Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) and Nina Arianda (“Midnight in Paris”).

Nicholas Martin wrote screenplay for “Florence Foster Jenkins.” The film is produced by Michael Kuhn and Tracey Seaward. Executive producers are Cameron McCracken, Christine Langan and Malcolm Ritchie.

Pathe Films is releasing the film in Switzerland.

“Florence Foster Jenkins” joins a growing selection of marquee fall-release films selected to screen at ZFF. The festival revealed last week that “Snowden” will be presented at ZFF by director Oliver Stone and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley.