AGP Executive Report

Music & Watchmaking: Swiss brand TUDOR named techno pioneer Charlotte de Witte its latest ambassador, linking its “Born To Dare” image with an artist who has headlined major festivals and runs her own labels. Swiss Cinema: Locarno prizewinner Andrea Staka is preparing Ibicaba: O Paraíso Prometido, with Ella Rumpf among its stars. Literary Heritage: A new horror production draws on the summer of 1816 at Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva, where Mary Shelley and her circle helped shape Frankenstein and The Vampyre.

Film: Sony Pictures Classics has acquired Niki Byrne’s TIFF-premiered drama The Julia Set, starring Chase Infiniti, with Switzerland among its distribution territories and a theatrical release planned for 2027. Swiss Filmmaking: Swiss-Kenyan director Damien Hauser’s sci-fi film Memory of Princess Mumbi puts friendship, grief and everyday joys at the heart of its vision of Africa in 2093. Live Music: Erykah Badu canceled several European dates, but her Basel Baloise Session concert was moved forward from Oct. 27 to Oct. 15. Swiss Cinema: Locarno-winning director Andrea Staka is developing Ibicaba: O Paraíso Prometido, starring Ella Rumpf and Júlio Andrade.

Dance: Namibian dancer Xallamo is heading to Switzerland for the global Red Bull Dance Your Style final, bringing his amapiano-inspired style to the international stage. Live Music: Ayra Starr’s 2027 European tour includes Zurich, with the London date upgraded to Brixton after presale tickets sold out. Swiss Literature: Author Gerold Späth has died at 86. Film & TV: Swiss broadcaster RTS has picked up Quebecois youth series Kapsur, while a Swiss queer film festival removed an award-winning Israeli film after boycott threats.

FIFA in Zurich: Gianni Infantino apologised to the FIFA Council over his abandoned plan to sell tournament rights, but critics said he gave no satisfactory answers. FIFA is also considering rule changes after the controversial suspension of a World Cup red-card ban. Swiss Art: Swiss artist Miriam Cahn’s self-portraits exploring ageing are among the highlights at Frieze London, where galleries are balancing experimentation with pressure to show more conventional work. Art Market: UBS data show Gen Z spent twice as much on art as any other generation last year, as online buying and new wealth reshape the market. Literature: Swiss author Gerold Späth, known for his novels and stories, has died at 86.

Swiss Music: A University of Zurich study found live performances sparked stronger emotional responses than recordings, as a pianist adjusted music in real time to listeners’ brain activity. Zurich Arts: Tonhalle Orchestra music director Paavo Järvi says he uses music to introduce audiences to his native Estonia. Tennis: Gaël Monfils is listed as retired, likely ending hopes of a farewell match in Paris; he has signed with a Swiss wealth-management firm. Football: FIFA’s council meets in Zurich amid calls for more transparency, with a proposed $6.35 billion development fund and a rule change over automatic suspensions on the agenda. Film: Geneva Film Festival will honour filmmaker Mira Nair.

Music Industry: Universal Music’s latest restructuring will see Ivo Sacchi, who leads its Switzerland and Austria operations, leave as several senior executives exit. Winter Olympics: Switzerland’s 2038 bid won a funding boost, with parliament approving up to CHF200 million in public support. Swiss TV: SRF has acquired Quebec youth series Kapsur, while RTS picked up season two of French-language dramedy About Antoine. Skating: The ISU extended its partnership with Two Circles through 2029/30, with much of the media and broadcast work based in Bern. Swiss Film: Swiss-Turkish co-production Serife Tavsan will compete in the Asian Future section at the Tokyo International Film Festival.

Swiss-Turkish Cinema: The Tokyo International Film Festival lineup includes Serife Tavsan, a Swiss-Turkish co-production, alongside films from across Asia. Ride Safety: Swiss coaster maker Bolliger & Mabillard’s Goliath ride was involved in a fatal accident at Six Flags Over Georgia; nine similar coasters have been temporarily closed while the incident is investigated. Swiss Watchmaking: Blancpain’s new Lady B marks 70 years of its Ladybird collection with a petite, 19mm spherical design inspired by a 1956 model. Music: Switzerland-based bassist and songwriter Roland Guerin is taking his Louisiana-inspired “PROG” sound on a US tour this fall. Swiss Sport: Olympic champion Chiara Leone finished fourth in the women’s 50m rifle three positions at the ISSF World Cup in Cairo.

Swiss Screen: Apple TV has released a trailer for 12 12 12, a heist drama starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan that puts a daring bank raid beneath Zurich at its center. The first episodes arrive November 13. Live Music: Afrobeats star Ayra Starr’s 2027 Starrgirl tour includes a Zurich stop, alongside dates across Europe and North America. Swiss Cinema: Swiss director Andrea Staka’s next film, Ibicaba: O Paraíso Prometido, will star Ella Rumpf, Júlio Andrade and Ana Flávia Cavalcanti. Art Abroad: Kunsthaus Zurich is bringing an exhibition to South Korea’s National Museum of Korea, extending the museum’s reach to audiences in Seoul.

Live Music: Ayra Starr has announced her first world tour, with Zurich among six European stops before the tour heads to North America; she says she’ll return to Africa in December. Streaming: Radial Entertainment has commissioned a fourth season of crime series World’s Most Evil Prisoners, set to stream in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the US and Canada in 2027. Swiss Screen Talent: Locarno-winning director Andrea Staka is developing Ibicaba: O Paraíso Prometido, starring Ella Rumpf and Júlio Andrade. Arts Abroad: Kunsthaus Zurich is bringing its collection to South Korea’s National Museum, putting Swiss art in an international spotlight. Industry Moves: Disney+ has appointed Philip Pratt to oversee originals in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Streaming: Disney+ has hired former Amazon executive Philip Pratt to lead original productions in Germany, Switzerland and Austria from early 2027, as it expands local programming. Live Music: Afrobeats star Ayra Starr’s 20-date tour will include Zurich, alongside stops in Europe and North America. Swiss Sport: Welsh darts player Jonny Clayton beat Luke Humphries to win the Swiss Darts Trophy in Basel, securing a late place in next month’s Grand Slam. Arts: Zurich’s Kunsthaus is taking an exhibition to South Korea’s National Museum, extending the Swiss institution’s international reach.

Art: Kunsthaus Zürich is taking 85 works to South Korea’s National Museum, including pieces by Paul Klee, Alberto Giacometti, Monet and Picasso. “Modern Art in Times of Change” opens Nov. 27. Screen Deals: Fremantle’s “Baywatch” reboot has sold to Italy’s Rai; Prime Video’s existing rights also cover Switzerland. ZDF Studios says its “Love Sucks” series has gone to Sky Switzerland amid strong international demand for German dramas. Swiss Roots: New Glarus, Wisconsin, celebrated its Swiss heritage with traditional crafts, cheesemaking, food and music at its Harvest Fest. Darts: Ross Smith accused Mensur Suljović of distracting him during their Swiss Darts Trophy clash, though Smith said missed match darts—not his rival—cost him the match.

Swiss Sport: Marcel Hug won the Chicago Marathon wheelchair race for a seventh time, clocking an unofficial course record of 1:21:34. Zurich Film Festival: Olivia Colman turned heads with her natural grey curls, embracing a look she debuted at the Swiss festival. Publishing: Swiss publisher NuiNui is testing AI for book translations, seeing promise for lengthy non-fiction but not poetry, where human understanding matters. Swiss Film: Geneva Film Festival will honour filmmaker Mira Nair; separately, a Swiss queer film festival dropped Israel’s Oscar submission after boycott threats from Palestinian groups. Art Market: The latest Art Basel and UBS collecting survey names Gen Z the highest-spending generation, a notable shift for Switzerland’s globally influential art scene.

Swiss Film & Architecture: Wim Wenders’ documentary on Basel-born architect Peter Zumthor follows his work from an early Swiss chapel to Los Angeles, after more than a decade in the making. Geneva Watchmaking: The 26th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève will announce its winners on Nov. 7, bringing independent makers and major luxury houses into the same competition. Film Festival Debate: A Swiss queer film festival has dropped an award-winning Israeli movie following boycott threats, raising questions about pressure on cultural programming. Gallery News: Zurich-based dealer Eva Presenhuber is closing her Vienna gallery after 15 years.

Art Market: Swiss art-world veteran Simon de Pury says the market is ripe for disruption. Banksy in Bern: A report takes readers inside a Swiss embassy’s secret Banksy garage. Film Festival Dispute: A Swiss queer film festival has dropped an award-winning Israeli film after boycott threats. Zurich Art: A collective exhibition turns a former public washroom into an art space. Nightlife Safety: Crans-Montana bar owners had been warned about dangers years before the deadly fire.

Art & Culture: A report takes readers inside the Swiss embassy’s “secret Banksy garage,” while Geneva Film Festival is set to honour filmmaker Mira Nair. Film: A Swiss queer film festival has dropped Israel’s Oscar submission Tell Me Everything after boycott threats, putting programming and protest in focus. Live Events: Basel’s Swiss Darts Trophy is underway, with Luke Humphries among the contenders for the title. TV: Swiss broadcaster RSI has picked up The Snoopy Show and Snoopy in Space for local audiences, and Zattoo has added 22 channels in Switzerland.

Geneva Film: Queer festival Everybody’s Perfect has canceled screenings of Israel’s Oscar submission, Tell Me Everything, after boycott threats from a local Palestinian film festival. Swiss Sport: Granit Xhaka received a suspended fine over a forged COVID certificate, then was filmed confronting a heckler at a market. Basel hosts the Swiss Darts Trophy, with Luke Humphries among the title contenders. Art Market: An Art Basel and UBS survey found wealthy Gen Z collectors spent more on fine art than older generations, averaging $347,000 last year. Film: Flesh and Fuel won the top prize at the Zurich Film Festival. Music and Media: Swiss researchers found patients’ favourite songs helped ease pain during minor medical procedures; meanwhile, Zattoo has added 22 channels to its Swiss service.