Colin Farrell will receive the Golden Icon Award at the 2025 Zurich Film Festival, recognizing his performance in Ballad of a Small Player and his career achievements. The Oscar-nominated Irish actor will attend the festival on September 27 for the award presentation and gala premiere of the film, and will participate in a ZFF Masters discussion the following day.
Directed by Edward Berger, Ballad of a Small Player is based on Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel and follows a gambler in Macau whose past catches up with him. The screening marks Berger’s third consecutive ZFF selection, following All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave.
Farrell, known for roles in In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Lobster, The Batman, and Minority Report, has collaborated with directors including Sofia Coppola, Yorgos Lanthimos, Steven Spielberg, and Tim Burton. His portrayal in The Banshees of Inisherin earned him a Golden Globe, Venice Best Actor award, and an Academy Award nomination.
Zurich festival director Christian Jungen praised Farrell’s range, noting his ability to play villains, romantic leads, and complex characters, and called his work in Ballad of a Small Player “irresistible.”
Farrell can currently be seen in HBO’s The Penguin and is filming season two of Apple TV+’s Sugar.
Previous Zurich Golden Icon Award recipients include Kate Winslet, Jessica Chastain, Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, and Hugh Grant.
The 2025 Zurich film festival runs Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.