For many, turning 21 is the moment you set out on your own, no longer under someone else’s wing. For the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), which celebrates its 21st edition this week, running Thursday through Oct. 5, the milestone comes with a similar sense of independence and ambition.

Under new private ownership and with an explicit strategy to reposition itself as a key stop on the awards-season circuit, Switzerland’s top cinema showcase is betting that its coming-of-age moment will mark its arrival as one of Europe’s most important second-tier festivals.

For many, turning 21 is the moment you set out on your own, no longer under someone else’s wing. For the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF), which celebrates its 21st edition this week, running Thursday through Oct. 5, the milestone comes with

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