Switzerland‘s Swiss Federal Office of Culture on Tuesday said it has selected writer-director Petra Volpe‘s drama Late Shift as the country’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars in the International Feature Film race.
The news comes the same day that Music Box Films said it has acquired North American distribution rights to the pic, which stars Leonie Benesch (The Teachers’ Lounge, September 5). Late Shift had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival and centers on Floria (Benesch), a nurse who navigates the relentless pace on a surgical ward with unwavering dedication, infusing humanity and warmth into her patient care even though the shift is understaffed. As the day intensifies, it transforms into a gripping race against time.
“No one needs to bone up on the intricacies of the Swiss health care system before seeing Late Shift because Petra’s movie is universal, a grounded thriller that’s readily relatable to anyone who spends their working day on their feet,” said Brian Andreotti, Head of Acquisitions at Music Box Films. “Leonie’s outstanding central performance is a feat of stamina that drives home the dignity and strength of nurses everywhere. The Swiss Oscar committee has chosen wisely.”
Volpe’s previous films included The Divine Order, which was Switzerland’s Oscar entry in 2018. The country has won the Oscar in the category twice, for Dangerous Moves (1984) and Journey of Hope (1990), the last time it made it to the nomination stage.
Late Shift was No. 1 at the box office for four consecutive weeks across Germany, Austria and Switzerland when it hit theaters there in February. TrustNordisk has sold the film to more than 50 countries and brokered the U.S. deal with Music Box.
It is produced by Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi from Zodiac Pictures, in co-production with MMC Zodiac, Swiss Radio and Television and SRG SSR. It had support from the Federal Office of Culture, Zurcher Filmstiftung, German Federal Film Board, Suissimage and the cantons of Aargau and Lucerne.
