Switzerland chooses Petra Volpe's 'Late Shift' for the Oscars; Music Box secures North American distribution rights
In the world of cinema, Swiss director Petra Volpe continues to make waves with her latest projects. Her upcoming film, Girl Beast, is currently in production and features a top Danish cast, including Trine Dyrholm. Meanwhile, her English-language debut, Frank & Louis, has already captivated audiences and critics alike.
Frank & Louis, set within a U.S. prison, tells the story of Frank, a man serving a life sentence who takes on a caretaking role for aging inmates suffering from memory loss diseases. What begins as a self-serving effort to improve his parole prospects evolves into an emotional and transformative relationship with another inmate, offering Frank a chance at redemption.
Production for Frank & Louis commenced on April 30, 2025, in the UK. International sales rights were acquired by TrustNordisk, who planned to pitch the film at the Cannes film market in 2025. The film features BAFTA-nominated actor Kingsley Ben-Adir in the lead role of Frank, marking Volpe’s first English-language feature following her Swiss Oscar entry, The Divine Order (2017).
While Frank & Louis is yet to be released, Volpe's previous film, Late Shift, has already made a significant impact. Released in Switzerland on February 27, 2025, Late Shift held the number one spot for four consecutive weeks. The film, about a dedicated nurse on an understaffed hospital ward who becomes embroiled in a race against time, has surpassed 650,000 admissions across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
In a remarkable turn of events, Late Shift has been chosen as Switzerland’s entry for the international feature award at the 2026 Oscars. The film was produced by Reto Schaerli and Lukas Hobi for Switzerland's Zodiac Pictures, and was written and directed by Volpe. TrustNordisk handles sales for the film and has confirmed sales to over 50 territories worldwide.
As Petra Volpe continues to push boundaries and explore complex human emotions, audiences can look forward to her upcoming projects with anticipation. With Girl Beast featuring a top Danish cast and Frank & Louis promising a powerful exploration of caregiving, aging, memory loss, and redemption, it's clear that Volpe's work will continue to resonate with viewers for years to come.
Frank & Louis, housed within the realm of movies-and-tv, offers an emotional journey delving into caregiving, aging, memory loss, and redemption, exemplifying entertainment at its finest. Petra Volpe's engaging works, such as Frank & Louis and Late Shift, captivate both audiences and critics alike, contributing significantly to the world of cinema.
