The eleventh Zurich Film Festival opens today. Credit Suisse has been one of the main sponsors since the beginning, a relationship that has always been a talking point.

Credit Suisse is one of the four main sponsors of the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF). But the bank has remained tight lipped about how much money it provides.

According to a report in the Swiss finance magazine Bilanz (article in German), the contribution is 500,000 francs. This represents a doubling of the bank’s support since the festival began in 2005.

Relatively reduced

In 2005 the Credit Suisse contribution represented one quarter of the festival budget. In relative terms the bank’s share of the sponsorship pie has reduced. The 500,000 offered today only covers some seven per cent of the total budget of 7.1 million.

ZFF boss Nadja Schildknecht has managed to recruit many sponsors over the years – more than 100 altogether. Along with CS, the Arab airline company Etihad, UPC Cablecom and Audi are listed as the main sponsors.

Private side

The CS commitment has always been a talking point because CS president Urs Rohner and Schildknecht are life partners. Any suggestion that ZFF received preferential treatment because of this connection has always been rejected by both sides – and has never been proven.

In any case the money comes from the marketing department of Credit Suisse Private Banking under Hans-Ulrich Meister.