James McAvoy JUANKR Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment James McAvoy will headline the Zurich film festival's Sounds sidebar dedicated to music-focused films, with his directorial debut, California Schemin', which will close the section. The Scottish actor, known for performances in Atonement, X-Men and Split, directs and co-stars in the crazy true story of Silibil N' Brains, a Scottish rap duo who, in the early 2000s posed as Californian hip-hop artists in a bid for stardom. The pair fabricated backstories, perfected American accents and managed to secure a London record deal, even opening for Eminem, before their deception was revealed. Related Stories Movies Venice Film Festival Kicks Off With Premiere of Paolo Sorrentino's 'La Grazia', Francis Ford Coppola Tribute to Werner Herzog Movies Francis Ford Coppola, at First Red Carpet Since Heart Procedure, Gets Round of Applause From Photographers Zurich will host the European premiere of California Schemin' on October 4 at the festival's award ceremony in the Zurich Opera House, with McAvoy attending as the evening's special guest. California Schemin' will have its world premiere at the Toronto film festival next month. "California Schemin' is a highly entertaining music film based on a true story, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the world of show business and revealing how thin the line between reality and illusion can be," said Zurich festival director Christian Jungen. This year's Sounds lineup also includes Baz Luhrmann's Epic: Elvis Presley in Concert, a concert documentary featuring previously unseen material of Elvis Presley; Mona Fastvold's The Testament of Ann Lee, a historical musical starring Amanda Seyfried and Thomasin McKenzie; and Amy Berg's documentary It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley, which draws on the archives of the late musician. Other titles in the section include Anka Schmid's Swiss documentary Melodie, which examines the emotional power of singing across cultures and communities, and Dandelion's Odyssey, an animated feature from director Momoko Seto about four dandelion seeds journeying through the cosmos in search of a home. The 2025 Zurich Film Festival runs from September 25 to October 5. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Tricia Cooke Aubrey Plaza and Margaret Qualley on How They Shaped 'Honey Don't!' Characters Venice Film Festival 2025 George Clooney Scales Back Venice Itinerary as He's Feeling Under the Weather at Start of Festival Bryan Singer Bryan Singer Directed Secret Film With Jon Voight Twilight Saga The Twilight Saga to Return to Theaters in October trailer Drake and More 'Degrassi' Stars Look Back at Highs and Lows of Teen Drama in 'Whatever It Takes' Trailer movies Denzel Washington Reveals He Doesn't "Watch Movies" Any

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