MA Film, Directing Fiction
In the Master’s Major in “Directing Fiction”, you will work closely with actors, collaborate with teams, communicate ideas, and engage with contemporary issues. You will develop your own individual artistic approach as a director of fictional works and you will conclude your studies by creating a short or medium-length diploma film.
Course commencement
Autumn semester
Application deadline
24 February 2026
Standard period of study
4 semesters
Coursework Major / MA
90 / 120 credits
Main teaching language
German
Tuition fee per semester CH / non CH
CHF 720 / CHF 1220
Programme
«For me, being a director is about watching, not about telling people what to do. Or maybe it’s like being a mirror; if they didn’t have me to look at, they wouldn’t be able to put the make-up on.» — Jane Campion
Studying directing fiction at the ZHdK deepens students’ knowledge and skills of making feature films. Students work closely with actors, lead teams, share their artistic ideas and are constantly communicating. This allows them to gain experience through practical exercises and to make their own films. They are seismographs of society addressing present-day issues. Faculty members include nationally and internationally successful directors, such as Maren Ade, Luca Guadagnino, Andrea Štaka or Benjamin Heisenberg. Students graduate from the programme by shooting a short or medium-length film through which they position themselves and express their authorial stance.
Major-Minor Programme Model
At ZHdK, students choose a Major. In addition to this core subject, they can choose one or two Minors to deepen or expand their major skills and knowledge across various disciplines. This wide choice of courses is unique in Europe and enables students to develop and sharpen their individual profile.
Possible minors for this major
People
Head of Programme
Head of Major
Lecturers
Guests
Study projects
Students doing a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Film are required to produce a considerable number of films. Graduate films and selected semester projects can be viewed at www.filmstudieren.ch.
