76th Locarno Film Festival

The 76th annual Locarno Festival was held from 2 August to 12 August 2023 in Locarno, Switzerland.[1][2]

76th Locarno Film Festival
Closing filmShayda by Noora Niasari
LocationLocarno, Switzerland
Founded1946
AwardsGolden Leopard: Critical Zone
Hosted byAssociazione Festival del film Locarno
Artistic directorGiona A. Nazzaro
Festival dateOpening: 2 August 2023 (2023-08-02)
Closing: 12 August 2023 (2023-08-12)
Websitehttps://www.locarnofestival.ch/home.html
Locarno Film Festival
77th

French actor Lambert Wilson was the head of the Main Competition Jury.[3] American filmmaker Harmony Korine received the Pardo d’Onore Manor.[4]

Iranian film Critical Zone, directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh, was the winner of the Golden Leopard, the festival main prize. Radu Jude's Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World was the winner of the Special Jury Prize.[5]

For this year edition, the acting categories (Best Actor/Best Actress) became gender-neutral after the creation of the Best Performance category. At the Main Competition, the winners were Dimitra Vlagopoulou for Animal and Renée Soutendijk for Sweet Dreams.[5]

Juries

Concorso Internazionale - Main Competition

Filmmakers of the Present Competition

  • Beatrice Fiorentino, Italian General Delegate of the Film Critics’ Week at the Venice Film Festival[3]
  • Erige Sehiri, French-Tunisian director
  • Helena Wittmann, German filmmaker

Leopard of Tomorrow

  • Matthew Rankin, Canadian filmmaker[3]
  • Amos Sussigan, Swiss director and production designer
  • Ewa Puszczyńska, Polish producer

First Feature

  • Devika Girish, Indian-American film critic and programmer[3]
  • Omar El Zohairy, Egyptian filmmaker
  • Isabel Sandoval, Filipina filmmaker

Pardo Verde Ricola (Green Leopard)

  • Firouzeh Khosrovani, Iranian filmmaker[3]
  • Arami Ullón, Swiss-Paraguayan director, screenwriter and producer
  • Moussa Sene Absa, Senegalese filmmaker and painter

Competitive Sections

Concorso Internazionale - Main Competition

The Concorso internazionale explores new territories in moviemaking. This year's selection of 17 titles, all world premieres and one as an international premiere, will be competing for the Pardo d’oro:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
AnimalSofia ExarchouGreece, Austria, Romania, Cyprus, Bulgaria
Critical Zoneمنطقه بحرانیAli AhmadzadehIran, Germany
Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the WorldNu aștepta prea mult de la sfârșitul lumiiRadu JudeRomania, Luxembourg, France,Croatia
Essential Truths of the LakeLav DiazPhilippines, France, Portugal, Singapore, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom
HomeBaanLeonor TelesPortugal
The Human Surge 3El auge del humano 3Eduardo WilliamsArgentina, Portugal, Netherlands, Taiwan, Brazil, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Peru
The Invisible FightNähtamatu võitlusRainer SarnetEstonia, Latvia, Greece, Finland
Lousy CarterBob ByingtonUnited States
Manga D'TerraBasil Da CunhaSwitzerland, Portugal
Obscure Night - Goodbye Here, AnywhereNuit obscure - Au revoir ici, n'importe oùSylvain GeorgeFrance, Switzerland
PatagoniaSimone BozzelliItaly
The Permanent PictureLa imatge permanentLaura FerrésSpain, France
RossosperanzaAnnarita ZambranoItaly, France
StepneMaryna VrodaUkraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia
Sweet DreamsEna SendijarevićNetherlands, Sweden, Indonesia
The Vanishing Soldierהחייל הנעלםDani RosenbergIsrael
YannickQuentin DupieuxFrance

Concorso Cineasti del presente (Filmmakers of the Present Competition)

The Concorso Cineasti del presente selection, dedicated to discovering the cinema of tomorrow, comprises 15 films: first and second features, all world premieres:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
A Good PlaceEin schöner OrtKatharina HuberGermany
All the FiresTodos los IncendiosMauricio Calderón RicoMexico
BittenLa MorsureRomain de Saint-BlanquatFrance
Camping du LacEléonore SaintagnanBelgium, France
Dreaming & DyingHao jiu bu jianNelson YeoSingapore, Indonesia
ExcursionEkskurzijaUna GunjakBosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway, Qatar
Family PortraitLucy KerrUnited States
Negu hurbilakColectivo NeguSpain
Of Living Without IllusionUnd dass man ohne Täuschung zu leben vermagKatharina LüdinGermany, Switzerland
On the GoMaría Gisèle Royo, Julia de CastroSpain
RaptureRimdogittangaDominic SangmaIndia, China, Switzerland, Netherlands, Qatar
RivièreHugues HaricheSwitzerland, France
TouchedClaudia RorariusGermany
West Border西渡Yan LuoChina
Whispers of Fire & WaterLubdhak ChatterjeeIndia

Pardi di Domani (Leopard of Tomorrow)

The Pardi di domani section, dedicated to short films by emerging Swiss and international directors, combines with auteur shorts competition Concorso Corti d’autore to screen a total of 40 films, all presented as world premieres. The selection is completed by the collection of short films made during the Spring Academy, led this year by director Radu Jude:[1][6]

Concorso Internazionale

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
A Bird Called MemoryPássaro MemóriaLeonardo MartinelliBrazil, United Kingdom
As if Mother Cried That NightEngar madaram geriste bud aan shabHoda TaheriGermany
A Study of EmpathyEn undersøgelse af empatiHilke RönnfeldtDenmark, Germany
A Tortoise's Year of FateYi zhi wu gui de ben ming nianYi XiongChina
The Currency - Sensing 1 AgbogbloshieElom 20ce, Musquiqui Chihying, Gregor KasperGermany, Taiwan, Togo
De ImperioAlessandro NovelliPortugal, Spain
Du bist so wunderbarLeandro Goddinho, Paulo MenezesGermany, Brazil
Full NightPleine NuitManon CoubiaBelgium, France
The GuardNegahbanAmirhossein ShojaeiIran
i look into the mirror and repeat to myselfGiselle LinSingapore
KinderfilmTotal Refusal, Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, Robin KlengelAustria
The LoversCarolina SandvikSweden
Making BabiesFaire un enfantÉric K. BoulianneCanada
The Moon Will Contain UsSolo la luna comprenderáKim TorresCosta Rica, United States
PrayCaleb Azumah NelsonUnited Kingdom
Scorched EarthMarkela KontaratouGreece, United Kingdom
SlimaneCarlos PereiraGermany
La Vedova Nerafiume, Julian McKinnonFrance
The WavesPadoYumi JoungSouth Korea
Z.O.Loris G. NeseItaly

Concorso Nazionale

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
About a CowO krávěPavla BaštanováCzech Republic, Switzerland
Alexx196 & the pink sand beachAlexx196 & la plage de sable roseLoïc HobiSwitzerland, France
DuckCanardElie ChapuisSwitzerland, Belgium
Ever Since, I Have Been FlyingO gün bu gündür, uçuyorumAylin GökmenSwitzerland
The IslandJulien PujolFrance, Estonia
JaimaFrancesco PereiraSwitzerland
Last NightLetzte NachtLea Bloch
NIGHT SHIFTKayije Kagame, Hugo Radi
Remember, Broken Crayons Colour TooUrša Kastelic, Shannet Clemmings
Searching for the 5th DirectionMatthias Herr Schüpbach

Concorso Corti d’Autore

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
Been ThereCorina Schwingruber IlićSwitzerland
iNTELLIGENCEJeanne Frenkel, Cosme CastroFrance
I Used to Live ThereRyan McKennaCanada
Kill 'Em AllMátalos a todosSebastian Molina RuizMexico
Loving in BetweenJyoti MistryAustria, South Africa
My Mother Is a SaintI mitera mou ine agiaSyllas TzoumerkasGreece
Nocturne for a ForestNocturno para uma florestaCatarina VasconcelosPortugal
The PassingIvete Lucas, Patrick BresnanUnited States
Rainer, a Vicious Dog in a Skull ValleyBertrand MandicoFrance
Valley PrideLukas MarxtAustria, Germany

Pardi di Domani: Special event

Original TitleDirector(s)Production Country
Find a Film!Coline Confort, Slava Doytcheva, Federico Frefel, Alessandro Garbuio, Andrea Gatopoulos, Ambra Guidotti, Jumana Issa, Zhenia Kazankina, Bohao Liu, Diego Andres Murillo, Chiara ToffolettoSwitzerland

Non-Competitive Sections

Piazza Grande

17 films, including 9 world premieres, will be screened in Piazza Grande, Locarno's open-air theater that accommodates a nightly audience of up to 8,000 people:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
Anatomy of a FallAnatomie d'une chuteJustine TrietFrance
Antarctica CallingContinent MagnétiqueLuc Jacquet
The Beautiful SummerLa Bella EstateLaura LuchettiItaly
City of Women (1980)La città delle donneFederico Fellini
DammiYann Mounir DemangeFrance
The Falling StarL'Étoile FilanteFiona Gordon, Dominique AbelFrance, Belgium
Falling StarsRichard Karpala, Gabriel BienczyckiUnited States
Guardians of the FormulaČuvari formuleDragan BjelogrlićSerbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia
The Old OakKen LoachUnited Kingdom, Belgium
La Paloma [fr] (1974)Daniel SchmidSwitzerland, France
First CasePremière affaireVictoria MusiedlakFrance
Shayda (closing film)Noora NiasariAustralia
Smugglers밀수Ryoo Seung-wanSouth Korea
Non sono quello che sono - The Tragedy of Othello di W. ShakespeareI Am Not What I Am - The Tragedy of Othello by W. ShakespeareEdoardo LeoItaly
Theater CampMolly Gordon, Nick LiebermanUnited States
The Path of ExcellenceLa Voie RoyaleFrédéric MermoudSwitzerland, France
Piazza Grande: Pre-festival
Chicken for Linda!Linda veut du poulet!Chiara Malta, Sébastien LaudenbachFrance, Italy

Fuori Concorso (Out of Competition)

The Fuori concorso section features 12 films, of which 11 are world premieres, from outstanding directors’ intent on exploring new possibilities in filmic narration:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
5 HectaresÉmilie DeleuzeFrance
Best Secret PlaceCaroline Poggi, Jonathan Vinel
Bonjour la LanguePaul Vecchiali
Lovano SupremeFranco MarescoItaly
Mademoiselle KenopsiaDenis CôtéCanada
Mimì – Prince of DarknessMimì – Il principe delle tenebreBrando De SicaItaly
ProcidaAntonella Di Nocera
Ricardo and PaintingRicardo et la PeintureBarbet SchroederSwitzerland, France
She Is ConannBertrand MandicoLuxembourg, France, Belgium
TriggeredTopakkRichard V. SomesPhilippines, United States
We BarbariansNous les BarbaresBertrand MandicoLuxembourg, Belgium, France
What RemainsRan HuangHong Kong, United Kingdom, Finland

Open Doors: Screenings

In the second of three years dedicated to cinemas in Latin America and the Caribbean, Open Doors will offer an overview of the most interesting independent productions from its current focus region. For the Open Doors Screenings, this year's focus will be on film from South American continent, with 18 long, medium and short films, of which one is a world premiere:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
98 Seconds Without Shadow (2021)98 Segundos sin SombraJuan Pablo RichterBolivia
Autoerótica (2021)Andrea Fernanda Hoyos ValderramaPeru
Boreal (2022)Federico AdornoParaguay, Mexico
Me & The Beasts (2021)Yo y las BestiasNico ManzanoVenezuela
Once Upon a Time in Venezuela (2020)Érase una vez en VenezuelaAnabel Rodríguez RíosVenezuela, United Kingdom, Austria, Brazil
The Preacher (2021)El RezadorTito Jara H.Ecuador, Colombia, Spain
The Shape of Things to Come (2021)Tiempos FuturosVíctor ChecaPeru, Germany, Spain, Mexico, Ecuador

Open Doors: Shorts

English TitleOriginal TitleDirectorProduction Country
Angelo (2022)Alex PlumbBolivia
The Distance of Time (2021)La distancia del TiempoCarlos Ormeño PalmaPeru
Eating Papaw On The Seashore (2022)Rae Wiltshire, Nickose LayneGuyana
Hidden World (2018)Kenrich CairoSuriname, Netherlands
Plástico (2022)Vero KompalicVenezuela
The Red Spiral (2021)La Espiral RojaLorena ColmenaresVenezuela, Germany
Rimana Wasi: Home of Stories (2022)Rimana Wasi: Hogar de HistoriasXimena Málaga Sabogal, Piotr TurlejPeru
Volivia (2014)Leandro GrilloBolivia
What Do You See? (2019)Veo, veoTania Cattebeke LaconichParaguay
Willkawiwa (The Sacred Fire of the Dead) (2022)Willkawiwa (El Sagrado Fuego de los Muertos)Pável Quevedo UllauriEcuador, Costa Rica
You Can Read, Can't You? (2018)Je kan toch lezenAnanta KhemradjSuriname, Netherlands

Histoire(s) du Cinéma

Unprecedented perspectives on movie history with 18 films, including prestigious restored titles, valuable rediscoveries and works that have become part of the collective imagination:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
Abismu (1977)Rogério SganzerlaBrazil
Alphaville (1965)Alphaville, une étrange aventure de Lemmy CautionJean-Luc GodardFrance
California Straight Ahead (1925)Harry A. PollardUnited States
Documentário (1966)Rogério SganzerlaBrazil
Final Report (2020)ZárójelentésIstván SzabóHungary
The Lodger A Story of the London Fog (1927) (opening film)Alfred HitchcockUnited Kingdom
Pardo d'onore Manor: Harmony Korine
Gummo (1997)Harmony KorineUnited States
Spring Breakers (2012)
Cinéma Suisse Redécouvert - Heritage Online
If the Sun Never Returns (1987)Si le soleil ne revenait pasClaude GorettaSwitzerland, France
Heritage Online
The Gate of Sun (2004)باب الشمسYousry NasrallahFrance, Egypt, Morocco, Denmark, Belgium
Sergio Leone: The Italian Who Invented America (2022)Sergio Leone - L'italiano che inventò l'AmericaFrancesco ZippelItaly
TAMARO. Stones and Angels. Mario Botta Enzo Cucchi (1998)TAMARO. Pietre e angeli. Mario Botta Enzo CucchiVilli HermannSwitzerland
Pardo alla carriera Ascona-Locarno Turismo
Days (2020)日子Tsai Ming-liangTaiwan, France
Premio Cinema Ticino
Waalo Fendo - Where the Earth Freezes (1997)Waalo Fendo (là où la terre gèle)Mohammed SoudaniSwitzerland
Raimondo Rezzonico Award: Marianne Slot
Woman at War (2018)Kona fer í stríðBenedikt ErlingssonIceland, France, Ukraine
Vision Award Ticinomoda: Pietro Scalia
Black Hawk Down (2001)Ridley ScottUnited States, United Kingdom
Good Will Hunting (1997)Gus Van SantUnited States
Excellence Award Davide Campari: Riz Ahmed
Mogul Mowgli (2020)Bassam TariqUnited Kingdom, United States

Retrospettiva

Espectáculo a diario – Las distintas temporadas del cine popular mexicano” (“Spectacle Every Day – The Many Seasons of Mexican Popular Cinema”) will offer an intensive investigation of Mexican filmmaking from the 1940s to the end of the 1960s, covering decades hallmarked by astonishing creativity and peppered with stars of the silver screen and one-of-a-kind directors who were an inspiration for generations. This year's Retrospective is curated by Olaf Möller, in collaboration with Roberto Turigliatto. A collection of essays in Spanish and English to accompany the event, curated by Jorge Javier Negrete Camacho and Alonso Díaz de la Vega, will be published by Les éditions de l’Œil:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production Country
Amok (1944)Antonio MompletMexico
Autumn Days (1963)Días de OtoñoRoberto Gavaldón
The Batwoman (1968)La Mujer MurciélagoRené Cardona
The Black Ace (1944)El as Negro
The Black Pit of Dr. M (1958)Misterios de UltratumbaFernando Méndez
Carry me in your Arms (1954)Llévame en tus razosJulio Bracho
The Case of the Wee Murdered Woman (1955)El Caso de la Mujer AsesinaditaTito Davison
La Corte de Faraón (1944)Julio Bracho
Corner, Stop (1948)Esquina, Bajan...!Alejandro Galindo
El medallón del crimen (El 13 de oro) (1956)Juan Bustillo Oro
Girls in Uniform (1951)Muchachas de UniformeAlfredo Bolongaro-Crevenna
The Great Champion (1949)El Gran CampeónChano Urueta
In the Times of Don Porfirio (1940)En Tiempos de Don PorfirioJuan Bustillo Oro
The King of the Neighborhood (1949)El Rey del BarrioGilberto Martínez Solares
Más Fuerte que el Amor (1955)Tulio DemicheliMexico, Cuba
May God Forgive Me (1948)Que Dios me PerdoneTito DavisonMexico
La Mente y el Crimen (1961)Alejandro Galindo
My Son, the Hero (1961)Los Hermanos del HierroIsmael Rodríguez
Música de Siempre (1956)Tito Davison
The Night Falls (1952)La Noche AvanzaRoberto Gavaldón
The Olympics in Mexico (1969)Olimpiada en MéxicoAlberto Isaac
Pueblerina (1949)Emilio Fernández
The River and Death (1954)El Río y la MuerteLuis Buñuel
Skeleton of Mrs. Morales (1960)El Esqueleto de la Señora MoralesRogelio Antonio González
The Soft One (1951)El SuavecitoFernando Méndez
Sword of Granada (1953)El Corazón y la EspadaEdward Dein, Carlos Véjar Jr.
The Three Garcías (1947)Los Tres GarcíaIsmael Rodríguez
Tongolele has been Killed (1948)Han Matado a TongoleleRoberto Gavaldón
Torero! (1956)Carlos Velo
Santo vs. the Vampire Women (1962)Santo vs. las Mujeres VampiroAlfonso Corona Blake
Sensuality (1951)SensualidadAlberto Gout
Streetwalker (1951)TrotacallesMatilde Landeta
Forgotten Faces (1952)Rostros OlvidadosJulio Bracho
The Unknown Policeman (1941)El Gendarme DesconocidoMiguel Melitón Delgado
Wetbacks (1955)Espaldas MojadasAlejandro Galindo
The Witch's Mirror (1960)El Espejo de la BrujaChano Urueta

Locarno Kids: Screenings

A rite of passage into the movies, with 8 titles for children and teenagers, featuring exclusive premieres, golden oldies, and forays into the world of animation:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production Country
A Greyhound of a Girl (2023)Mary e lo Spirito di MezzanotteEnzo d'AlòLuxembourg, Italy, Ireland, United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia, Germany
The Kid (1921)Charles ChaplinUnited States
March of the Penguins (2005)La Marche de l'EmpereurLuc JacquetFrance
Nina and the Hedghog's Secret (2023)Nina et le Secret du HérissonAlain Gagnol, Jean-Loup FelicioliFrance, Luxembourg
The Singing Princess (1949)La Rosa di BagdadAnton Gino DomenighiniItaly
Snot & Splash (2023)Räkä ja RoiskisTeemu NikkiFinland
Tales of Franz (2022)Geschichten vom FranzJohannes SchmidAustria, Germany
We Have a Dream (2023)Pascal PlissonFrance

Independent Sections

International Critics' Week (Semaine de la Critique)

Founded in 1990, the Semaine de la Critique is an independent section within the Locarno Film Festival organized by the Swiss Association of Film Journalists. This year's Locarno's Critics’ Week features 7 full-length documentaries as world or international premieres:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production Country
Archive of the FutureArchiv der ZukunftJoerg BurgerAustria
The First DaysLes Premiers JoursStéphane BretonFrance
MonogamiaOhad MilsteinIsrael
The Pathan SistersLes Soeurs PathanEléonore BoissinotFrance
Prisoners of FateMehdi SahebiSwitzerland
Under ConstructionWanha MarkkuMarkus ToivoFinland
Vista MareJulia Gutweniger, Florian KoflerAustria, Italy

Panorama Suisse

A selection of titles representing the state of the art in Swiss cinema, chosen by representatives from SWISS FILMS, the Solothurner Filmtage and the Swiss Film Academy, Panorama Suisse presents 10 current Swiss films such as festival successes, audience favorites and films that have not yet been released in theaters. Film lovers from all over the world have the opportunity to discover current Swiss filmmaking in its own dedicated section at the Locarno Festival.:[1][6]

English TitleOriginal TitleDirectorProduction Country
Big Little Women (2022)Nadia FarèsSwitzerland, Egypt
Crows – Nature Is Watching Us (2023)Krähen – Nature Is Watching UsMartin SchiltSwitzerland, Austria
Flores del Otro Patio (2022)Jorge CadenaSwitzerland, Colombia
The Giacomettis (2023)I GiacomettiSusanna FanzunSwitzerland
Jill (2022)Steven Michael HayesSwitzerland, Germany
The Land Within (2022)Fisnik MaxvilleSwitzerland, Kosovo
Longing for the World (2023)L'Amour du MondeJenna HasseSwitzerland
Pipes (2022)Jessica Meier, Kilian Feusi, Sujanth Ravichandran
Polish Prayers [ca] (2022)Hanna NobisSwitzerland, Poland
The Record (2023)Jonathan LaskarSwitzerland
This Kind of Hope (2023)Paweł SiczekSwitzerland, Germany
Thunder (2022)FoudreCarmen JaquierSwitzerland
Until Branches Bend (2022)Sophie JarvisCanada, Switzerland

Special Awards

Leopard of Honour (Pardo d’Onore Manor)

Premio Raimondo Rezzonico

  • Marianne Slot[7]

Excellence Award Davide Campari

Official Awards

Concorso Internazionale - Main Competition

Concorso Cineasti del presente (Filmmakers of the Present Competition)

  • Golden Leopard - Filmmakers of the Present: Dreaming & Dying by Nelson Yeo
  • Best Emerging Director: Katharina Huber for A Good Place
  • Special Jury Prize CINÉ+: Camping du Lac by Éléonore Saintagnan
  • Pardo for Best Performance
    • Clara Schwinning for A Good Place
    • Isold Halldórudóttir and Stavros Zafeiris for Touched
  • Special Mentions:
    • Excursion by Una Gunjak
    • Negu hurbilak by Colectivo Negu

References

External links