The 77th Locarno Film Festival Opens Tonight
Today the Golden Leopard will emerge from the blues of the Lago Maggiore and settle in Piazza Grande of the southern Swiss resort announcing the opening of the 77th Locarno Film Festival.
According to the Artistic director of the Festival, Giona A. Nazzaro, “We are very excited and happy with our selection for Locarno’s 77th edition, which we believe represents the best of contemporary filmmaking. We have taken special care in highlighting those works that, while broadening the possibilities of cinema, are also consciously trying to spark a more meaningful conversation with the audience. The Festival thus continues to offer itself up as a platform for intersectional dialogue. The selection presents, as expected, celebrated auteurs, while also introducing new directors who we are certain will play a major role with their films in the future."
From 7 to 17 August Locarno will turn into the world capital of auteur cinema. 17 world premieres will compete in the Concorso Internazionale for the main prize - Pardo d'Oro. Concorso Cinasti del Presente, dedicated to discovering the cinema of tomorrow, will include 15 films, all world premieres. Pardi di Domani, a territory for expressive experimentation and innovative forms of poetry, this year will feature 40 films, also all world premieres.
And, of course, the popular screenings at the Piazza Grande under the starly skies for the broad public, accomodating up to 8.000 spectators, will feature 18 films, including 6 world premieres.
Tonight the Festival will be opened by Le Déluge, the sophomore work by Gianluca Jodice, which features Mélanie Laurent and Guillaume Canet, both to receive the Festival's Excellence Award Davide Campari. The film recreates the last days of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI.
Meanwhile the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Locarno Film Festival's tribute to film personalities with extraordinary careers, will be given this year to five-time Academy Award-winning Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón. He will receive the award on Sunday, August 11 in Piazza Grande.
Source: press release
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