The 77th Locarno Film Festival opens
Published: Wednesday, Aug 7th 2024, 04:50
Updated At: Thursday, Aug 8th 2024, 01:59
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The 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival starts midweek evening. Over the next 10 days, 225 films will be screened, including 104 premieres. Stars such as director Jane Campion and Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan are expected to attend. And 17 films will be competing for the Golden Leopard in the main competition.
The opening film of the 77th Locarno Film Festival is "Le Déluge" by Italian director Gianluca Jodice ("The Bad Poet"), a historical drama about Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. The two leading actors Mélanie Laurent ("Inglourious Basterds") and Guillaume Canet ("Asterix & Obelix in the Middle Kingdom") will receive the Festival's honorary prize, the Excellence Award Davide Campari, at the opening gala.
The star line-up for the following days includes New Zealand director Jane Campion ("The Piano"), who will receive an honorary Leopard, and Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who will be awarded the Pardo alla Carriera. Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón, US producer Stacey Sher and US sound engineer Ben Burtt will also be honored.
41 Swiss films in the selection
In the main competition for the Golden Leopard, the 17 films from around the world include the Swiss production "Der Spatz im Kamin" by Ramon Zürcher, as well as the two Swiss co-productions "Fogo do vento" by Portuguese director Marta Mateus and "Transamazonia" by Pia Marais. The Korean Hong Sang-soo with "By The Stream", the Lithuanian Saule Bliuvaite with "Toxic" and the French Sylvie Ballyot with "Green Line" are also in the running. The Golden Leopard will be awarded on the evening of August 17.
Until then, 225 feature films, documentaries, experimental films and short films will be screened in various competitions and sections. With 41 films in the official selection, Locarno is also focusing on Swiss filmmaking.
The Locarno Film Festival is considered one of the most important European film festivals alongside Cannes, Berlin and Venice. The 77th edition is the first under the presidency of patron Maja Hoffmann.
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