Film Festival of 2025 at Locarno, showcasing the cinematic masterpieces by the renowned filmmaker
The 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, a significant event in the world of cinema, is currently underway in Switzerland, running from August 6 to 16. This year, the festival is focusing on auteur cinema, attracting a host of prominent talents from around the globe.
In the International Competition, some of the most notable names include Sho Miyake, a Japanese filmmaker whose thoughtful drama style has earned him critical acclaim. Miyake's film, Two Seasons, Two Strangers, won the festival’s top prize, the Golden Leopard. Other esteemed filmmakers in the competition include Alexander Payne, honored with the Leopard of Honour (Pardo d’Onore) for his distinguished career, and Rithy Panh, a highly respected filmmaker known for his work on documentaries and films dealing with Cambodian history. Mexican director Carlos Reygadas, a notable auteur with films like Post Tenebras Lux and Silent Light, is also part of the jury.
One of the highlights of the festival is the presentation of "Mektoub, My Love - Canto due" by Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche. This film is the third chapter in a saga that began with "Mektoub, My Love - Canto uno" and continued with "Mektoub, My Love - Intermezzo". Kechiche presented "Mektoub, My Love - Canto due" at the Venice Film Festival in 2013 and was in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. Kechiche is one of the most prominent talents in contemporary cinema, having won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 for the film "Blue is the Warmest Color".
Another anticipated premiere at the festival is Radu Jude's take on "Dracula". Known for impactful films such as "Aferim!" (Golden Bear at Berlin), Jude's version of "Dracula" promises a grotesque and satirical twist. Italian cinema is also represented in the competition at the Locarno Film Festival.
In the parallel Cineasti del Presente section, focused on emerging talents, Cecilia Kang, a Korean-Argentine filmmaker, won Best Emerging Director for her debut Hijo mayor, a family saga exploring identity and immigration themes.
British postwar cinema is also celebrated at the festival, with key retrospectives, although specific filmmakers from the International Competition outside the winners named above were not detailed in the search results. Short film directors such as Cuban filmmaker Aria Sánchez and Brazilian filmmaker Marina Meira won in the short film section but are not part of the International Competition feature lineup.
As the festival continues, audiences can look forward to a diverse and engaging lineup of films from some of the most talented filmmakers in the industry today.
The Locarno Film Festival's diverse and engaging lineup also encompasses the realm of 'international lifestyle', featuring esteemed names such as Sho Miyake, who won the festival's top prize with his 'movies-and-tv' production, Two Seasons, Two Strangers. In the 'entertainment' sphere, anticipated premieres include Radu Jude's grotesque and satirical take on "Dracula".
