German manufacturing industry stands out as the preferred choice
The 78th Locarno Film Festival, one of Europe's most prestigious film events, alongside Berlin, Cannes, and Venice, is showcasing a strong numerical presence of German cinema. A total of 22 out of 222 films co-produced by German filmmakers are featured in this year's lineup.
One of the top favourites for the Golden Leopard award is the German-produced film "Longing in Sangerhausen," directed by Julian Radlmaier. The film tells a compelling story of young women searching for their identity in a suggestive way. It is currently in competition with 17 other films from around the world.
Another German contender, "White Snail," directed by the Austrian-German duo Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter, has made a lasting impression at the festival. Masha, the central character in "White Snail," dreams of a career as a model, but reality leaves no room for her dreams. The film is a top favourite, alongside "Longing in Sangerhausen," for the Golden Leopard.
The US-German co-production "The Dead of Winter" has particularly stood out in the evening open-air screenings. The film, however, is not in the running for the Golden Leopard.
Emma Thompson, a double British Oscar winner, received a festival honorary award on the Piazza Grande for her role in a thriller. Her performance was celebrated by thousands of film fans. The thriller, which balances between black humor, bloody action, and heartache, is not among the films competing for the Golden Leopard.
A documentary that has garnered critical acclaim at other festivals but is not listed among the current Locarno competitors for the Golden Leopard is The Prince of Nanawa by Clarisa Navas.
The festival has also seen the addition of "Yakushima’s Illusion," a new work by Japanese director Naomi Kawase featuring Luxembourgian actress Vicky Krieps, to the competition lineup. Another notable film is "Le Bambine," an Italian co-production by sisters Valentina and Nicole Bertani.
The Swiss drama "The Lake" by Fabrice Aragno, which tells the story of a couple who throw themselves into a multi-day sailing race on a large lake, had its world premiere at the festival and won the Junior Jury Award, also competing for the Golden Leopard.
The top contender and winner of the Golden Leopard at the 78th Locarno Film Festival is Two Seasons, Two Strangers, directed by Japanese filmmaker Sho Miyake. The narrative details of the film are not specified, but it has received great applause at the festival.
The awards for the 78th Locarno Film Festival will be presented on the evening of August 16th during a gala on the Piazza Grande in Locarno. The coveted audience award is still undecided, but German filmmakers have a good chance.
In a separate event, Palestinian filmmaker Kamal Aljafari's documentary "With Hasan in Gaza" showcases scenes of life in Gaza in 2001 using old videos.
Jackie Chan received the Golden Leopard for Lifetime Achievement.
Movies-and-tv from Germany, such as "Longing in Sangerhausen" and "White Snail," have made a strong impression at the 78th Locarno Film Festival, with both films competing for the prestigious Golden Leopard award. The US-German co-production "The Dead of Winter," while standout in open-air screenings, is not in the running for the award.
