Ralitza Petrova © Festival del film Locarno

The 2016 edition, the fourth under Carlo Chatrian's Artistic Direction, came to a successful end, crowned with the Pardo d’oro to Godless, directed by Bulgarian filmmaker Ralitza Petrova.

Concorso internazionale

Pardo d’oro
GODLESS by Ralitza Petrova, Bulgaria/Denmark/France

Premio speciale della giuria (Special Jury Prize)
INIMI CICATRIZATE (Scarred Hearts) by Radu Jude, Romania/Germany

Pardo per la miglior regia (Best direction)
JOÃO PEDRO RODRIGUES for O ORNITÓLOGO, Portugal/France/Brazil

Pardo per la miglior interpretazione femminile (Best actress)
IRENA IVANOVA for GODLESS by Ralitza Petrova, Bulgaria/Denmark/France

Pardo per la miglior interpretazione maschile (Best actor)
ANDRZEJ SEWERYN for OSTATNIA RODZINA (The Last Family) by Jan P. Matuszyński, Poland

Special Mention
MISTER UNIVERSO by Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel, Austria/Italy

Concorso Cineasti del presente

Pardo d’oro Cineasti del presente – Premio Nescens
EL AUGE DEL HUMANO by Eduardo Williams, Argentina/Brazil/Portugal

Premio speciale della giuria Ciné+ Cineasti del presente (Special Jury Prize)
THE CHALLENGE by Yuri Ancarani, Italy/France/Switzerland

Premio per il miglior regista emergente (Prize for the best emerging director)
MARIKO TETSUYA for DESTRUCTION BABIES, Japan

Special Mention
VIEJO CALAVERA by Kiro Russo, Bolivia/Qatar

First Feature

Swatch First Feature Award (Prize for Best First Feature)
EL FUTURO PERFECTO by Nele Wohlatz, Argentina

Swatch Art Peace Hotel Award 
MAUD ALPI for GORGE CŒUR VENTRE, France

Special Mention
EL AUGE DEL HUMANO by Eduardo Williams, Argentina/Brazil/Portugal

Pardi di domani

Concorso internazionale

Pardino d’oro per il miglior cortometraggio internazionale – Premio SRG SSR
L’IMMENSE RETOUR (ROMANCE) by Manon Coubia, Belgium/France

Pardino d’argento SRG SSR per il Concorso internazionale
CILAOS by Camilo Restrepo, France 

Locarno Nomination for the European Film Awards – Premio Pianifica 
L’IMMENSE RETOUR (ROMANCE) by Manon Coubia, Belgium/France

Premio Film und Video Untertitelung
VALPARAISO by Carlo Sironi, Italy

Special Mention
NON CASTUS by Andrea Castillo, Chile

Concorso nazionale

Pardino d’oro per il miglior cortometraggio svizzero – Premio Swiss Life
DIE BRÜCKE ÜBER DEN FLUSS by Jadwiga Kowalska, Switzerland 

Pardino d’argento Swiss Life per il Concorso nazionale
GENESIS by Lucien Monot, Switzerland

Best Swiss Newcomer Award 
LA SÈVE by Manon Goupil, Switzerland

Prix du Public UBS

I, DANIEL BLAKE by Ken Loach, United Kingdom/France/Belgium 

Variety Piazza Grande Award

MOKA by Frédéric Mermoud, France/Switzerland 

279 films in less than two weeks, 16 shown in the open air on the Piazza Grande and 17 in the Concorso internazionale. Major guests this year provided unforgettable moments, such as the warm Piazza greetings by Mario Adorf and Stefania Sandrelli, the conversations with Harvey Keitel, Roger Corman, David Linde and Alejandro Jodorowsky, Howard Shore's Masterclass, Ken Loach's revolutionary zeal, Isabelle Huppert's recollections of Cimino and those of Ahmad of his father Abbas Kiarostami, Jane Birkin's generosity, and Bill Pullman's infectious congeniality.

Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director: “This, the sixty-ninth edition that is now almost over, gambled on a number of fronts. From a more adventurous program on the Piazza to the competitions that gave pride of place to young filmmakers. The positive response, from both audiences and critics alike, has encouraged us to continue with this approach. We want Locarno to be, as it has been over these eleven exciting days, a place to show films which place human beings, in all their multi-faceted dimensions, front and center, films that provoke both discussion and strong emotion; and at the same time, a meeting place for major artists who are able to deliver strong messages, and a warm and receptive audience. An audience that is as warm in its welcome to both the well-known Harvey Keitel as to his colleague from Bhutan, not as well-known, but just as able to move the 8,000 individuals on the Piazza with the sound of his voice.”

The audience attendance over the eleven days of Festival has been in line with the last years. “In operational  terms, the outcomes are very positive. Attendances have been high, and in line with previous editions. Even some audacious choices, and the greater security measures undertaken, did not manage to dampen the enthusiasm of the general festival audience, professional delegates and the media for the evening screenings. A big thank you to all those who worked with us and our partners, whose commitment and support has made this 69th edition possible.” Mario Timbal, Operations Director

List of the Prize-winners can be downloaded here

The evening on the Piazza Grande concludes with the official awards ceremony and the screening of the closing film by Ashutosh Gowariker, Mohenjo Daro.

The 70th Festival del film Locarno will take place from 2 to 12 August 2017