Locarno69 celebrates and pays tribute to the multi-faceted talents of a major actor: Harvey Keitel. In addition to the awards ceremony on the Piazza Grande on August 6, the tribute will also include a screening of Smoke by Wayne Wang, winner of the Prix du Public UBS at Locarno in 1995.

He is the face of Sport, The Wolf, Hal, Charlie, Auggie, Rocco or simply the “lieutenant”. Locarno is awarding one of the greatest of Hollywood actors, who is soon to celebrate a career that spans 50 years. After his starring debut in Who's That Knocking at My Door, Keitel returned to work with Martin Scorsese on Mean Streets (1973) and Taxi Driver (1976), starred in Ridley Scott's debut film (The Duellists, 1977) and was a leading presence throughout the 90s with Thelma & Louise (1991), The Bad Lieutenant (1992), Reservoir Dogs (1992), The Piano (1993) and Pulp Fiction (1994). More recent credits include Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and Youth (2015). From Scorsese to Wes Anderson, via Ridley Scott and Quentin Tarantino, he has also been the protagonist for Altman, De Palma and Spike Lee. Paolo Sorrentino has been only the last in a long line of Italian directors, following Scola, Faenza, Comencini, Wertmüller, Soldati and Argento, who had Keitel follow a “made in Italy” trajectory, parallel to the one he had in Hollywood. Nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Bugsy (Barry Levinson, 1991) Harvey Keitel is also a producer and co-president of the Actors Studio.

“I am particularly delighted to welcome to Locarno and award one of the actors who has so brilliantly represented the various animating spirits of that indie cinema we hold so dear. Heart of a New York City throbbing with multi-ethnic humanity, Harvey Keitel has recounted an America that is both violent and vulnerable, self-ironizing and committed. Among his many, many collaborations I cannot but recall those with Scorsese and Tarantino, as a bridge between two modes of approaching film.” Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director of the Festival.

Sunday August 7, in addition to the screening of Smoke at 14.00 at the Cinema Ex*Rex, the audience will be able to participate in a conversation with the actor at the Spazio Cinema (Forum) at 11.30.

The 69th edition of the Festival del film Locarno, the fourth under Carlo Chatrian's Artistic Direction, will be officially opened by the Festival President, Marco Solari, on Wednesday August 3 on the Piazza Grande, with the introduction of the official juries and the presentation of the Excellence Award Moët & Chandon to Bill Pullman. This will be followed by the world premiere screening of The Girl With All the Gifts by Colm McCarthy.