The city of Locarno in Italian-speaking Switzerland becomes the world capital of auteur cinema for 11 days in August, a renowned international reference point for emerging quality cinema for almost eighty years. A member of the Swiss Top Events supported by public funding and private partners, the Festival draws its strength and recognition from its values of artistic freedom and respect for the new, as well as a grounding in environmental and social sustainability.

Inside Locarno77's Program

Locarno's Soul is the Audience

The Festival Makes a Mark in the Press

A Meeting Place for the Film Industry

Open Doors

Fostering the Talents of the Future

A Platform Where the Festival Speaks

The Impact of Strategic Partnership at the Locarno FIlm Festival

Inside Locarno77's Program

The Festival celebrates both established and emerging filmmakers through a slate of significant awards across several competitions, including the Concorso Internazionale and Concorso Cineasti del Presente, the short film competitions in Pardi di Domani, and a cross-section first features competition. A further eight program sections animate each new edition of the Locarno Film Festival and act as a vital support for an increasingly challenging cultural context.

Saulė Bliuvaitė, Winner of Pardo d'Oro 2024
©Locarno Film Festival / Ti-Press

Locarno's Soul is the Audience

More than 152,000 spectators flock to Locarno each year, filling its theaters and eagerly awaiting the best world cinema has to offer. But they are also unafraid of a challenge. "In Locarno it's possible for a filmmaker to establish a genuine connection with the audience", says Giona A. Nazzaro, the Artistic Director. "They can unleash a radical vision on the audience in Locarno and the public will take it on its own terms."

SOURCE: LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL, Audience Survey, 2023, 1733 Respondents

The total audience at all screenings was 152,000

(90’000 in theaters and 62’000 in Piazza Grande)

The Festival Makes a Mark in the Press

Accredited journalists in TV, online, and print travel from across Switzerland and around the world to Locarno because they know that it's a place worth covering: one with access to some of the biggest stars of international cinema and one offering a cross-section of films that range from popular to avant-garde, Hollywood to avant-garde.

International and national articles, online and in the press

Press Accredited (journalists and photographers)

A Meeting Place for the Film Industry

A scenic place for dialogues and exchanges between industry professionals, the city of Locarno has grown into a major point of reference for the film industry through the work of Locarno Pro, which aims to foster projects in development and host the tough but necessary conversations that need to be had about the future of the industry.

Locarno Pro

Open Doors

Open Doors supports filmmakers coming from regions with less developed industry spaces and financial support, and where cinema as a form of expression is at risk. Filmmakers find guidance on each step of their creative and professional journey and bring diverse perspectives to Locarno. Open Doors offers the talents a space during the Festival as well as year-round, giving access to resources, training, new inspirations and contacts, to create, finance and promote their works, contributing to the development of their film community.

In 2024, Open Doors concluded a three-year focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.

Open Doors

Fostering the Talents of the Future

The Locarno Film Festival's commitment to young people is not tokenistic but expansive and wide-ranging, offering a slate of unique training initiatives and professional pathways into the world of cinema, from Locarno Kids, the BaseCamp, and Locarno Academy, divided into critics, filmmakers, and industry professionals.

Locarno Kids

BaseCamp

Locarno Academy

A Platform Where the Festival Speaks

As an institution with a long history, we've learned to evolve as new things come along. Social media and digital communication have become essential for us to reach all different kinds of people. On our socials, we get the word out about what we're doing throughout the year - and have fun doing it. Things are constantly evolving, as does our approach to building online communities responsive to great cinema.

Social Media

The Impact of Strategic Partnership at the Locarno FIlm Festival

With the support of over 200 partners, the Locarno Film Festival drives projects, builds networks, and strengthens the local, national, and international economy. Our key initiatives, developed with partners such as UBS, la Mobiliare, Swisscom, Swatch and Ascona-Locarno Tourism, enrich the Festival experience. These partnerships, rooted in a shared vision and values, contribute not only through funding, services, and technology, but also by promoting cultural and social engagement on multiple levels. By prioritizing social sustainability, these collaborations go beyond promotional activities to meaningful actions that benefit the community and create lasting value.