Locarno Film Festival Winners Announced

The 79th Locarno Film Festival has come to a close, with a number of talented filmmakers taking home prestigious awards. The Pardo d’Oro, the festival’s top honor, went to Florin Șerban’s drama You Don’t Belong Here (Nu E Locul Tau Aici), a highly acclaimed film that marks the Romanian director’s return to feature filmmaking after an eight-year hiatus.

The film tells the story of a physician whose teenage son is suspected of murdering an old Romani man, only to discover that his son has a secret life as a masked vigilante. The movie’s unique blend of drama and social commentary has resonated with audiences and critics alike, earning it the Pardo d’Oro for its ‘strength of its writing, the singularity of its vision, and its exceptional command of cinematic language.’

Șerban’s film was one of several standout winners at the festival. Hong Sangsoo’s Nowhere to Lay My Eyes (Nun Dul Dega Eomne) took home the Pardo for Best Direction, while Kim Minhee received the Best Performance Award for her role in the same film. Monica Bellucci was also recognized for her performance in Ketticè by Giovanni Tortorici, taking home the second Best Performance Award.

The Special Jury Prize went to The Riverbank (A Margem do Rio) by Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho, while the Pardo d’Oro in the Concorso Cineasti del Presente and the Swatch First Feature Award were both awarded to The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer (La Iusión de un Verano Sin Fin) by Alessandra Sanguinetti.

Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director of the festival, praised the winners, saying that they ‘upheld the primacy of form and of language, while remaining, in its choices, completely accessible.’ He noted that the festival’s international competition jury, overseen by Belgian filmmaker Fabrice Du Welz, chose films that ‘highlighted the Romania of You Don’t Belong Here, or the Brazil of The Riverbank, or the South Korea of Nowhere to Lay My Eyes.’

The closing night of the festival will take place on Saturday, August 15, with a ceremony for the Prix du Public UBS, followed by a screening of the closing film Ni Vue, Ni Connue (All About Corinne) by Marc Fitoussi, starring Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Kiberlain.

With its diverse lineup of films and talented winners, the 79th Locarno Film Festival has once again solidified its position as a premier showcase for cinematic excellence.

Full List of Winners:

For a complete list of winners, please see the official Locarno Film Festival website.