Shafaq News – Locarno

The 78th Locarno International Film Festival concluded in Switzerland with the Japanese production Two Seasons, Two Strangers by director Sho Miyake winning the Golden Leopard (Pardo d’Oro) for Best Film.

The closing ceremony, held in Locarno, announced the winners across the main international competition, the “Filmmakers of the Present” section, the Piazza Grande Letterboxd competition, the “Cheetahs of Tomorrow” shorts section, the Concorso Corti d’Autore, the Fuori Concorso showcase, and Critics’ Week. Awards included the Golden Leopard, Special Jury Prize, Best Director, and acting honors.

Main International Competition

The jury, chaired by Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh and including American producer Joslyn Barnes, Swiss actress Ursina Lardi, Mexican director Carlos Reygadas, and Dutch actress Renée Soutendijk, delivered the following awards:

-Golden Leopard (Best Film): Two Seasons, Two Strangers by Sho Miyake (Japan).

-Special Jury Prize: White Snail by Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter (Germany/Austria).

-Best Director: Abbas Fahdel for Tales of the Wounded Land (Lebanon).

-Best Actress: Manuela Martelli and Ana Marija Veselčić for God Will Not Help by Hana Jušić (Croatia/Italy/Romania/Greece/France/Slovenia).

-Best Acting Award: Marya Imbro and Mikhail Senkov for White Snail (Germany/Austria).

-Special Mention: Dry Leaf by Alexandre Koberidze (Germany/Georgia).

Filmmakers of the Present Competition

The jury, led by Indonesian actress Asmara Abigail with members from the United States and India, awarded:

-Golden Leopard: Hair, Paper, Water… by Nicolas Graux and Minh Quy Truong (Belgium/France/Vietnam).

-Best Emerging Director: Cecilia Kang for Elder Son (Hijo mayor) (Argentina/France).

-Special Jury Prize: Gioia mia (Sweetheart) by Margherita Spampinato (Italy).

-Best Actress: Aurora Quattrocchi for Gioia mia.

-Special Mention: Levan Gelbakhiani for Don’t Let the Sun by Jacqueline Zünd (Switzerland/Italy).

-Cheetahs of Tomorrow (Short Films)

The jury of filmmakers and actors from Egypt, Lesotho, and Italy announced:

-Golden Leopard (Best Short Film): A Very Straight Neck by Neo Sora (Japan/China).

-Best International Short Film: Hyena by Altay Ulan Yang (United States).

-Pardino d’Argento: Still Playing by Mohamed Mesbah (France).

-Best Director (Short Film): Primera enseñanza by Aria Sánchez and Marina Meira (Cuba/Spain/Brazil).

-Best Short Film Award: Blind, ins Auge by Atefeh Kheirabadi and Mehrad Sepahnia (Iran/Germany).

-AG Media Sponsorship Award: Force Times Displacement by Angel Wu (Taiwan).

First Films Competition

The jury, including American cinematographer James Hawkinson and French filmmakers, selected:

-Best Director’s Debut (First Feature): Blue Heron by Sophy Romvari (Canada/Hungary).

-Pardo Verde Competition (Climate Crisis)

A jury chaired by American director Michael Almereyda honored:

-Pardo Verde: Mare’s Nest by Ben Rivers (UK/France/Canada).

-Special Mentions: Hair, Paper, Water… (Belgium/France/Vietnam) and A South Facing Window by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir (France/Mongolia).

Festival Overview

The festival, chaired by Maja Hoffmann and directed by Giona A. Nazzaro, ran from August 5 to 15, 2025. More than 200 films from around the world were screened in competition and non-competition sections.

The Locarno International Film Festival, known for its focus on independent world cinema, is regarded as the fourth most prestigious festival globally after Cannes, Venice, and Berlinale.

For more info: https://www.locarnofestival.ch/home.html

Credit: Independent journalist and reporter Mansour Jahani