The Locarno Film Festival: A Celebration of Cinema
The Locarno Film Festival has been in full swing, with a packed Piazza Grande Open-Air Theater playing host to a series of exciting events. On August 9, 6,500 people gathered to celebrate the life and career of Hong Kong and Hollywood icon Jackie Chan, followed by a screening of Joachim Trier’s Grand Prix winner from Cannes, "Sentimental Value," and Chan’s 1985 classic "Police Story."
A Night to Remember
The festival asked attendees to arrive early to secure a seat, and by 8:00 p.m., large queues had already formed at the entrance. The huge piazza quickly filled up to capacity, with another 300 people watching from a nearby cinema. The audience was a diverse mix of Jackie Chan fans, cinephiles, and industry professionals, all united by their love of film.
A Tribute to Jackie Chan
Chan received a warm reception on stage, greeting the crowd in Italian with a "Buona Sera." The 71-year-old legend reflected on his 64 years in the film industry, thanking the directors and stars he had worked with for making him look good. The screening of "Police Story" was a special moment for the team behind "Sentimental Value," with co-writer Eskil Vogt and producer Maria Ekerhovd presenting the film to the crowd.
A Busy Festival Schedule
The night before, the Piazza Grande had hosted the world premiere of "Dead of Winter," directed by Brian Kirk and starring Emma Thompson. All seats were filled by 9:30 p.m., with more people crowded in front of the seating area to catch a glimpse of the star. The festival reported that 7,258 people watched the film, with 6,500 on the square and another 750 in the nearby Fevi cinema.
A Focus on Gaza
The Piazza Grande was also the site of an important and somber protest against the war in Gaza, held before the world premiere of Miguel Ángel Jiménez’s "The Birthday Party," starring William Dafoe. One minute of silence was observed, and many attendees held cards with the words "Stop genocide. Words and actions for peace, against indifference" and a striking image of a blood-red bandage. The artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, acknowledged the protest on stage, saying "We are with you, thank you," which was met with a round of applause from the crowd.
Industry Insights
The Locarno Film Festival has also been hosting a busy industry program through its Locarno Pro initiative. The program includes initiatives such as Work-in-Progress, First Look, and the networking platform Match Me! The focus this year was on the Locarno Investment Community, which aims to bring together film financiers and philanthropists with the European film industry. Participants included the Prada film fund and the Axios Together Fund.
Challenges Facing the Film Industry
At the Stepin Conference, industry leaders discussed some of the challenges facing the film industry. Stuart Ford, chairman and CEO of AGC Studios, noted that major streamers are "throttling" the independent film ecosystem by paying "considerably under-market" license fees due to their commercial negotiation power. Tricia Tuttle, director of the Berlinale, emphasized that 95% of films programmed at festivals have difficulty securing cinema distribution, and suggested that European public investments should be used to support sales and exhibition. Ed Guiney, co-founder of Element Pictures, compared the film industry in the US to Europe, noting that the US has a "very active private equity market," but this network does not really exist in Europe.
Doing Business at Locarno
The Locarno Film Festival has also been a hub for business deals, with sales agents and distributors in attendance. After its well-received Piazza Grande world premiere, "The Birthday Party" announced sales deals in several international territories, with sellers and bankers noting that the Locarno premiere had increased the film’s global sales thrust. The festival runs until August 16, and it will be exciting to see what other deals are made and what other exciting events take place.
