Locarno, Switzerland — The 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival applauded Sho Miyake’s Japanese drama Two Seasons, Two Strangers, which garnered the prestigious Pardo d’Oro, or Golden Leopard, during a ceremony on Saturday. This event marks a significant moment as it represents Japan’s return to the festival’s international competition lineup.
Based on the manga Mr. Ben and His Igloo, A View of the Seaside by Yoshiharu Tsuge, the film centers on Lee, a scriptwriter navigating the intricacies of her personal life. Locarno’s artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, expressed enthusiasm about Japan’s re-entry into the competition, emphasizing the film’s importance in this context.
Another notable recognition went to White Snail, directed by Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter. This romantic drama tells the story of a Belarusian model aspiring to a career in China, who becomes entwined with a solitary morgue worker. It received the special jury prize, highlighting the film’s impact among the festival entries.
Abbas Fahdel was awarded best director for his film Tales of the Wounded Land, adding to the festival’s recognition of diverse storytelling. Performance accolades were shared between Manuela Martelli and Ana Marija Veselčić for their roles in God Will Not Help, and Marya Imbro and Mikhail Senkov for their performances in White Snail.
The international jury for the festival was led by Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh, with members including renowned Mexican director Carlos Reygadas and Swiss actress Ursina Lardi.
Two Seasons, Two Strangers is notable as it marks the fourth time a Japanese film has won this top award at Locarno, following earlier victories in 2007, 1970, and 1954. The festival continues to celebrate artistic excellence by recognizing innovative works across various categories.
The Golden Leopard for films in the Concorso Cineasti del Presente section was awarded to Hair, Paper, Water by Nicolas Graux and Trương Minh Quý, spotlighting emerging talents. Cecilia Kang received the best emerging director honor for Hijo Mayor, while performance awards in this section were presented to Aurora Quattrocchi for Sweetheart and Levan Gelbakhiani for Don’t Let the Sun.
Additionally, the year’s debut feature award went to Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron, showcasing the festival’s commitment to highlighting new filmmakers. Nazzaro praised this year’s event as “beyond our wildest expectations,” emphasizing cinema’s ability to unite communities.
As the festival concluded, the closing night featured Kiss of the Spider Woman by Bill Condon, marking an emotional end to the week-long celebration of film. Recognitions also included tributes to cinema luminaries such as Jackie Chan and Emma Thompson, who received enthusiastic applause from festival-goers.
This year’s Locarno Film Festival highlighted an array of remarkable films and celebrated the diverse voices within the global film community.
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