The Ecumenical Jury at the 71st Locarno Festival awarded its Prize to "Sibel", directed by Guillaume Giovanetti und Çağla Zencirci, an international co-production of France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey. The film also won the Prize of the International Film Critics' Organisation (Fipresci), and the second Prize of the Youth Jury. The Golden Leopard awarded by the international festival jury, presided by Chinese director Jia Zhang-ke, was given to "A Land Imagined", directed by Yeo Siew Hua from Singapore. The film also received a Commendation by the Ecumenical Jury who gave another Commendation to "Diane", directed by Kent Jones (USA).
On August 1st, the 71st International Film Festival in Locarno was opened, now called "Locarno Festival". It was the last festival year under the artistic direction of Carlo Chatrian, who has been appointed to succeed Dieter Kosslick in Berlin.
Locarno is a "festival of discoveries". Especially the international competition screens first and second films by young directors. Next to it is the more popular program of the Piazza Grande with discoveries of other festivals, such as the new film by Spike Lee, "BlacKkKlansman", which was honoured in Cannes with a Commendation by the ecumenical jury.
The grand opening ceremony took place on the Piazza Grande. It included two films. First, "Liberty", a silent film from 1929 by Leo McCarey, accompanied by live music. McCarey is the director to whom the festival dedicated its retrospective. Second, the French film "Les Beaux Esprits" (Team Spirit) by Vianney Lebasque from the Piazza Grande program.
The Ecumenical Jury, which was reduced to four members this year, awards its prize to a film of international competition. It is endowed with CHF 20,000 intended for the distribution of the prizewinner in Switzerland.
Link: Festival-Website
Link: Festival report by jury member Dietmar Adler and Charles Martig