Founded in 1946, the International Film Festival Locarno belongs to the most important festivals in the world. One of its famous attractions are the open air screenings on the Piazza Grande in the old city accommodating up to 8000 spectators. The main prize of the festival is the Pardo d'Oro, the Golden Leopard (since 1968). The festival hosts the oldest Ecumenical Jury which was established in 1973 following a suggestion by then festival director Moritz de Hadeln. Since 2004, the Ecumenical Film Prize is endowed with 20.000 CHF, assigned for the distribution of the winning film in Switzerland. A first INTERFILM Jury awarded a Prize in 1965.
Download: List of Ecumenical Awards at the Locarno International Film Festival 1973-2017
Below: The representatives of the Swiss Churches, who agreed with festival director Moritz de Hadeln to establish the first Ecumenical Jury (from left to right):
Yvan Stern (Fribourg), communication officer of the bishop of Fribourg-Lausanne, P. Ambros Eichenberger (Zürich), film commissioner of the Catholic media service in Zürich, Pasteur Maurice Terrail (Lausanne), director of the Protestant film office, Rev. Dölf Rindlisbacher (Berne), film commissioner of the Protestant media service:
Before 1973, INTERFILM awarded a Prize in Locarno only once.
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1965
INTERFILM Prize
Aarohi / The Ascent, by Tapan Sinha, India
The film shows a clear tendency towards better human relationships and a better understanding between people. On the basis of an unshakable optimism it contains a positive message from the Orient about life and people which the West should not ignore.
Jury: Dr. H. Gerber, Film Commissioner of the EKD; Ev. Grolle, Delegate of the Ecumenical Film Centre, Holland; Dr. F.Hochstrasser, Lucerne, Editor Film and Radio, President