Campari’s adventure at the Locarno Film Festival starts with the awards, and more specifically the Campari Award, which will go to one of the international projects in The Films After Tomorrow. This confirms the famous brand’s affinity for art and cinema, and inaugurates the partnership with the Festivals, which is already looking ahead, to 2021 and Locarno74.
The beginning of the partnership between Locarno and Campari is one of the certainties in an unpredictable year 2020. As soon as the Festival decided to hold its edition and support the film industry, Campari decided to stand by the Festival. By embracing the new section that was created for this edition, Campari decided not to wait until Locarno74 for the debut of the partnership, but to finance the Campari Award and thus actively support a film that was put on hold because of the lockdown. The prize, which the international jury will give to one of the international projects in The Films After Tomorrow, is worth 50,000 Swiss francs, to be used by the director and producers to complete the film.
While Locarno 2020 is heading towards the awards ceremony, Campari and the Festival are already thinking about next year. At Locarno74, the new partner of the Festival will present the Excellence Award, an acknowledgement devoted to major film personalities and chosen by the Artistic Director. Additionally, Campari will lend its name to the Opening Party, which will start the Locarno74 nights, and host the encounters at the Leopard Club Lounge, in co-sponsoring with the Festival’s Main Partner, Manor.
While Campari will look to great, internationally renowned cinema, the brand will also stand alongside the Festival in its mission focusing on the cinema of the future, and therefore younger generations. The new partner will finance a scholarship to be given to a student of CISA (Conservatorio Internazionale di Scienze Audiovisive), chosen with the Festival.
Marco Solari, President of the Locarno Film Festival: “I’m proud that our Festival, even in a year like this, can get the interest of a new partner as prestigious and important as Campari. Their support for a brave and innovative project such as The Films After Tomorrow shows their profound affinity with the Festival’s free spirit. It’s the ideal foundation for what we hope will be a lasting partnership.”
Andrea Neri, Managing Director Campari Switzerland: “Campari has historically developed a unique dialogue with the world of the arts. Starting from the paintings of Depero in the last century to more recent cinematic productions with directors such as Sorrentino or Garrone, Campari has always been a patron of the arts. The Locarno Film Festival represents an incredible opportunity for Campari to nurture this artistic dialogue. The Campari Award for The Films After Tomorrow at this year’s edition wants to be a symbol of hope for artists in the cinema sphere to continue working on their projects and bring to life their uncompleted works.”