Film Sections

Fuori concorso

The Fuori concorso selection offers recent work – feature films and shorts, film essays, documentaries – by well-established filmmakers, out of competition, presented mostly as world or international premiere.

Awards

First Feature Award

First Feature Award for the best first film: 15’000 CHF to the director.

The prize is awarded by a jury of personalities from the world of cinema, culture, journalism and film criticism to the best first feature film presented as world or international premiere in all sections of the Festival, except for the independent sections Semaine de la critique and Panorama Suisse.

Other Film Sections

Film section

Concorso internazionale

Reflecting the Festival’s aim to cross and blur boundaries, the Concorso internazionale presents a stimulating panorama of contemporary auteur cinema, where young talent rubs shoulders with that of established directors.

Film Sections

Concorso Cineasti del presente

An ideal arena for discovery, the Concorso Cineasti del presente is dedicated to emerging directors from all over the world and devoted to first, second and third features.

Film Sections

Pardi di domani

A crucible of future talent, the Pardi di domani section screens shorts and medium-length films (not more than 59 minutes in lenght) by independent filmmakers or film school students who have not yet tried their hand at feature films.

Film Sections

Open Doors

The Open Doors section of the Locarno Film Festival focuses on regions in the South and the East. From 2019 until 2021 Open Doors focuses its look onto a single region, in order to increase and further enhance opportunities for collaboration and exchange for local professionals.

Film Sections

Piazza Grande

8,000 viewers a night, the Piazza Grande is both the Festival’s heart and its showcase. With its giant screen, one of the biggest in Europe, endowed with truly exceptional projection quality, the Piazza Grande is one of the finest open-air venues in the world.

Film Sections

Retrospettiva

Over the years the Locarno retrospectives have delved into every corner of cinema history: from great career monographs to themed programs; from wide-ranging tributes to contemporary filmmakers, to complete retrospective seasons of acknowledged great masters.

Film Sections

Histoire(s) du cinéma

Histoire(s) du cinéma is the sidebar dedicated to the history of cinema. It offers works from filmmakers and artists to whom the Festival dedicates special tributes.

Film Sections

Locarno Kids

The Locarno Kids section offers films for children and teenagers. It has a special emphasis on works screening as national premieres, together with restored titles that help rediscover film history.

Film Sections

Semaine de la critique

Founded in 1990, the Semaine de la critique is an independent section within the Locarno Festival organized by the Swiss Association of Film Journalists.

Film Sections

Panorama Suisse

Panorama Suisse is an independent section within the Locarno Festival. The films are selected by a commission with representatives of the Solothurn Film Festival, SWISS FILMS and the Swiss Film Academy.