William Friedkin is one of the most interesting New Hollywood filmmakers. The self-taught Oscar-winner drew inspiration from documentaries to create a new style, directing masterpieces such as The French Connection (1971) and The Exorcist (1973). In 2009, upon receiving the Pardo d’onore in Locarno, he surprised the audience with an energetic and provocative conversation, declaring that “cinema is a job, not art”. A blunt and unconventional perspective that is in some ways liberating, as it demystifies the creative process to remind us of the importance of craft.