- The Locarno Film Festival honors the autonomy of women in decision-making.
Female directors shine at the Locarno Film Festival
The top prize, the Golden Leopard, at the Locarno Film Festival was awarded to "Akiplėša" ("Toxic"), a Latvian feature film by Saulė Bliuvaitė. This movie, along with many other major awards, went to films with prominent female directors and female characters at their core.
The Award-Winning Film
"Toxic" is a movie that delves into the lives of two teenagers nearing adulthood, heavily influenced by the pressure of unrealistic beauty standards. This is Saulė Bliuvaitė's debut feature film, furthering Locarno's goal of promoting young, untested talents.
The festival's second highest honor, the Special Jury Prize, was also bestowed upon a young female director: Kurdwin Ayub, born in Iraq in 1990 and residing in Austria, for her feature film "Mond". In this movie, young women once again take center stage, featuring an Austrian martial artist and four daughters of a wealthy Jordanian family trained by a Viennese woman. The thriller-like drama critically examines various societal depictions of women.
The Leopard for Best Director was given to Laurynas Bareīša, born in 1988, another Lithuanian director like Saulė Bliuvaitė. In his film "Seses" ("Dry Drowning"), he highlights the emancipation of two young mothers breaking free from male dominance.
Empowerment of Women
These awards can be seen as a declaration of support for women's empowerment from the jury, headed by Austrian director Jessica Hausner ("Lourdes"). This theme is also prevalent in the main competition, where many films focus on women's lives in today's world.
Moreover, eight out of the 17 films shown in the main competition were directed by women, nearly half of the competition entries bearing a female imprint. Therefore, the jury's decision is totally justified.
The gender-neutral acting awards, however, were a pleasant surprise. The main cast quartet of "Seses", Gelminė Glemžaitė, Agnė Kaktaitė, Giedrius Kiela, and Paulius Markevičius, received a Leopard for best acting. A second prize went to South Korean Kim Minhee, who brings to life the main role, an artist and university professor, in "Am Bach", directed by her internationally acclaimed compatriot Hong Sangsoo.
Germany missing out on major awards
In terms of acting performances, there were many noteworthy ones. Maren Eggert, a German actress widely considered a favorite, gave a captivating performance in the chamber play "Der Spatz im Kamin" (Switzerland).
Equally impressive was the 16-year-old German Helena Zengel ("Systemsprenger") in the adventure film "Transamazonia". Laura Weissmahr, a Catalan multinational, also deserved an award for her portrayal of an overwhelmed young mother in the Spanish psychological drama "Salve Maria".
Unfortunately, German filmmakers failed to secure a major prize in the main competition. However, they did leave with recognition. The "Pardi di domani" ("Leopards of Tomorrow") experimental competition saw a Silver Leopard awarded to the short film "Gimn chume" ("Hymn to the Plague") by the Paris-based Russian artist collective "Atak51", co-funded by German and Russian producers. In just twelve minutes, art is celebrated as a potent political force.
German director Willy Hans received an honorable mention for his feature film debut "Der Fleck" (Germany/Switzerland) in the "Cineasti del presente" ("Filmmakers of the Present") newcomer competition. This was part of the "green Leopard" initiative, which honors films across all competitions and sections, promoting environmental awareness. The film explores the relationship between humans and nature poetically.
A wealth of socially critical themes
The festival was filled with critically acclaimed films and ensuing political discussions, such as debates on climate protection. Despite this, entertainment was not sacrificed. Each night, up to eight thousand excited spectators gathered on the Piazza Grande for open-air gala screenings outside the competitions, cheering honorees, including Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan.
Over eleven days, the festival showcased 225 short, feature, documentary, and experimental films, further cementing Locarno's status as Europe's most significant film festival, alongside Cannes, Berlin, and Venice. It remains a valuable platform for discovering new talents and challenging films, attracting thousands of film fans from around the world who prove that bold cinema is not only alive but in high demand.
Women played significant roles in this year's Locarno Film Festival, with many films showcasing female characters and directors. Kurdwin Ayub, a young Austrian director, won the Special Jury Prize for her film "Mond", which centers around young women.
The jury, headed by Austrian director Jessica Hausner, seemed to make a concerted effort to support women's empowerment, as eight out of the 17 films in the main competition were directed by women.
