The Locarno Film Festival has announced its lineup for the 69th edition of the fest. The Switzerland-based festival boasts an International Competition that’s nearly 50 percent female-directed, or co-directed. Of 17 titles competing for the Golden Leopard, the festival’s top honor, eight are directed or co-directed by women, amounting to 47 percent of the program.
We’re impressed by this all-too-rare ratio approaching the 50 percent line. These numbers are especially heartening given Locarno’s selection for the International Competition last year, when three of 18 films were directed or co-directed by women — 17 percent. That’s an increase of 30 percent in one year. Props to the festival for this dramatic improvement.
Unfortunately Locarno’s Piazza Grande section is dominated by male directors. Only two of the 16 films screening in this program — 13 percent — are helmed by women: Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar’s “Le Ciel Attendra” and Maria Schrader’s “Vor Der Morgenrote — Stefan Zweig in Amerika.” The gender break down for the high-profile section last year was exactly the same as this year — two of 16 films were women-helmed. Variety writes that films in the Piazza Grande section “will compete for the Pix du Public audience Award, and for the Variety Piazza Grande Award given by Variety critics to the best fest title launching from Europe’s largest open-air venue combining artistic excellence and commercial potential.”
The Locarno Film Festival will run in Switzerland from August 3 to 13. Check out the women-directed and co-directed features in the International Competition and Piazza Grande below. List adapted from Variety and Indiewire. Note: Names not in bold are male co-directors.
Piazza Grande:
“Le Ciel Attendra” by Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
France — 2016–105’
with Clotilde Courau, Sandrine Bonnaire, Noémie Merlant, Naomi Amarger, Zinédine Soualem Production: Willow Films
World Sales: Gaumont
Swiss distributor: Agora Films
World Premiere
“Vor Der Morgenrote — Stefan Zweig in Amerika” by Maria Schrader
Germany/France/Austria — 2016–106’
with Josef Hader, Barbara Sukowa, Aenne Schwarz, Matthias Brandt, Charly Hübner Production: X Filme Creative Pool, Idéale Audience, Maha Productions, Dor Film World Sales: Films Distribution
Swiss distributor: Filmcoopi Zürich
International Premiere
International Competition:
“Correspondences” by Rita Azevedo Gomes
Portugal — 2016–145’
with Eva Truffaut, Pierre Léon, Rita Durão, Anna Leppänen, Luís Miguel Cintra Production: C.R.I.M.
World Sales: C.R.I.M.
World Premiere
“By the Time It Gets Dark” by Anocha Suwichakornpong
Thailand/Netherlands/France/Qatar — 2016–105’
with Arak Amornsupasiri, Atchara Suwan, Visra Vichit-Vadakan, Inthira Charoenpura, Rassami Paoluengtong, Penpak Sirikul, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, Waywiree Ittianunkul, Natdanai Wangsiripaisarn
Production: Electric Eel Films
Co-production: VS Service, Survivance
World Premiere
“Der Traumhafte Weg” by Angela Schanelec
Germany — 2016–86’
with Miriam Jakob, Thorbjörn Björnsson, Maren Eggert, Philip Hayes, Anaïa Zapp Production: Filmgalerie 451
Co-production: WDR, Arte
World Sales: Filmgalerie 451
World Premiere
“Godless” by Ralitza Petrova
Bulgaria/Denmark/France — 2016–99’
with Irena Ivanova, Ivan Nalbantov, Ventzislav Konstantinov, Alexandr Triffonov, Dimitar Petkov Production: KLAS Film
Co-production: Snowglobe, Alcatraz Films, Film Factory
World Sales: Heretic Outreach
World Premiere, First feature
“La Idea De Un Lago” by Milagros Mumenthaler
Switzerland/Argentina/Qatar — 2016–82’
with Carla Crespo, Rosario Bléfari, Malena Moiron Production: Alina film, Ruda Cine
Swiss distributor: Look Now!
World Premiere
“La Prunelle De Mes Yeux” by Axelle Ropert
France — 2016–90’
with Mélanie Bernier, Bastien Bouillon, Antonin Fresson, Chloé Astor, Swann Arlaud, Serge Bozon Production: Les Films Pelléas
Co-production: Arte
World Sales: Les Films du Losange
World Premiere
“Mister Universo” by Tizza Covi, Rainer Frimmel
Austria/Italy — 2016–90’
with Tairo Caroli, Wendy Weber, Arthur Robin, Lilly Robin Production: Vento Film
World Sales: Be For Films
World Premiere
“Glory” by Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov
Bulgaria/Greece — 2016–101’
with Stefan Denolyubov, Margita Gosheva Production: Abraxas Film
Co-production: Graal Films
World Sales: WIDE
World Premiere
