The winners of the 78th Locarno International Film Festival were announced in Switzerland.
According to Artmag.ir, the winners of the various competitive sections of the 78th Locarno International Film Festival were announced, and “Two Seasons, Two Strangers,” directed by “Shu Miyake” from Japan, won the “Golden Leopard” award for best film.
The closing ceremony of the 78th Locarno International Film Festival was held on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Locarno, Switzerland, and the winners of the main international competition, the “Filmmakers of the Present” competition, the “Piazza Grande” Letterboxd competition, “Leopards of Tomorrow” competition, the Concorso Corti d’Autore competition, the Fuori Concorso competition, and the “Critics Week” competition were announced, and the “Golden Leopard” award for best film, the Special Jury Prize, the Best Director award, the Best Actor awards, and other awards of this prestigious and first-class event in world cinema were presented to them.
Winners of the International Main Competition
The members of the International Main Competition Jury at the 78th Locarno International Film Festival, including: Rithy Panh, director and screenwriter from Cambodia – President of the Jury, Joslyn Barnes, producer and screenwriter from the United States, Ursina Lardi, actress from Switzerland, Carlos Reygadas, director, writer and producer from Mexico, and Renée Soutendijk, actress from the Netherlands, announced their votes as follows:
Golden Leopard Award
The film “Two Seasons, Two Strangers” directed by Sho Miyake from Japan won the Golden Leopard Grand Prize (Pardo d’Oro) for the best film at this prestigious and top-notch world cinema event.
Special Jury Prize
The Special Jury Prize was also awarded to the film “White Snail” co-directed by Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter, a German-Austrian co-production.
Best Director Award
The Best Director Award of this edition of the festival went to Abbas Fahdel for directing the film “Tales of the Wounded Land” from Lebanon.
Best Actress Award
The Best Actress Award in this category was given to Manuela Martelli and Ana Marija Veselčić for the film “God Will Not Help” directed by Hana Jušić, a co-production of Croatia, Italy, Romania, Greece, France and Slovenia. Marya Imbro and Mikhail Senkov also received the Best Actress Award for their roles in the film “White Snail”, a co-production of Germany and Austria.
Special Jury Mention
The film “Dry Leaf”, directed by Alexandre Koberidze, a co-production of Germany and Georgia, received a special jury mention.
Winners of the “Current Filmmakers” Competition
The members of the jury for the “Current Filmmakers” competition, which included: Indonesian actress Asmara Abigail – President of the Jury, MoMA’s Curator of Film and Co-Chair of New Directors/New Films from the United States, and Indian actress Kani Kusruti, announced their votes as follows:
Golden Leopard Award
The film Hair, Paper, Water…, co-directed by Nicolas Graux and Minh Quy Truong, a joint production of Belgium, France and Vietnam, won the Golden Leopard Grand Prize, Pardo d’Oro, for the best film in this section of the festival.
Best Emerging Director Award
The Best Emerging Director Award of this edition of the festival was awarded to Cecilia Kang for directing the film Elder Son, a joint production of Argentina and France.
Special Jury Award
The Special Jury Award was also given to the film Sweetheart, Gioia mia, directed by Margherita Spampinato from Italy.
Best Actress Award
The Best Actress Award in this category was also given to Aurora Quattrocchi for her performance in the film “Gioia mia” directed by Margherita Spampinato from Italy.
Special Jury Mention
Levan Gelbakhiani received a special jury mention for his performance in the film “Don’t Let the Sun” directed by Jacqueline Zünd, a Swiss-Italian co-production.
Winners of the “Leopards of Tomorrow” Competition Section
The members of the jury of the “Leopards of Tomorrow” competition section of this edition of the festival, which included: Ms. Jihan El Tahri, filmmaker, producer and visual artist from Egypt and France, Lemohang Mosese, filmmaker and visual artist from Lesotho, and Ms. Sara Serraiocco, actress from Italy, announced their votes as follows:
Golden Leopard Award
The short film “A Very Straight Neck” directed by Neo Sora, a joint production of Japan and China, won the Pardo d’Oro for best short film by an author in this section of the festival.
Best International Short Film
The short film “Hyena” directed by Altay Ulan Yang from the United States won the Pardo d’Oro for best international short film in the “Leopards of Tomorrow” competition section.
Pardino d’Argento Award
The short film “Still Playing” directed by Mohamed Mesbah from France won the Pardino d’Argento award in the international section.
Best Director Award
The Best Director Award in this section of the festival was given to the short film “Primera enseñanza” (Primary Education), co-directed by Aria Sánchez and Marina Meira, a co-production between Cuba, Spain and Brazil.
Best Short Film Award
Also, the short film “Blind, ins Auge”, co-directed by Atefeh Khairabadi and Mehrad Sepahnia, and a co-production between Iran and Germany, won the Best Short Film Award in the “Tomorrow’s Leopard” section.
AG Media Support Award for Iranian Short Film “Form”
The Medien Patent Verwaltung AG Media Support Award went to the short film “Force Times Displacement” written and directed by Angel WU from Taiwan.
Winners of the “First Films” Competition Section
The members of the jury of the “First Films” competition section at the 78th Locarno International Film Festival, which were: James Hawkinson, director of photography from the United States, Judith Lou Lévy, producer from France, and Patricia Mazuy, director from France, announced their votes as follows:
Best “Director’s First Film” Award
The Best “Director’s First Film” award in this section was given to the film “Mare’s Nest” directed by Ben Rivers, a joint production of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada.
Winners of the Pardo Verde Competition
The jury members of the Pardo Verde competition on the theme of the climate crisis, which included: Michael Almereyda, director, screenwriter and producer from the United States, Martina Parenti, director from Italy, and Seta Thakur, head of communication and social innovation at the Weiss Academy of Nature from Switzerland, announced their votes as follows:
Pardo Verde
The Pardo Verde Award went to the film “Towards the Snake’s Nest” by Sophy Romvari from Canada and Hungary.
Jury Appreciation
The film “Hair, Paper, Water…”, co-directed by Nicolas Graux and Minh Quy Truong, a joint production of Belgium, France and Vietnam, as well as the film “A South Facing Window” directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir from France and Mongolia, were honored by the jury.
The 78th Locarno International Film Festival, chaired by Maja Hoffmann, artistically directed by Giona A. Nazzaro, and featuring more than 200 films from directors from around the world, was held in Locarno, Switzerland, from August 5 to 15, 2025, in several competitive and non-competitive sections.
News source: www.locarnofestival.ch
