Our suggestions for Locarno 77

At the 77th Locarno Film Festival, which runs from 7 to 17 August, there will be no lack of entries linked in some way to Ticino. There are three films supported by the Ticino Film Commission: Olmo Cerri's documentary La scomparsa di Bruno Bréguet, Katalin Gödrös's Jakobs Ross and the collective film Passo a due , made as part of the Spring Academy.

But the Festival's programme also includes other films that, although not shot in Ticino, have ties with our region, starting with two projects that will grace the screen of Piazza Grande: Reinas, directed by Ticino-born Klaudia Reynicke, and Electric Child, an international co-production with Ticino-born Michela Pini as producer. These are yet more signs of the dynamism of our film scene, which we have witnessed grow in the first ten years of activity of the Ticino Film Commission.  

Films supported by TFC at the Locarno Film Festival

LA SCOMPARSA DI BRUNO BRÉGUET

Directed by Olmo Cerri, Switzerland, 2024, 97'. Panorama Suisse

Tuesday 13 August, 11:00 a.m. - Palexpo (Fevi)

A series of testimonies reconstructs the story of Bruno Bréguet. In 1970, the young man from Ticino attempted to deliver a clandestine consignment of explosives to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. After his release from prison, he joined the terrorist group Carlos. He disappeared mysteriously in 1995.

An auteur documentary from Ticino, La scomparsa di Bruno Bréguet had its world premiere last January at the Solothurn Days. The film is produced by Dschoint Ventschre co-produced by SRF and the REC Association. Among numerous partners, it was also supported by the Ticino Film Commission.

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JAKOBS ROSS

Directed by Katalin Gödrös, Switzerland/Luxembourg, 103', Panorama Suisse

Wednesday 14 August, 11 a.m. Palexpo (FEVI)

Jakob, a farmhand, is forced to marry Elsie, a young servant girl with musical talent. The two soon learn that in order to escape their lack of prospects, they will have to put up a united front.

The period film, set in the 19th century, stars Luna Wedler, Max Hubacher and Valentin Postlmayr, three young stars of Swiss and Austrian cinema. The filming of Jakobs Ross, supported by the Ticino Film Commission, took place entirely in Ticino, a small part in Bregaglia, the rest in Valle Bavona and Vallemaggia. Because of the film's close connection to the areas affected by the recent floods, it will be possible to participate in fundraising for reconstruction in conjunction with the Locarno screening.

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PASSO A DUE

Directed by Sara Fiechter, David Findlay, Asma Laajimi, Francesco Manzato, Victoria Negreiros, Naomi Pacifique, Switzerland, 2024, Special Event

Thursday 8 August, 21.15, Palacinema 2, Friday 16 August, 21.30, Palacinema 2

Under the supervision of director Alice Diop, six young directors, including Sara Fiechtner from Ticino, centered around their direction of six actors and actresses, selected through a joint casting process. The films are set in the atmospheric setting of Locarno's Hotel Belvedere and deal with current issues such as class struggle, parent-children relationships and problems in the cultural world.  

The collective film Passo a due was made during this year's Spring Academy, organised by the Locarno Film Festival and CISA (Conservatorio internazionale di scienze audiovisive), in collaboration with the Ticino Film Commission and with the support of RSI and Hotel du Lac.

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A little Ticino in the other sections

REINAS

Directed by Klaudia Reynicke, Switzerland, Peru, Spain 2024, Piazza Grande

Thursday 8 August, 21.30, Pizza Grande

In Lima during the summer of 1992, in the social and political chaos of Peru, Lucia and Aurora are about to leave their country forever with their mother and need their absent father to sign the release papers. If Carlos wants his daughters' love, he must earn a place in their lives before they leave.

Presented as a world premiere last December at the Sundance Film Festival and awarded the Generation KPlus Jury Prize at the Berlinale, Reinas is directed by Swiss-Peruvian filmmaker Klaudia Reynicke, who has been living and working in Ticino for many years now, where she made her first feature films, The Nest and Love Me Tender, also supported by TFC.

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ELECTRIC CHILD

Directed by Simon Jaquemet, Switzerland, Germany Netherlands, Philippines, 2024, 118', Piazza Grande

Friday 9 August, 21.30, Piazza Grande

Sonny and Akiko's joy at the arrival of their first child quickly turns to panic when they receive terrible news from the doctor. Desperate, Sonny considers using his experiment on a super AI to prove the doctors wrong.

An international co-production, directed by Swiss director Simon Jacquemet, Electric Child sees Ticino-based producer Michela Pini for 8horses and Olga Lamontanara as associate producer.

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HANAMI

Directed by Denise Fernandes, Switzerland, Portugal, Cape Verde, 2024, 96'

Cineasti del presente

Wednesday 14 August, Palacinema 1, 6 p.m.; Thursday 15 August, L'altra sala, 3 p.m;

Friday 16 August, Palacinema 2 and Palacinema 3, 11 a.m.

On a remote volcanic island from which everyone wants to leave, Nana has learned to stay. Her mother, suffering from a mysterious illness, disappeared soon after her birth. When Nana comes down with a high fever, she is sent to the foot of a volcano for treatment and there she encounters a world suspended between dream and reality.

Director Denise Fernandes was born in Portugal and grew up in Ticino, where she attended CISA. Hanami is her feature film debut. Produced by the Romanian Alina Film and the Portuguese O Som e a Furia, the film is co-produced by Ventura Film in Chiasso and RSI.

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DER FLECK (Skill Issue)  

By Wily Hans, Germany, Switzerland, 2024, 94', Cineasti del presente

Saturday 10 August, Palacinema 1, 11.30 a.m.; Sunday 11 August, L'altra sala, 9 p.m;

Monday 12 August, Palacinema 2 and 3, 1.30 p.m.

Simon misses gymnastics class and finds himself on the banks of a river with a group of teenagers. When Maria appears, an accident catapults them into the forest bordering the river. They then decide to leave the lazy group and enter the suspended realm of the enchanted landscape.

Directed by German director Willy Hans, Der Fleck sees Ticino-based Michela Pini as co-producer for 8horses.

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MÉTROPOLE

By Theo Kunz, Switzerland, 20', Pardi di domani

Friday 9 August, La sala, 2.30 p.m.; Saturday 10 August, 5.30 p.m. Palavideo Muralto; Sunday 11 August, L'altra sala, 9 a.m.

An investigation into urban space from the perspective of young people in Lyon. Métropole explores the city through the paths of skaters who reinterpret its topography between revolts against pension reform and the re-appropriation of public space.

The short film is a CISA diploma film.

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La prodigiosa trasformazione della classe operaia in stranieri (The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class Into Foreigners)

By Samir, Switzerland-Italy, 2024, 130', Fuori concorso

Wednesday 14 August, Palavideo Muralto, 2.30 p.m.; Thursday 15 August, Palacinema 2 and 3 6.30 p.m.; Friday 16 August.

Using family photos, animations, music clips and archive material, The Miraculous Transformation of the Working Class into Foreigners tells the story of emigration from neighbouring countries to Switzerland. How did the working class change to become synonymous with 'foreigners'?

In the documentary by director and producer Samir, there are numerous testimonies from Ticino

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Renato Berta's photography in two Swiss film classics

Two Swiss film classics offered in restored versions in Histoire(s) du cinéma share a common trait. Ticino cinematographer Renato Berta worked on both Jonas qui aura 25 ans dans l'an 2000 (Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000) by Alain Tanner (Sunday 11 August, Palacinema 1, 3 pm, photo DNAFilms_Jupiter Films) and Repérages(Faces of Love) by Michel Soutter (Friday 9 August, Palacinema 1, 9.30 pm).

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A Ticino steadicam in Kieślowski's masterpiece

Trois Couleurs: rouge (Three Colors: Red), by Krzysztof Kieślowski (Saturday 10 August, Gran Rex, 5 pm), is now part of film history. Perhaps not many people know, however, that Riccardo Brunner from Ticino, one of the pioneers of steadicam in Europe, also worked on this film. (Photo MK2)

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Appointments

The Ticino Film Commission turns ten

Ten years at the side of filmmaking in Ticino. On Thursday 8 August, the tenth anniversary of the Ticino Film Commission will be marked with an invitation-only event at the Sport Café in Locarno (6 p.m.), which will be attended by the authorities, founding members, partners and friends of the TFC. A short video dedicated to our first ten years of activity will also be shown during the event.

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Meetings for professionals and new talent

The fourth Pitching Day goes to Leventina

As part of the 77th Locarno Film Festival, the Ticino Film Commission, in collaboration with LocarnoPro and with the support of Ticino Turismo and the Bellinzona e Valli Tourist Organisation, is organising for the fourth time the pitching session dedicated to professionals who will have the opportunity to present their projects to productions and distributions. As always, the day - to be held on Monday 12 August - will also be an opportunity to discover splendid locations in the area: this year Leventina and Giornico

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Continued collaboration with Alliance 4 Development

Once again this year the Ticino Film Commission is participating in the Alliance 4 Development co-development programme hosted by Locarno Pro. Presentations, panels, networking and meetings with potential partners for selected projects are planned. Always with a keen eye on the possibility of filming audiovisual projects in our region, the Ticino Film Commission will, for the second time, present one of the awards.

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From Casa Pantrovà to Locarno Residency

The Locarno Residency at the Locarno Film Festival is aimed at young directors, offering them the chance to receive support in the development of a feature-length film through meetings and discussions. In addition to the participants chosen by the Locarno Film Festival for the first phase of the project, the Ticino Film Commission is committed to networking the Locarno Residency with another opportunity for growth for local directors, namely the writing residency at the Casa Pantrovà in Carona, In 2024, to join the participants in the Locarno Residency, there will therefore also be the young Ticino-born Enea Zucchetti.