The 69th Locarno Film Festival was held 3 to 13 August 2016 in Locarno, Switzerland. Carlo Chatrian was the festival's Artistic Director.
The Golden Leopard, the festival's top prize, was awarded to Godless, directed by Ralitza Petrova.
The primary Selection Committee included Mark Peranson (Head of Programming), Lorenzo Esposito, Sergio Fant, and Aurélie Godet. The Leopards of Tomorrow section was programmed by Alessandro Marcionni (Head), Gonzalo De Pedro Amatria, Liz Harkman, and Bruno Quiblier. The Retrospective program was curated by Olaf Möller and Roberto Turigliatto.
Official Jury Headed by Mexican filmmaker Arturo Ripstein, the official selection jury also featured Iranian filmmaker Rafi Pitts, French actress , Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, and Chinese documentary filmmaker Wang Bing.
Official Section Piazza Grande The following films were selected for the Piazza Grande section: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryCeasefireCessez-le-feuEmmanuel CourcolFranceThe Day the Rains Came (1959)Am Tag als der Regen kamGerd OswaldWest GermanyEndless PoetryPoesía sin finAlejandro JodorowskyFrance, ChileThe Girl With All the GiftsColm McCarthyUnited Kingdom, United StatesHeaven Will Wait Le ciel attendraMarie-Castille Mention-SchaarFranceI, Daniel BlakeKen LoachUnited Kingdom, France, BelgiumInterchangeDain Iskandar SaidMalaysia, IndonesiaInto the ForestDans la forêtGilles MarchandFrance, SwedenJason BournePaul GreengrassUnited StatesMohenjo DaroAshutosh GowarikerIndiaMokaFrédéric MermoudFrance, SwitzerlandPaulaChristian SchwochowGermany, FranceStefan Zweig: Farewell to EuropeVor der Morgenröte - Stefan Zweig in AmerikaMaria SchraderGermany, France, AustriaThe Train of Salt and SugarComboio de Sal e AçucarLicínio AzevedoPortugal, Mozambique, France, South Africa, BrazilThe Tunnel터널Kim Seong-hunSouth KoreaVincentChristophe Van RompaeyFrance, Belgium
International Competition (Concorso internazionale) The following films were selected for the Concorso internazionale section: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryThe Apple of My EyeLa prunelle de mes yeuxAxelle RopertFranceBrooks, Meadows and Lovely Facesالماء والخضرة والوجه الحسنYousry NasrallahEgyptBangkok NitesKatsuya TomitaJapan, France, Thailand, LaosCorrespondênciasRita Azevedo GomesPortugalBy the Time It Gets DarkดาวคะนองAnocha SuwichakornpongThailand, Netherlands, France, QatarThe Dreamed PathDer traumhafte WegAngela SchanelecGermanyGlorySlavaKristina Grozeva, Petar ValchanovBulgaria, GreeceGodlessБезбогRalitza PetrovaBulgaria, Denmark, FranceHermia & HelenaMatías PiñeiroUnited States, ArgentinaThe Idea of a LakeLa idea de un lagoMilagros MumenthalerSwitzerland, Argentina, QatarThe Last FamilyOstatnia rodzinaJan P. MatuszyńskiPolandMarijaMichael KochGermany, SwitzerlandMister UniversoTizza Covi, Rainer FrimmelAustria, ItalyThe OrnithologistO OrnitólogoJoão Pedro RodriguesPortugal, France, BrazilScarred HeartsInimi cicatrizateRadu JudeRomania, GermanyThe Young OneJeunesseJulien SamaniFrance, PortugalWet Woman in the Wind風に濡れた女Akihiko ShiotaJapan
Filmmakers of the Present (Concorso Cineasti del presente) Filmmakers of the Present is the festival's competition for first or second feature films. English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryAfterlovStergios PaschosGreeceWithered GreenAkhdar yabesMohammed HammadEgyptDestruction BabiesDisutorakushon beibîzuTetsuya MarikoJapanDonald CriedKris AvedisianUnited StatesThe Human SurgeEl auge del humanoEduardo WilliamsArgentina, Brazil, PortugalThe Future PerfectEl futuro perfectoNele WohlatzArgentinaStill LifeGorge coeur ventreMaud AlpiFranceI Had Nowhere to GoDouglas GordonGermanyThe NestIl nidoKlaudia ReynickeSwitzerland, ItalySolo, SolitudeIstirahatlah kata-kataYosep Anggi NoenIndonesiaDaydreamsL'indomptéeCaroline DeruasFranceThis Time TomorrowMañana a esta horaLina RodríguezColombia, CanadaPescatori di corpiMichele PennettaSwitzerlandThe ChallengeYuri AncaraniItaly, France, SwitzerlandDark SkullViejo CalaveraKiro RussoBolivia, Qatar
Leopards of Tomorrow (Pardi di domani) Leopards of Tomorrow is the festival's competitive program for short films, with separate international and Swiss sections.
International Competition (Concorso internazionale) English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryA liña políticaSantos DíazSpainÀ Noite Fazem-se AmigosRita BarbosaPortugalFoxAlepouJacqueline LentzouGreeceAn Aviation FieldJoana PimentaUnited States, Portugal, BrazilOld Luxurious Flat Located in an Ultra-central, Desirable NeighborhoodApartament interbelic, în zona superbă, ultra-centralăSebastian MihăilescuRomaniaAu loin, BaltimoreLola QuivoronFranceCilaosCamilo RestrepoFranceClanStefanie KolkNetherlandsDeep BlueJoe NankinUnited StatesTill the End of the DayDgis bolomdeAnna SarukhanovaGeorgiaEach To Their OwnMaria Ines ManchegoNew ZealandEstilhaçosJosé Miguel RibeiroPortugalEtage XFrancy FabritzGermanyHold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw)Renee ZhanUnited StatesThe CommitteeKommitténGunhild Enger, Jenni ToivoniemiSweden, Norway, FinlandL'immense retour (Romance)Manon CoubiaBelgium, FranceLas víscerasElena López RieraSpain, FranceManodoperaLoukianos MoshonasFrance, GreeceNon CastusAndrea CastilloChileOur Friend the MoonNuestra amiga la lunaVelasco BrocaSpainOn The RopesManon NammourLebanonLong Live the EmperorQue vive l'EmpereurAude Léa RapinFranceRhapsodyConstance MeyerFranceSetembroLeonor NoivoPortugal, BulgariaAmong the Black WavesSredi cheornyh volnAnna BudanovaRussiaTransitionTranzicijaMilica TomovicSerbiaUmpireLeonardo Van DijlBelgiumValparaisoCarlo SironiItaly
Swiss Competition (Concorso nazionale) English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryCabaneSimon GuélatFranceCôté courLora Mure-RavaudSwitzerlandThe Bridge Over the RiverDie Brücke über den FlussJadwiga KowalskaSwitzerlandDigital ImmigrantsNorbert Kottmann, Dennis StaufferSwitzerlandDormienteTommaso DonatiSwitzerlandGenesisLucien MonotSwitzerlandIcebergMathieu Z’GraggenFranceLa femme et le TGVTimo von GuntenSwitzerlandLa LeçonTristan AymonSwitzerlandLa sèveManon GoupilSwitzerlandLes dauphinesJuliette KlinkeBelgiumLost ExileFisnik MaxhuniSwitzerland
Signs of Life English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production country300 MilesOrwa Al MokdadSyria, LebanonPeople That Are Not MeAnashim shehem lo aniHadas Ben AroyaIsraelAscentFiona TanNetherlands, JapanBeduinoJúlio BressaneBrazilPow WowRobinson DevorUnited StatesAll the Cities of the NorthSvi severni gradoviDane KomljenSerbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, MontenegroRat FilmTheo AnthonyUnited StatesThe Sun, the Sun Blinded MeAnka Sasnal, Wilhelm SasnalPoland, Switzerland
Out of Competition (Fuori concorso)
Feature-length English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryJean Ziegler, the Optimism of WillpowerJean Ziegler, l'optimisme de la volontéNicolas WadimoffSwitzerlandL'amatoreMaria MautiItalyThe Nature of ThingsLa natura delle coseLaura ViezzoliItalyFalse ConfessionsLes fausses confidencesLuc BondyFranceCinema, Manoel de Oliveira and MeO Cinema, Manoel de Oliveira e EuJoão BotelhoPortugalPeter Handke: In the Woods, Might Be LatePeter Handke: Bin im Wald. Kann sein, dass ich mich verspäte...Corinna BelzGermanyJourney of Hope Reise der HoffnungXavier KollerSwitzerland, Italy, GermanyA Jew Must DieUn Juif pour l'exampleJacob BergerSwitzerlandA Young Girl In Her NinetiesUne jeune fille de 90 ansValeria Bruni Tedeschi, Yann CoridianFranceZaineb Hates the SnowZaineb takrahou etheljKaouther Ben HaniaTunisia, France, Qatar, Lebanon, United Arab EmiratesWhere Is Rocky II? [Art Basel selection]Pierre BismuthFrance, Germany, Belgium, Italy
Shorts English titleDirector(s)Production countryA Brief History of Princess XGabriel AbrantesPortugal, France, United KingdomA Train Arrives at the StationThom AndersenUnited StatesAnimals Under Anaesthesia: Speculations on the Dreamlife of BeastsMelanie Shatzky, Brian M. CassidyCanadaFestaFranco PiavoliItalyIndefinite PitchJames N. Kienitz WilkinsUnited StatesLongeJosé OliveiraPortugalThe HedonistsJia Zhang-keChinaThe HunchbackBen Rivers, Gabriel AbrantesPortugal, France
Histoire(s) du cinéma ProgramEnglish titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Production countryYearAlejandro JodorowskyThe Dance of RealityLa danza de la realidadAlejandro JodorowskyFrance, Chile2013Alejandro JodorowskyThe Holy MountainLa montaña sagradaAlejandro JodorowskyMexico, United States1973Alejandro JodorowskyEndless PoetryPoesía sin finAlejandro JodorowskyFrance, Chile2016Alejandro JodorowskySanta SangreAlejandro JodorowskyItaly, Mexico1989Bill PullmanLost HighwayDavid LynchFrance, United States1996Bill PullmanZero EffectJake KasdanUSA1998David LindeCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonAng LeeTaiwan, Hong Kong, United States, China2000David LindeY Tu Mamá TambiénAlfonso CuarónMexico2001Howard ShoreEd WoodTim BurtonUSA1994Howard ShoreHugoMartin ScorseseUSA2011Howard ShoreThe Silence of the LambsJonathan DemmeUSA1991Howard ShoreVideodromeDavid CronenbergCanada1983Mario AdorfA cavallo della tigreLuigi ComenciniItaly1961Mario AdorfThe Day the Rains CameAm Tag als der Regen kamGerd OswaldWest Germany1959Mario AdorfThe Doctor of StalingradDer Arzt von StalingradGéza von RadványiWest Germany1958Mario AdorfLa mala ordinaFernando Di LeoItaly, West Germany1972Mario AdorfThe Devil Strikes at NightNachts, wenn der Teufel kamRobert SiodmakWest Germany1957Roger CormanThe IntruderRoger CormanUnited States1962Roger CormanThe Masque of the Red DeathRoger CormanUnited States, United Kingdom1964Jonas MekasWaldenJonas MekasUnited States1969Abbas KiarostamiFilmando en Cuba con Abbas KiarostamiRamiro Pedraza, Martin Snyder, Fatema Abdoolcarim, Kai Tillman, Abbas Kiarostami, Pablo Briones, Alessandro Focareta, Pedro Freirevarious2016Abbas KiarostamiWhere is the Friend's Home?Khane-ye doust kodjast?Abbas KiarostamiIran1988Clemens KlopfensteinGeschichte der NachtClemens KlopfensteinItaly, Switzerland, West Germany, France1979Clemens KlopfensteinWhoafraidwolfWerAngstWolfClemens KlopfensteinItaly, Switzerland2000Jean-Louis RoyL'inconnu de ShandigorJean-Louis RoySwitzerland1967Histoire(s) du cinéma: Special ProgramLovers Are WetKoibito-tachi wa nuretaTatsumi KumashiroJapan1973Histoire(s) du cinémaA Destruição de BernardetClaudia Priscilla, Pedro MarquesBrazil2016Histoire(s) du cinémaCompêndio da Vida de um Homem Gasto e o Seu Último Desejo Perante ElaEugenio Puppo, Ricardo CariobaBrazil2014Histoire(s) du cinémaVerfluchte Liebe deutscher FilmDominik Graf, Johannes SievertGermany2016Histoire(s) du cinémaVersus: The Life and Films of Ken LoachLouise OsmondUnited Kingdom2016
Retrospective (Retrospettiva) The 2016 retrospective section, Beloved and Rejected: Cinema in the young Federal Republic of Germany from 1949 to 1963, was centered around filmmaking in early West Germany.