The 79th Locarno Film Festival took place from 5 to 15 August 2026, in Locarno, Switzerland. Belgian filmmaker Fabrice Du Welz served as the jury president for the main competition.
Romanian drama film You Don't Belong Here by Florin Șerban was the winner of the Golden Leopard. Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho's The Riverbank won the Special Jury Prize.
American filmmaker James Gray was awarded the Pardo alla Carriera. While Darren Aronofsky was awarded the Leopard of Honour.
The festival poster was designed by the American artist Cindy Sherman, featuring a fictional character rendered in stark black and white and wrapped in a yellow leopard-spotted headscarf.
The festival opened with the drama film The Green Eyes directed by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh.
Juries
Main Competition
Fabrice Du Welz, Belgian filmmaker - Jury President Marco Alessi, Italian producer Lolita Chammah, French actress Paulina García, Chilean actress, stage director, and playwright Olivier Père, French executive director of Arte France Cinéma and former artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival
Filmmakers of the Present Competition
Afef Ben Mahmoud, Tunisian actress, filmmaker and producer Radovan Síbrt, Czech producer Margherita Spampinato, Italian filmmaker
Leopard of Tomorrow Competition
Mounia Akl, Lebanese filmmaker Antonio Piazza, Italian filmmaker Steven Markovitz, South African producer
First Feature Competition
Matthieu Darras, French film lab director and programmer Sung Moon, South Korean programmer at the Jeonju International Film Festival Klaudia Reynicke, Swiss-Peruvian filmmaker
Pardo for Change Competition
Gianluca Grossi, Swiss journalist and writer Mo Harawe, Somali-Austrian filmmaker Seta Thakur, Swiss director at the Wyss Academy for Nature
Official sections On 9 July 2026, the full line-up was announced with 11 sections, 3 competitions and 20 awards. From a record 7,759 submissions, This year's program comprises 233 films, including 103 world premieres. The selection committee for feature films was composed by Pamela Biénzobas, Stefan Ivančić, Giovanni Marchini-Camia, Daniela Persico and Eddie Bertozzi, while the shorts program was composed by Eddie Bertozzi, Lucie Emch, Anne Gaschütz and Enrico Vannucci.
Piazza Grande The following films were selected to be screened at the Piazza Grande section, competing for the festival's Prix du public (Audience Award): English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryAll About Corinne Ni vue, ni connueMarc FitoussiFrance, BelgiumArmony Dario AlbertiniItalyThe ChileanIl CilenoSergio Castro-San MartinItaly, Chile, SwitzerlandCongo BoyRafiki FarialaCentral African Republic, France, Democratic Republic of Congo, ItalyDances with Wolves - Director's Cut (1990)Kevin CostnerUnited StatesDown the Arm of GodPeter BrunnerFrance, United StatesFrank & LouisPetra VolpeSwitzerland, United KingdomThe Green Eyes (opening film)Les Yeux VertsFanny Liatard and Jérémy TrouilhFrance, Belgium, SwedenI Is AnotherIch ist ein AndererFelix RandauGermany, AustriaThe Invite Olivia WildeUnited StatesLove LessonsDemain je tombe amoureuxMartin ProvostFrance, BelgiumPaper TigerJames GrayUnited StatesTaxi Driver (1976)Martin ScorseseWild at Heart (1990)David Lynch
Main Competition (Concorso Internazionale) The following films were selected for the Golden Leopard competition: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryBrave New LoveMaria BäckDenmark, Sweden, GreeceD'ici làSarah LeonorFranceDonkey PrincessPrincesa BurroCristobal León & Joaquín CociñaChile, France, Uruguay, Netherlands, GermanyFar From the TreesLejos de los árbolesMeritxell ColellSpain, Peru, ItalyHearingThính GiácLê BảoVietnam, Singapore, Norway, France, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, Thailand, TaiwanThe House on the Moon明月共此時Nelson YeoSingapore, Taiwan, Germany, IndonesiaI Rarely Wake Up DreamingSelten wache ich träumend aufIsabelle SteverGermany, UkraineKetticèGiovanni TortoriciItalyManhuntWayne WapeemukwaCanadaNobody's ViolenceViolence du corps de l'autreDenis CôtéCanadaNowhere to Lay My Eyes눈둘데가 없네Hong Sang-sooSouth KoreaObjet aAnn OrenGermany, Luxembourg, GreeceO JacaréBasil Da CunhaSwitzerland, PortugalRehmatGurvinder SinghIndia, FranceThe RiverbankA Margem do RioMatheus Farias and Enock CarvalhoBrazil, GermanyWandering TreesAlberi errantiSalvatore MereuItalyYou Don't Belong HereNu e locul tau aiciFlorin ȘerbanRomania
Out of Competition The following films were selected to be screened out of competition: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryThe Angel MakerDer EngelmacherMarina KlauserSwitzerlandAsphalt GuerrillaGuerrilha no AsfaltoEdgar PêraPortugalAtcha AtchaMamadou DiaSenegal, FranceBAKMAAbdelhamid BouchnakTunisiaBloody TennisNikias ChryssosGermanyBrutonVincent GrashawUnited StatesHappiness Is So Close!Ah que le bonheur est proche!François-Christophe MarzalSwitzerlandMarco Bellocchio: The Door to RealityMarco Bellocchio: La porta della RealtàFabio LovinoItalyRoma ElasticaBertrand MandicoFrance, ItalySixteen Moments of My LifeSeize moments de ma vieAlbert SerraFrance, SpainSundownRebekah McKendryCanadaTomb of Dreams (short)Tombe des RêvesF.J. OssangFranceTransitionÜbergangPeter Badel and Chris WrightGermany
Filmmakers of the Present Competition (Concorso Cineasti del Presente) The Filmmakers of the Present section showcases first and second feature films from emerging filmmakers. The following films were selected to compete for the Golden Leopard – Filmmakers of the Present: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryAt NightBeatrice GibsonUnited Kingdom, FranceThe Days OffLos días libresLucila MarianiArgentina, Brazil, Mexico, FranceDemonsДемониNatalya VorozhbytUkraine, PolandDestroy All GirlsErin VassilopoulosUnited StatesEgo Reach We All (Our Time Will Come)Amartei ArmarGhana, FranceFire FlowerHanabiAna VazFrance, BrazilThe Illusion of an Everlasting SummerLa ilusión de un verano sin finAlessandra SanguinettiArgentina, United StatesIn All My Journeys I Am ReturningTodos mis viajes son viajes de regresoManuel Ponce de LeónColombiaMagic Atlas魔法星图Sun XunSingaporeRevolutionaries Never DieMohanad YaqubiPalestine, Belgium, QatarSeptember AfternoonNicolaas SchmidtGermanySmall TalkMateo YbarraSwitzerlandSummer MeadowL'estiveNaël KhleifiBelgium, FranceTear GasUta BeriaGeorgia, France, GermanyTomorrow a Long Time AgoMorgen vor langer ZeitLuise DonschenGermany
Leopard of Tomorrow The section features short and medium-length films divided into three competitions: Concorso Internazionale, with works by emerging filmmakers from all over the world; Concorso Nazionale, for Swiss productions; and Concorso Corti d’Autore, with short works by established filmmakers. The following films were selected: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryConcorso Corti d'AutoreAlready HappenedShi HouHao ZhouUnited States, ChinaAnd If Thuy Didn’t ExistEt si Thuy n'existait pasCarlo Francisco ManatadPhilippines, France, IndonesiaÃsheghetamFilmsaazFrance, Switzerland, IranThe BlessingCaroline Poggi and Jonathan VinelFrance, SwitzerlandThe Bovine Comedyค.ยังคงยืนเด่นโดยท้าทายRatchapoom BoonbunchachokeFranceElegy for the Forgotten, on an Endless WarBani KhoshnoudiIran, FranceThe God That DestroysJyoti MistryAustria, SwedenPrivate PropertyDeepak RauniyarUnited States, Nepal, France, AustraliaSomewhere in a Free CountryQuelque part dans un pays libreAntonin PeretjatkoFranceThe Wind, One Brilliant DayBen RiversChina, United KingdomConcorso InternazionaleAnother Day in the Metal BoxGleb FeldmanUkraineThe Architect Who Built His Own Collapse崩落Chun Tien ChenTaiwanAs a CureDorothea Sing ZhangChina, United KingdomAurora BorealisValeriya KimHungary, Belgium, Portugal, KazakhstanDriftJérémie Danon and Kiddy SmileFranceFirst FirePremier FeuBlanca Camell GalíFrance, SpainForgotten SpacemanHershewe FazanawerdElham EhsasUnited Kingdom, AfghanistanI Have No Mouth, Yet I Must ScreamNo Tengo Boca, Aun Así Debo GritarDiego Andrés Murillo and Eduardo Andrés DíazVenezuela, United StatesIn Dreams When You Can’t Sleep at NightDans les rêves quand on dort pas la nuitRachel GutgartsFranceIn the Silence AfterSebastian DelascasasQatar, United States, ColombiaKhufuMahmoud AssiEgypt, France, Sweden, CanadaLas damasCamille ZéhenneFranceMilkMelkFilip AnthonissenBelgiumMutrionMarco CavazzinItalyNadupaDaniel SamwelTanzaniaObscuraSilap Mata Bayang BerbalamTimoteus Anggawan KusnoIndonesia, NetherlandsPilukElisapie Isaac and Marc SéguinCanadaA Sweet DayYek Rooz-e ShirinOmid AbdollahiIranTogetherNeozoonGermanyThe WanderersLos andaresIsa Luengo and Sofia EsteveSpainConcorso NazionaleThe First FlowerAstrit IsmailiKosovo, Switzerland, NetherlandsGherkingClaudius GentinettaSwitzerlandMaids of PetroleumHans BaumannUnited StatesRespirer une fois sur troisCharlyne GenoudSwitzerlandSingularityMarjolaine PerretenStreet of ResistanceJan CiallellaTake CareAlles GutePatricia StrübinTyphoon MamboDomenico Singha PedroliSwitzerland, France, ThailandWest/EastLääne/VostokElia CanevasciniSwitzerlandZruggLars Mulle
Locarno Kids Marking the first competitive year of the section, the films selected will compete for the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare, am audience prize awarded by a jury of young viewers. The following films were selected: English TitleOriginal TitleDirector(s)Production CountryAngel SeekersCercatori d'angeliLeopoldo PescatoreItaly, SwitzerlandChildren of LibertyNew York, Miriam et moiRémy Schaepman and Léahn Vivier-ChapasFrance, LuxembourgDerborence The Age of AnimalsDerborence Le Temps des AnimauxVincent ChablozSwitzerlandIf Luck Will ComeCamille BildsøeDenmark, Iceland, NorwayMU-KI-RAEstefanía Piñeres DuqueColombia, SpainThe NewcomersLos nuevosRodrigo PláMexico, SpainPARADEISAMarleen ValienGermanyThe Summer That Ended TwiceL'estate che finì due volteMatteo IncolluItalyViva CarmenCarmen, l'Oiseau RebelSebastien LaundenbachFrance, Finland, Spain
Official Awards
Main Competition
Golden Leopard: You Don't Belong Here by Florin Șerban Special Jury Prize: The Riverbank by Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho Pardo for Best Direction: Hong Sang-soo for Nowhere to Lay My Eyes Pardo for Best Performance: Monica Bellucci for Ketticè Kim Min-hee for Nowhere to Lay My Eyes Special Mention: Xavier Bergeron for his performance in Nobody's Violence Teodor Butănescu for his performance in You Don't Belong Here
Special Awards
Leopard of Honour: Darren Aronofsky Pardo alla Carriera: James Gray
Filmmakers of the Present
Golden Leopard – Filmmakers of the Present: The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer by Alessandra Sanguinetti Best Emerging Director Award: Beatrice Gibson for At Night Special Jury Prize: Revolutionaries Never Die by Mohanad Yaqubi Pardo for Best Performance: Idrissu Tontie Jr. for Ego Reach We All (Our Time Will Come) Manal Issa for Summer Meadow Special Mention: The Days Off by Lucila Mariani Fire Flower by Ana Vaz
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Corti d'Autore Golden Leopard for the Best Auteur Short Film: The Bovine Comedy by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke Special Mention: And If Thuy Didn’t Exist by Carlo Francisco Manatad
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Internazionale Golden Leopard for the Best International Short Film: Milk by Filip Anthonissen Silver Leopard for the International Competition: Khufu by Mahmoud Assi Pardino for the Best Direction for the International Competition: Marco Cavazzin for Mutrion Locarno Short Film Candidate for the European Film Awards: Melk by Filip Anthonissen Special Mention: Las damas by Camille Zéhenne
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Nazionale Golden Leopard for the Best Swiss Short Film: Typhoon Mambo by Domenico Singha Pedroli Silver Leopard for the National Competition: Take Care by Patricia Strübin Best Swiss Newcomer Award: Charlyne Genoud for Respirer une fois sur trois
First Feature Film Competition