Locarno Film Festival: Embracing the Unconventional
The 78th edition of the Locarno International Film Festival, held from August 6th to 16th, dares to challenge the increasingly cautious programming trends seen in other major festivals. Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro has embraced works that explore unheard voices and allow bodies to breathe on camera, with filmmakers finding ways to avoid voyeuristic ambiguity.
This year, Locarno prioritizes complexity over simple resilience, a term often overused in predictable narratives. Radu Jude’s Dracula, competing for the Golden Leopard, stands out as a provocative work. It envisions a vampire film made by AI, infused with sexuality and a regressive spirit, serving as a critique of contemporary vulgarity.
With this “tribute to B-movies,” the Romanian filmmaker seeks reinvention: “Cinema is struggling with storytelling. People fear AI, but if AI makes a better film than me, then OK, I’ll retire!” Jude declared at a press conference on August 10th. Actress Oana Maria Zaharia, wearing a fishnet outfit, discussed her role and erotic performance in terms rarely heard in French cinema: “I thank Radu Jude; I was able to express all my perversity and dark corners, to be myself.”
Enjoyed this post by Thibault Helle? Subscribe for more insights and updates straight from the source.
