Locarno 2023: Secret Iranian film to be filmed by Golden Leopard

By some numbers, the 76th edition of the Locarno Festival, which ends on August 12, is dizzying: 214 films and 466 screenings are scheduled. And the rooms are still full. After 11 days of celebrating international cinema, the jury, chaired by French actor Lambert Wilson, announced its verdict.

It was Ali Ahmadzadeh’s German-Iranian film Mantagheye bohrani (Critical Zone) that won the Golden Leopard, the highest award. In this drama, set in a specific context, “A lonely man walks the slums of Tehran with his dog, selling drugs and healing lost souls like a modern-day prophet“.

The concept of this film was a real challenge as it was shot secretly in Tehran to escape the Iranian authorities.

The jury’s special prize was awarded to Radu Judi’s new film, which was well received by the audience and journalists during the festival. Don’t expect too much from The End of the World, intended as a modern and satirical retelling of Alice in Wonderland.

The story tells about Angela, a production assistant, who travels around the city of Bucharest and meets along the way:Great entrepreneurs and real stalkers, rich and poor, people with severe disabilities and sexual partners, her digital avatar and another Angela from an old forgotten movie“. The film is scheduled to be shot in France on September 27.

In terms of interpretation, this year and for the first time, the festival awarded a gender-neutral prize. It was awarded ex aequo to Dimitra Vlagopoulos for Sophia Exarch’s Animal and René Soutendyk for Ena Sendiarevic’s Sweet Dreams.

Check out the full list:

International competition:

Pardo d’oro, Grand Prix of the City of Locarno Festival for the best film:

Mantagheye bohrani (critical zone) Ali Ahmadzadeh

Special Prize of the Jury of the Cities of Ascona and Lawson:

Don’t expect too much from End of the World Radu Judi

Pardo for setting up the city and region of Locarno:

Marina was for the steppe

Pardo for Best Performance:

Dimitra Vlagopoulou for the animal Sofia Exarchou

Pardo for Best Performance:

Renée Soutendijk for Sweet Dreams by Ena Sendijarević

Special mention:

Dark Night – Goodbye, Here, Somewhere by Sylvain George

Film directors of today

Pardo d’oro Concorso Cineasti del award for the best film:

Hao Jiu Bu Jian (Dreaming and Dying) by Nelson Yeo

Prize for the best new director of the city and region of Locarno:

Katarina Huber for Ein Schönerort

CINÉ+ Jury Special Prize:

Éléonore Saintagnan Lake Camp

Pardo for Best Performance:

Clara Schwining for Ein Schöner ort for Katharina Huber

Pardo for Best Performance:

Isolt Haldorudottir and Stavros Zafeiris with a touch of Claudia Roarius

Special mentions:

Tour of Una Gunjak

Negu Hurbilak from Kolectivo Negu

Award for Best First Feature Film:

Hao Jiu Bu Jian (Dreaming and Dying) by Nelson Yeo

Full list You can find it on the official website of the Locarno Festival.