Locarno Film Festival Announces 2026 Jury Lineup and Dates

The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival has revealed the full roster of juries that will decide the awards for this year’s competition. The international competition (Concorso Internazionale) will be presided over by Belgian filmmaker Fabrice Du Welz. Other jurors include Italian producer Marco Alessi, French actress Lolita Chammah (daughter of Isabelle Huppert), Chilean actress Paulina García, and former Locarno artistic director Olivier Père. Emerging-director juries feature Tunisian actress-director Afef Ben Mahmoud, Czech producer-director Radovan Síbrt, and Lebanese director-writer-actress Mounia Akl. The “Pardi di Domani” (Future Filmmakers) jury comprises Lebanese director Mounia Akl, South African producer Steven Markovitz, and Italian director Antonio Piazza. The First Feature jury includes Matthieu Darras, Sung Moon, and Swiss-Peruvian filmmaker Klaudia Reynicke. The festival will run from August 5 to 15, 2026.

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Since its inception in 1946, the Locarno Festival has been a cornerstone of the European art-house circuit, known for the Golden Leopard (Pardo d’Oro) and for championing daring, socially relevant cinema. The 2026 edition continues this tradition by emphasizing diversity in both the films selected and the perspectives of its jurors, aligning with the festival’s “Pardo for Change” award that honors works engaging with pressing environmental, ethical, social, and cultural issues.

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• Fabrice Du Welz – Belgian director of *Adoration* and *The Passion According to Béatrice*, leading the main competition jury.

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• Marco Alessi – Italian producer, founder of Dugong Films, noted for co-producing *Roma Elastica*.

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• Lolita Chammah – French actress, daughter of Isabelle Huppert, brings a legacy of French cinema to the panel.

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• Paulina García – Chilean actress acclaimed for *Gloria*.

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• Olivier Père – Former Locarno artistic director, now executive director of ARTE France Cinéma.

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• Afef Ben Mahmoud, Radovan Síbrt, Mounia Akl, Steven Markovitz, Antonio Piazza, Matthieu Darras, Sung Moon, Klaudia Reynicke – Jurors representing emerging talent across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, underscoring the festival’s global outlook.

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Locarno’s artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro emphasized the festival’s commitment to fresh viewpoints, noting that the jury composition “reflects Locarno’s commitment to cinema that engages with pressing environmental, ethical, social, and cultural questions of broad social relevance.” The festival’s programming directors highlighted a balance of established auteurs and first-time filmmakers, aiming to provide a platform for both celebrated and undiscovered voices.

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• “Selecting those whose eyes will be watching the films in the competitive sections is a task that always brings out desires and emotions. The diversity of talent meets the diversity of perspectives. Ultimately, however, what matters most is a willingness to be surprised, to be amazed, and to embrace the unexpected.” — Giona A. Nazzaro, artistic director, Locarno Film Festival

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• “These are films that I think younger people will like,” — Alan Inkles, founder, Stony Brook Film Festival (cited for comparative context)

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• “We have to remind people that they can’t see these films anywhere else,” — Alan Inkles, founder, Stony Brook Film Festival

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The festival will open on August 5, 2026 with a slate of international features, followed by screenings, panels, and awards ceremonies culminating on August 15. Audiences and industry professionals are invited to attend the juried competitions, the “Pardo for Change” presentations, and the various side events that showcase emerging talent from around the world.

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