Dedicated to films rather than the glitz and glamor of their stars (the anti-Cannes then), the Festival del film Locarno opens its 69th edition this August in Switzerland.Famed for its enormous 26 by 14 meter screen set up in the Piazza Grande of the town, the Locarno Film Festival was established back in 1946 and now features 12 sections, 3 competitions and 25 awards.This year the festival will open with Colm McCarthy's “The Girl with All the Gifts,” set in a dystopian future where zombies roam. British actress Gemma Arterton, best known as the Bond girl from “Quantum of Solace,” will be amongst the guests.The Concorso internazionale is the main competition, with films vying for the Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard) award, which is shared equally between the director and the producer. Entries this year span movies from across Europe, Africa, Korea and Malaysia, and include Japanese filmmaker Akihiko Shiota’s curious “Wet Woman in the Wind,” and Anocha Suwichakornpong’s “By the time it gets dark.”The Excellence Award this year will be presented to American actor Bill Pullman, star of the likes of “Spaceballs” and “Independence Day,” in recognition of his versatility across genres. There will also be a focus on French cinema, with actor and filmmaker Louis Garrel returning to the festival, along with actresses Isabelle Huppert, Nathalie Baye, Emmanuelle Devos and Clotilde Courau.Swiss actress Carla Juri will also be on hand, to promote “Paula,” a film about German expressionist painter Paula Modersohn-Becker by Christian Schwochow.As well as the International Competition, the 8,000 viewers in the Piazza Grande form the largest jury on earth as they voting for the “Prix du Public UBS” (Audience Award). The festival runs August 3 to 13.
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