The 79th Locarno Film Festival concluded with the Romanian film You Don’t Belong Here winning the Golden Leopard, the festival’s top prize. Directed by Florin Șerban, the film follows a widowed father and his teenage son, whose nocturnal wanderings and street antics disrupt the man's life. The story, which explores themes of family tension and personal struggle, was praised by the jury for its powerful script, unique vision, and mastery of cinematic language. This marks Șerban’s return to feature filmmaking after eight years and adds to his growing list of accolades at Locarno, including a previous mention for his lead actor, Teodor Butănescu, and awards from the Youth Jury and the Europa Cinemas Label. The festival also honored South Korean director Hong Sangsoo for his film Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, which won the Best Director award. This is not the first time Sangsoo has been recognized at Locarno; he previously won the Golden Leopard in 2015 for Right Now, Wrong Then. His latest work features Kim Min-hee, who received one of the two Leopard awards for best acting for her role as a woman visiting her mother on the island of Jeju after ten years apart. The film portrays a complex relationship between siblings and the emotional weight of familial bonds. Italian actress Monica Bellucci was awarded the second acting prize for her performance in Ketticè, directed by Giovanni Tortorici. In the coming-of-age film set in Palermo, Bellucci plays a character who resists traditional maternal roles, challenging societal expectations of motherhood. The film captures the struggles of young people seeking escape through parties, drug use, and social media, reflecting broader issues of hopelessness and disconnection among youth. Documentary filmmaker Alessandra Sanguinetti, based in Buenos Aires, took home the Golden Leopard for her film The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer. The documentary traces the lives of two Argentine cousins over more than 25 years, capturing their journey from childhood to adulthood. Sanguinetti, a U.S.-American photographer, was also awarded the Swatch First Feature Award for her debut work, highlighting her talent and the significance of her contribution to independent cinema. While Swiss films struggled to secure major prizes, the festival did recognize some local efforts. The Youth Jury awarded the Best Short Film category to the Swiss minority production Ãsheghetam by Filmsaazs. However, other Swiss entries such as O Jacaré and Small Talk failed to win recognition in the main competitions. Despite this, Swiss director Petra Volpe achieved success with her English-language film Frank & Louis, which won the Audience Prize Prix Public UBS. The film tells the story of two imprisoned men and their connection, and Volpe noted that the audience prize is the highest honor for filmmakers because it reflects the resonance of a film with its intended audience. Other notable awards included the Best Director award to Hong Sangsoo, the Best Acting honors to Kim Min-hee and Monica Bellucci, and the Golden Leopard for both You Don’t Belong Here and The Illusion of an Everlasting Summer. These recognitions underscored the diversity of voices and perspectives represented at the festival, from intimate dramas to sweeping documentaries. As the festival drew to a close, the winners and participants continued to reflect on the power of storytelling and its ability to connect people across cultures and experiences.
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