Facts & Figures 2024
77 Years of Cinema and Discovery
The city of Locarno in Italian-speaking Switzerland becomes the world capital of auteur cinema for 11 days in August, a renowned international reference point for emerging quality cinema for almost eighty years. A member of the Swiss Top Events supported by public funding and private partners, the Festival draws its strength and recognition from its values of artistic freedom and respect for the new, as well as a grounding in environmental and social sustainability.
The Festival celebrates both established and emerging filmmakers through a slate of significant awards across several competitions, including the Concorso Internazionale and Concorso Cineasti del Presente, the short film competitions in Pardi di Domani, and a cross-section first features competition. A further eight program sections animate each new edition of the Locarno Film Festival and act as a vital support for an increasingly challenging cultural context.
Saulė Bliuvaitė, Winner of Pardo d'Oro 2024 
More than 152,000 spectators flock to Locarno each year, filling its
theaters and eagerly awaiting the best world cinema has to offer.
But they are also unafraid of a challenge. "In Locarno it's
possible for a filmmaker to establish a genuine connection with
the audience", says Giona A. Nazzaro, the Artistic Director.
"They can unleash a radical vision on the audience in Locarno
and the public will take it on its own terms."
SOURCE: LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL, Audience Survey, 2023, 1733 Respondents
Accredited journalists in TV, online, and print travel from across Switzerland and around the world to Locarno because they know that it's a place worth covering: one with access to some of the biggest stars of international cinema and one offering a cross-section of films that range from popular to avant-garde, Hollywood to avant-garde.
A scenic place for dialogues and exchanges between industry professionals, the city of Locarno has grown into a major point of reference for the film industry through the work of Locarno Pro, which aims to foster projects in development and host the tough but necessary conversations that need to be had about the future of the industry.
Open Doors supports filmmakers coming from regions
with less developed industry spaces and financial
support, and where cinema as a form of expression
is at risk. Filmmakers find guidance on each step
of their creative and professional journey and
bring diverse perspectives to Locarno. Open Doors
offers the talents a space during the Festival as
well as year-round, giving access to resources,
training, new inspirations and contacts, to create,
finance and promote their works, contributing to the
development of their film community.
In 2024, Open Doors concluded a three-year
focus on Latin America and the Caribbean.
As an institution with a long history, we've learned to evolve as new things come along. Social media and digital communication have become essential for us to reach all different kinds of people. On our socials, we get the word out about what we're doing throughout the year - and have fun doing it. Things are constantly evolving, as does our approach to building online communities responsive to great cinema.
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