last updated in January 2025
Board of Directors
Maja Hoffmann, President
Luigi Pedrazzini, Vice President
Roberto Cicutto
Nadia Dresti
Gilles Marchand
Nicola Pini
Jean-Philippe Rochat
Stefano Lappe, Secretary of the Board of Directors
Pia Ferrari, Head of the Secretariat and President’s Office
office@locarnofestival.ch
Executive Management
Raphaël Brunschwig, Chief Executive Officer
Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director
direction@locarnofestival.ch
Markus Duffner, Director of Locarno Pro
Stefano Knuchel, Director of Locarno Factory
Mattia De-Sassi, Chief Operating Officer
Liliana Sampietro, Chief Financial Officer
Oliver Osborne, Chief Communications Officer
Emma Broggini, Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer
ceo@locarnofestival.ch
Program Organization
Programming Office
Victoria Manconi, Head of
Agatha Bottinelli Montandon, Programming Office Coordinator
Alberto Togni, Pardi di Domani Programming Office Coordinator
Michèle Bavaud, Retrospettiva and Special Programs Coordinator
programming@locarnofestival.ch
shortfilms@locarnofestival.ch
Partnerships
Fabienne Merlet, Head of
Laura Heggemann, Partnerships & Marketing Coordinator
Operations
Mattia De-Sassi, Chief Operating Officer
Ticketing & Accreditations
Manuela Pellegrini, Ticketing & Accreditations Manager
Partners Activations
Nicolò Martire, Manager
Communication
Oliver Osborne, Chief Communications Officer
Editorial
Christopher Small, Editorial Manager
Social Media
Lorenzo Giardina, Social Media Manager
Design
Alex Furgiuele, Design Manager
Press Office
Riccardo Lombardo, Press Office Manager
Manuele Moghini, Coordinator
press@locarnofestival.ch
Press Agents
Claudia Wintsch, elliott AG, German-speaking Switzerland
Eric Bouzigon, French-speaking Switzerland
Stephen Lan, International
Patrizia Wachter, Italy
Frauke Greiner, Germany and Austria
Celia Mahistre, France
Selection Committees, Curators, Advisors and Moderations
Selection Committee - Feature Films
Pamela Biénzobas
Stefan Ivančić
Giovanni Marchini Camia
Daniela Persico
Selection Committee - Pardi di Domani
Eddie Bertozzi, Head of
Anne Gaschütz
Lucie Emch
Enrico Vannucci
Retrospettiva Curator
Ehsan Khoshbakht, Curator
Advisors
Eddie Bertozzi, Competition Sections
Manlio Gomarasca, Advisor for US Cinema and Piazza Grande
John Nein, United States
Luca Pacilio, Consultant for the Selection Committees
Marcello Paolillo, Public Relations with US Talent Agencies
Locarno Pro
Locarno Pro
Markus Duffner, Director of Locarno Pro
Daria Voumard, Industry Manager
Francesca Palleschi, Alliance4Development Project Manager
Marcello Paolillo, StepIn & U30 Project Manager
Marion Klotz, Industry Academy International Project Manager
Ayumi Filippone, MatchMe! Match Maker
Mirjam Wiekenkamp, Noise PR, Locarno Pro Press Agent
locarnopro@locarnofestival.ch
Open Doors
Zsuzsi Bánkuti, Head of Open Doors
Sarah Schiesser, Deputy
Clara Kiskanç, Coordinator
opendoors@locarnofestival.ch
Educational / Multidisciplinar Programs & Initiatives
Locarno Academy / Locarno Residency / BaseCamp / Future of cinema
Locarno Kids / Atelier du Futur
Curators
Stefano Knuchel, Director of Locarno Factory
Daniela Persico, Head of Special Projects
Kevin B. Lee, Professor for the Future of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts of USI
Management
Francesco De Biasi, Educational Program Manager
Justine Knuchel, BaseCamp Artistic Curator
Christopher Small, Project Manager Critics Academy
Mara Manzolini, Project Manager Atelier du Futur
Hospitality
Hospitality Office
Etienne Loponte, Head of
Events (F&B)
F&B and Events
Stefano Dal Borgo, Manager
Digital & IT
Alessio Vairetti, Head of
IT Infrastructures & Systems
Paolo Allemann, IT Administrator
Digital Touchpoints
Giulia Ratti, Digital Platform Junior Administrator
Public Affairs
Emma Broggini, Head of Public Affairs & Leopard Club Operations and Donors Relations Manager
Stefano Lappe, Public Affairs Advisor
Secretariat
Pia Ferrari, Head of
Martina Orlandi, Coordinator
Finances, Controlling and Public Procurement
Liliana Sampietro, Chief Financial Officer
Ginevra Cenci, Specialist Accountant
Natascha Bertolutti, Accountant
Human Resources
Nathalie Solimano, Head of
Strahinja Popović, Human Resources Coordinator
Corporate Social Responsibility
Fabienne Merlet, Head of
Emma Broggini, Sustainability Manager