The present version is valid from November 6, 2024 and may be modified by the Locarno Film Festival at any time.
Last update: November 6, 2024
The Locarno Film Festival is recognized by the International Federation of Film Producers’ Associations (FIAPF) as belonging to the category of “Competitive Festivals”. The following Rules and Regulations are subject to the “Regulations for International Film Festivals” published by the FIAPF.
The Locarno Film Festival (hereinafter also referred to as the “Festival”) is organized by the Festival Internazionale del film di Locarno Association. Its principal subsidies are provided by the Swiss Federal Government, the Canton Ticino, Ascona-Locarno Turismo and Municipal Authorities of the region. Additional financing is provided by other associations, organizations, institutions and private partners.
The 78th Locarno Film Festival will take place in Locarno from August 6-16, 2025.
An eventual cancellation of the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival by effect of law, decree or regulation issued by local, Cantonal, Federal or international authorities in the context of a situation of force majeure or emergency (including, but not limited to, situations resulting from an epidemic or pandemic, in particular with regard to COVID-19 and related consequences and effects) shall result in the cancellation of all and/or the majority of the screenings in theaters and in Piazza Grande and of the edition of the Festival and shall render all contractual obligations of the Locarno Film Festival null and void.
Even where no such law, decree or regulation is issued by a competent authority, the Locarno Film Festival may at any time and when required by circumstances beyond its control, for reasons of urgency, necessity or of safeguarding preeminent public or private interests (regarding, but not limited to, COVID-19 and related consequences and effects), cancel the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival and thus automatically rescind with immediate effect any contract or agreement with the participants selected.
Should any situation of force majeure or emergency arise, the Locarno Film Festival may at any time and when circumstances require it, for reasons of urgency, necessity or of safeguarding preeminent public or private interests, amend the format of the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival (regarding, but not limited to, by digital alternatives or reduction of the program).
In all the eventualities mentioned, the Locarno Film Festival undertakes to promptly inform all the participants of the submitted/invited films. In such cases the registration fees and other compensations will not be reimbursed and/or become due.
The Locarno Film Festival respects and protects personal data according to the current legislation.
The Locarno Film Festival aims to promote arthouse cinema of artistic merit; to provide a showcase for major new films of the year from around the world; to make room, in its competitive sections, to new perspectives and forms of filmmaking expression, focusing specially on new directors and new ways of filmmaking that attracts international attention.
The Festival is composed of several sections:
a) The Concorso Internazionale presents as world or international premieres a selection of fiction feature films, documentaries, or animated films over 60 minutes in length. This panorama of contemporary auteur cinema includes films by young talents alongside works by established filmmakers.
b) The Concorso Cineasti del Presente is reserved for first and second features over 60 minutes. This section offers a selection of films as world or international premieres, ranging from documentary to fiction and including the most hybrid and up-to-date forms of cinematic creativity.
c) The Pardi di Domani section presents as a world or international premiere short and medium-length films not more than 59 minutes in length. All genres are eligible. This section includes two competitions open to filmmakers who have not yet made feature-length films: one is reserved for Swiss productions and co-productions (Concorso Nazionale), while the other is open to works from the rest of the world (Concorso Internazionale). A third competitive program (Concorso Corti d’Autore) presents works by well-established filmmakers exploring new narrative forms and innovative film language.
d) The Locarno Kids Screenings section offers films for children and teenagers, from 6 to 14 years old, mainly as world, international, European or Swiss premieres. The section is also complemented with restored titles that help rediscover film history.
e) The Piazza Grande section offers world, international or European premieres works intended for a mainstream audience made by well-established filmmakers, with original genre films and the best of recently made documentaries.
f) The Fuori Concorso section offers recent works – feature films and shorts, film essays and documentaries – by well-established filmmakers, mainly as world or international premieres.
g) Histoire(s) du Cinéma is the section dedicated to the history of cinema. It offers works from filmmakers to whom the Festival dedicates special tributes, restored prints of rare and important works, but also films (documentaries, essays, experimental and hybrid films) that shed new light on the history of cinema.
h) The Retrospettiva – an historical or thematic program, or the complete works of a major filmmaker – is designed to contribute to the history of cinema or to enable the audience to (re)discover the body of work of an important auteur.
i) Open Doors Screenings is a non-competitive, curated section, which from 2025 until 2028 is highlighting cinema from 42 countries in the African Continent. Open Doors is organized with the collaboration of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
For more information and regulations: www.locarnofestival.ch/opendoors
Two sections, likewise subject to this regulation, are independently organized within the framework of the Festival:
j) The Semaine de la Critique, reserved for documentaries, is organized by the Swiss Film Journalists Association.
For submissions and more information: www.semainedelacritique.ch
k) Panorama Suisse presents a selection of Swiss films, chosen by a commission with representatives of the Solothurn Film Days, SWISS FILMS and the Swiss Film Academy.
www.swissfilms.ch – www.journeesdesoleure.ch
Juries invited by the Locarno Film Festival may not include persons directly associated with the production or exploitation of a film in the concerned competition.
Prizes awarded are subject to changes in terms of quantity and amounts. The Festival reserves the right to apply changes to the awards based on various circumstances, including but not limited to availability of funds, sponsorship, and other unforeseen conditions.
The Festival will inform the selected films of the specific awards to which they are entitled, providing details about the awarded quantities and amounts. It is the responsibility of the selected films to consult the official releases and communications provided by the Festival in order to obtain accurate information about the awards.
a) Concorso Internazionale
A Jury composed of five personalities from the world of cinema and culture will award the following prizes:
The Jury may also award a maximum of two special mentions.
The three first prizes may not be awarded ex aequo.
The film receiving the Pardo d’Oro will not be eligible for other prizes of the Concorso Internazionale section that entail money or services.
A maximum of two prizes per film may be awarded.
b) Concorso Cineasti del Presente
A Jury composed of three personalities from the world of cinema and culture will award the following prizes:
The Jury may also award a maximum of two special mentions.
The three first prizes may not be awarded ex aequo.
A maximum of two prizes per film may be awarded.
c) Best First Feature Award
A Jury composed of three personalities from the world of cinema, culture, journalism and film criticism will award a prize to the best first feature film presented as international or world premiere in all the Festival sections, except for the Retrospective, Locarno Kids Screenings section and the independent sections Semaine de la Critique and Panorama Suisse. First feature: first fiction, documentary, or animated film over 60 minutes in length.
The Jury will award the following prize:
Swatch First Feature Award: CHF 15,000 to the director.
The Jury may also award a maximum of two special mentions.
d) Pardi di Domani
A Jury composed of three personalities from the world of cinema and culture will award the following prizes:
Concorso Nazionale and Internazionale
Pardino d’Oro for the Best Swiss Short Film (CHF 10,000);
Pardino d’Oro SRG SSR for the Best International Short Film (CHF 10,000*);
Pardino d’Argento for the National Competition (CHF 5,000);
Pardino d’Argento SRG SSR for the International Competition (CHF 5,000*);
Pardi di Domani Best Direction Award – BONALUMI Engineering (CHF 2,000);
Best Swiss Newcomer Award – which provides equipment and services offered by Downtown Studio (CHF 10,000), and Taurus Studio (CHF 2,000);
Medien Patent Verwaltung AG Award – sponsored by Medien Patent Verwaltung AG, in the form of subtitling in three central European languages.
Concorso Corti d’Autore
The Jury may also award a special mention for each competition.
These prizes may not be awarded ex-aequo and are conferred on the directors of the winning films.
Only one prize per film may be awarded.
*Part of the prize money (CHF 2,000 for the Pardino d’Oro and CHF 1,000 for the Pardino d’Argento) is subject to the non-exclusive transfer of online rights to SRG SSR for the purpose of streaming the film in Switzerland on the Play Suisse platform, for a 6 months period starting at the latest one month before the beginning of the 79th edition of the Festival.
e) The decisions of the official Juries are final.
f) A single copy of the Pardo statuette awarded for each main prize will be handed over respectively to the director or to the winners of the Best Performance awards.
g) Films screened on the Piazza Grande are eligible for the following prize:
At the following link you can find information on the Independent Juries: www.locarnofestival.ch/festival/juries
a) Submitted films will be considered for all official Locarno Film Festival sections that showcase new feature films.
b) The selected films must have been completed within the 12 (twelve) months preceding their Festival screening, therefore, the festival will only consider films completed after August 31, 2024.
c) Films selected must not have been previously released outside their production countries prior to the official presentation at the Locarno Film Festival. World premieres (first public screening) are favored. Films available on Internet, broadcasted on television or commercially released on VOD, DVD, Blu-Ray or any other format are not eligible.
d) All Swiss productions and co-productions must be world premieres.
e) Works that are solely promotional, educational or scientific in character are not eligible.
f) Films submitted for previous editions of the Festival may not be resubmitted, not even in a new version.
A Selection Committee (with an advisory brief) made up of film experts will assist the artistic director in the scouting and selection of works for the Festival.
a) Submissions are entered online at https://locarnofestival.ch/form
b) A screener link of the film must be added to the submission form. DCP screenings of feature films are allowed only under exceptional circumstances subject to written agreement from the Programming office (programming@locarnofestival.ch) and will be charged an additional fee of CHF 200 (in addition to the entry fee).
c) Submission is subject to a registration fee payable during the online submission process. The fee varies according to the chosen deadline and the film length (point 8). The submission will not be considered until the registration fee is received by the Festival.
d) A screener link of the film must be uploaded on Vimeo (preferably) or YouTube with the download option enabled. Screener must be accessible until July 10, 2025. If the link or the password are no longer valid, it will not be possible to consider the film for selection. It is possible to submit work in progress films, which will be considered for the pre-selection phase in the same way as completed films.
e) All films must be submitted in the original language with English subtitles. Films without English subtitles will not be considered. For pre-selection, English-language films do not require subtitles.
f) Due to high number of submissions, the Festival is unable to provide any personal feedback in case of non-selection.
g) The submission and participation of a film in the Festival imply acceptance of the Rules and Regulations for participation. In any unforeseen eventuality, the decision of the Festival Directorship is final.
The Italian text of these Rules and Regulations is the authentic and binding version.
| Early | Regular | Late | |
| Deadlines | 20.02.2025 – before 2 pm CET | 10.04.2025 – before 2 pm CEST | 24.04.2025 – before 2 pm CEST |
| Feature and medium length films * | CHF 100.- | CHF 130.- | CHF 200.- |
| Short films ** | CHF 35.- | CHF 55.- | CHF 75.- |
* from 41 minutes | ** up to 40 minutes
All fees are tax inclusive. The entry fee payment and the submission form online must be completed before the chosen deadline (before 2 pm CET). Incomplete or misleading entries will not be considered. In case of cancellation of the submission, or in case the film is not eligible, the registration fee will not be reimbursed.
a) The accepted screening formats are: 35mm, DCP.
b) All selected works must be screened in their original language with English subtitles on the print. English-language films must be subtitled in French on the print. If the original version of your film is multilingual, you will be contacted to establish the necessary language/s for subtitling. Films presented in the Piazza Grande must be screened in their original language and be subtitled in two languages on the print. For films in 35mm, two prints must be supplied (in order to enable a double screening in case of rain), of which at least one must be subtitled in two languages. The production and costs of the subtitles on the print must be paid by the participant.
c) It is desirable that each selected film is represented during the Festival by its delegation. The Festival undertakes to provide accommodation for these representatives in accordance with the hospitality regulations for each section.
d) It is mandatory to provide the Festival with all the required documentation. This includes a link of the final version of the film in the original language with English subtitles for our archives and for internal consultation. The participant is liable for the costs of transportation and customs clearance of all material related to the selected film.
e) All selected films will have the opportunity to be shown to accredited professionals in an Online Digital Library (upon agreement with the right holders).
f) The producers and distributors of all selected films undertake to make mention in their publicity and advertising materials (posters, press-kits, trailers, website, etc.) of the selection of the film at the Locarno Film Festival, by featuring the official logo which will be supplied by the Festival. The logo must not under any circumstances be modified or altered without the prior permission of the Festival. Any publication featuring the logo must be approved by the Festival (design@locarnofestival.ch). After the screening in Locarno, the producers and distributors of selected films also undertake to add at the beginning of the distribution prints the official logo, provided by the Festival.
g) Each film in the competitive sections may have up to five public screenings during the Festival and an additional screening on Sunday, August 17, if the film is awarded with an official prize.
a) The producers and distributors and the buyers and sellers of the awarded films undertake to make mention in their publicity and advertising materials (posters, press-kits, trailers, website, etc.) of the winning of a prize at the Locarno Film Festival. The official logos of the various prizes will be supplied by the Festival. The logo must not under any circumstances be modified or altered without the prior permission of the Festival. Any publication of a logo must be approved for press by the Festival (design@locarnofestival.ch). The producers and distributors of prize-winning films also undertake to add at the beginning of the distribution prints the official prize logo, provided by the Festival.
b) Prizewinners will be asked to supply a copy of their winning film for additional screenings (screenings of the award-winning films on the day after the end of the Festival and possible screenings at the Festival’s partner events, in Switzerland or in other countries, in the weeks following the Festival).
a) DCP screening copies of invited films, must be uploaded to our partner lab's server no later than July 15, 2025. The Festival will provide an Aspera link for the secure upload. Any DCPs on a drive or 35mm prints, must arrive in Locarno via express courier no later than July 15, 2025. After this date the presentation of a film at the Festival cannot be guaranteed. Exceptions to this deadline may be granted in writing by the Festival Directorship.
For the prints sent by courier, it should be noted that customs clearance for Switzerland may involve delays.
b) The Festival Print Admission Unit (printadmission@locarnofestival.ch) will get in contact and, depending on the format of the prints, will provide the appropriate delivery instructions.
Generally, physical screening copies must be sent to the following address:
Locarno Film Festival
Via Franchino Rusca 1
6600 Locarno
Switzerland
For physical copies from countries outside Switzerland, via air mail or air freight, the following customs declaration will be needed: “Of no commercial value, for cultural purposes only”.
Important: for customs and transport, Global Forwarding air freight offices worldwide require a proforma invoice. Title, format, language, subtitles, length, and the information whether the film is in color or black-and-white, must always be stated on the abovementioned document. For 35mm copies it is also necessary to indicate the number of reels and the length in meters of each film. At the same time, the sender must send notification of shipment by e-mail (printadmission@locarnofestival.ch)
to the Festival, indicating the film’s title and the number of parcels, as well as the date of dispatch and forwarding information (Air Waybill/AWB number).
c) Our Digital Cinema screenings are only on a server basis. The DCP should be encoded following Interop or SMPTE standards. To assure the best handling of the DCP and the distribution of the KDMs of your film, it is imperative to deliver the DCP to our partner lab for a quality check and to provide the D-KDM (Distribution Key): the partner lab will generate the KDMs for all playback servers in use at the Festival. D-KDMs must be open from the moment the DCP is delivered for quality check until August 25, 2025. Further technical specifications will be available online for the selected films. Detailed logistical instructions will also be provided for digital delivery. Please do not add the official Locarno Film Festival logo to the screening copy. The logo may be added to the distribution prints right after the Locarno presentation.
d) The participant is liable for all costs of transportation and customs clearance of physical prints for both outward and return shipment.
If the return shipment of the selected films entails costs, these will be billed to the participant before the end of the year. The Festival reserves the right to refuse any shipments entailing additional costs.
e) As a rule, physical prints of the films will not be returned before the end of the Festival. Films will be shipped back within the two weeks following the end of the event. Within this time-frame, participants must supply the Festival with precise shipping instructions (full address, contact details and courier account number). Whenever possible, the Festival will respect participants’ shipping and timing requests concerning return shipments of their films. The Festival declines all liability for any forwarding error that may result from erroneous shipping information provided by participants and for any failure to return the film print when shipping instructions are not supplied within the above-mentioned time-frame.
f) Any claims or queries arising from the return of a film sent to the Festival must reach the Festival by e-mail (printadmission@locarnofestival.ch) no later than three days after the film has been received: no claims can be dealt with after such time.
a) Transportation of films to and from the Festival is entirely at the risk of the participant. All prints will be insured, from the moment of their arrival in Switzerland to the moment of their return shipment, against any loss or damage that may occur.
b) The liability of the Festival is limited to reimbursement of the replacement costs of a new print, as per the prices declared by the producer. All other costs or liabilities are specifically excluded. Negatives will be treated as standard prints for insurance purposes.
c) The Festival reserves the right to refuse the participation of any film that fails to meet the technical requirements for a public screening of good quality.
