The 78th Locarno Film Festival took place from 6 to 16 August 2025, in Locarno, Switzerland. Cambodian filmmaker Rithy Panh served as the jury president for the main competition.
Japanese drama film Two Seasons, Two Strangers by Sho Miyake was the winner of the Golden Leopard, the festival's main prize. Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter's White Snail was the winner of the Special Jury Prize. American filmmaker Alexander Payne was honoured with Leopard of Honour (Pardo d’Onore) on 15 August.
The festival poster was designed by the German artist Wolfgang Tillmans. The poster features the festival’s iconic leopard resting on a tree branch, surrounded by a vivid mix of yellow and purple abstract patterns. Artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, noted that Tillmans' artwork portrays a vision of a world where people can coexist and collaborate.
Tamara Stepanyan's drama film In the Land of Arto was the festival's opening film, while Bill Condon's Kiss of the Spider Woman was the festival's closing film.
Juries Main Competition
Rithy Panh, Cambodian filmmaker and author - Jury President Carlos Reygadas, Mexican filmmaker Joslyn Barnes, American film producer and writer Ursina Lardi, Swiss actress Renée Soutendijk, Dutch actress
Filmmakers of the Present Competition
Asmara Abigail, Indonesian actress, dancer, and model La Frances Hui, Curator of Film at Museum of Modern Art and Co-chair of the festival New Directors/New Films Kani Kusruti, Indian actress
Leopard of Tomorrow Competition Jihan El-Tahri, French-Egyptian filmmaker and producer Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, Mosotho filmmaker and visual artist. Sara Serraiocco, Italian actress
First Feature Competition James Hawkinson, American cinematographer Judith Lou Lévy, French producer and writer Patricia Mazuy, French filmmaker
Pardo Verde Competition Michael Almereyda, American filmmaker and film producer Martina Parenti, Italian filmmaker Seta Thakur, Swiss Head of Communications and Social Innovation, Wyss Academy for Nature
Independent Juries Ecumenical Jury Melanie Pollmeier, Switzerland Ileana Bîrsan, Romania Philippe Cabrol, France Roland Kauffmann, France
FIPRESCI Award Alonso Aguilar Candanedo, Costa Rica Alessandro Amato, Italy Savina Petkova, Bulgaria Sabrina Schwob, Switzerland Britt Sørensen, Norwegian author
Europa Cinemas Label Yuliia Antypova, Ukraine Catherine Lemaire, Belgium Roxanne Sayegh, Canada Verena von Stackelberg, German film curator and programmer
Grand Prix Semaine de la Critique – Prix SRG SSR 2025 - Critics' Week Grand Prize
Stéphane Gobbo, Switzerland Mala Reinhardt, Germany Simonetta Sommaruga, Switzerland
The Premio Cinema Ticino Jury Cristina Trezzini, Jury President Nicola Bernasconi Frédéric Maire Antonio Mariotti Seraina Rohrer, Swiss audiovisual executive, academic, and innovation specialist for the creative industries.
Official sections On 8 July the festival announced its line-up for this edition. It will screen 221 films, including 99 world premieres. The selection committee for feature films was composed by Pamela Biénzobas, Stefan Ivančić, Giovanni Marchini-Camia and Daniela Persico, with Eddie Bertozzi serving as advisor for the competitive sections.
Piazza Grande The following films were selected for the Piazza Grande section, these are eligible for Prix du public award: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryThe Birthday Party Miguel Ángel Jiménez Greece, Spain, Netherlands, United KingdomDead of Winter Brian Kirk United States, GermanyThe Deal (TV series) Jean-Stéphane Bron Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium Heads or Tails? Testa O Croce? Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis Italy, United States In the Land of Arto (opening film) Le Pays D’arto Tamara Stepanyan France, Armenia Irkala – Gilgamesh’s Dream Irkalla Hulm Jijiljamish Mohamed Al-Daradji Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, France, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia It Was Just an Accident Un Simple Accident Jafar Panahi Iran, France, Luxembourg Kiss of the Spider Woman (closing film) Bill Condon United States, Uruguay The Little Sister La Petite Dernière Hafsia Herzi France, GermanyPolice Story (1985)警察故事Jackie ChanHong KongRosemead Eric Lin United States Sentimental Value Affeksjonsverdi Joachim Trier Norway, France, Denmark, Germany, SwedenThe Shining (1980)Stanley KubrickUnited Kingdom, United StatesTogether Michael Shanks Australia, United States
Main Competition (Concorso Internazionale) The following films were selected for the Golden Leopard competition: English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Desire Lines Linije Želje Dane Komljen Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Netherlands, Croatia, GermanyDonkey Days Rosanne Pel Netherlands, GermanyDracula Radu Jude Romania, Austria, LuxembourgDry Leafხმელი ფოთოლი Alexandre Koberidze Germany, Georgia God Will Not Help Bog Neće Pomoći Hana Jušić Croatia, Italy, Romania, Greece, France, Slovenia The Lake Le Lac Fabrice Aragno SwitzerlandMare's Nest Ben Rivers United Kingdom, France, CanadaMektoub, My Love: Canto Due Abdellatif Kechiche France Mosquitoes Le Bambine Valentina Bertani and Nicole Bertani Italy, Switzerland, France Phantoms of July Sehnsucht in Sangerhausen Julian Radlmaier Germany The Seasons As Estações Maureen Fazendeiro Portugal, France, Spain, AustriaSolomamma Janicke Askevold Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Denmark, FinlandSorella di Clausura Ivana Mladenović Romania, Serbia, Italy, Spain Two Seasons, Two Strangers 旅と日々 Sho Miyake JapanTales of the Wounded Land Abbas Fahdel LebanonWhite Snail Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter Austria, GermanyWith Hasan in Gazaمع حسن في غزّة Kamal Aljafari Palestine, Germany, France, QatarYakushima's IllusionL'Illusion de Yakushima Naomi Kawase France, Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg
Out of Competition English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Bobò Pippo Delbono Italy Le Chantier Jean-Stéphane Bron France, Switzerland The Deal Jean-Stéphane Bron Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium Deathstalker Steven Kostanski United States, Canada E Anna Eriksson Finland Exile إغتراب Mehdi Hmili Tunisia, Luxembourg, France, Qatar, Saudi ARabia I Live Here Now Julie Pacino United States Judas' Gospel Il Vangelo di Giuda Giulio Base Italy, Poland Keep Quiet Vincent Grashaw United States Kerouac's Road: The Beat of a Nation Ebs Burnough United Kingdom, United States Legend of the Happy Worker Duwayne Dunham United States Nova '78 Aaron Brookner, Rodrigo Areias United Kingdom, Portugal Silence Silencio Eduardo Casanova Spain Some Notes on the Current Situation Eran Kolirin Israel
Filmmakers of the Present Competition (Concorso Cineasti del Presente) The Concorso Cineasti del Presente, also known as the Filmmakers of the Present Competition, showcases first and second feature films from emerging filmmakers. English Title Original Title Director(s) Production Country Affection Affection Alexia Walther, Maxime Matray FranceA Balcony in Limoges Un balcon à Limoges Jérôme Reybaud France Balearic Ion de Sosa Spain, France Becoming Zhannat Alshanova France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Lithuania Blue Heron Sophy Romvari Canada, Hungary Don't Let Me Die Nu mă lăsa să mor Andrei Epure Romania, Bulgaria, France Don't Let the Sun Jacqueline Zünd Switzerland, Italy Fantasy Kukla Kesherovic Slovenia, North Macedonia The Fin Park Syeyoung South Korea, Germany, QatarFollies Folichonneries Eric K. Boulianne CanadaHair, Paper, Water... Tóc, Giấy và Nước Nicolas Graux and Minh Quý Trương Belgium, France, Vietnam Hijo Mayor Cecilia Kang Argentina, France Olivia Sofía Petersen Argentina, United Kingdom, Spain The Plant from the Canaries Ruan Lan-Xi GermanySweetheart Gioia mia Margherita Spampinato Italy
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Corti d'Autore The Concorso Corti d'Autore portion of the Leopard of Tomorrow competition features short films by established filmmakers.
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryCairo Streets Abdellah Taïa France Hysterical Fit oF Laughter Histeriöni Napad Smeha Dušan Zorić and Matija Gluščević Serbia, CroatiaIndex Radu Muntean Romania Late Harvest Späternte Katharina Huber Germany The Sleeping Beauty Nang Norn Mattie Do United States, Laos, ThailandSlet 1988 Marta Popivoda Germany, France, Serbia Solitudes Ryan McKenna Canada The Dog Is My Dog Su Cane Est Su Miu Salvatore Mereu Italy A South-Facing Window Une fenetre pi-ein sud Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir France, MongoliaA Very Straight Neck Neo Sora Japan, China
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Internazionale The Concorso Internazionale portion of the Leopard of Tomorrow competition features short and medium-length films by emerging international directors.
English Title Original Title Director(s) Production CountryBaisanos Andrés Khamis Giacoman and Francisca Khamis Giacoman Chile, Spain, Palestine Bleifrei 95 Unleaded 95 Emma Hütt and Tina Emy Muffler Austria, GermanyBlind, Into the Eye Atefeh Kheirabadi and Mehrad Sepahnia Germany, IranBOA Alexandre Dostie Canada, FranceEldorado Anton Bialas FranceForce Times Displacement Angel WU TaiwanHappily Ever After Elodie Beaumont Tarillon FranceHoney, My Love, So Sweet JT Trinidad PhilippinesHyena Altay Ulan Yang United StatesPrimera EnseñanzaAria Sánchez and Marina MeiraCuba, Spain, BrazilStill PlayingMohamed MesbahFranceThe Uniformed Timon Ott Germany What We Leave Behind Ce qu'on laisse derrière Alexandra Myotte and Jean-Sébastien Hamel CanadaYo YoMohammadreza MayghaniFrance, Iran
Leopard of Tomorrow - Concorso Nazionale The Concorso Nazionale portion of the Leopard of Tomorrow competition features short and medium-length films by emerging Swiss directors.
Original Title English Title Director(s) Production CountryAir Horse One Lasse Linder Switzerland, Belgium Black Mornings Noirs Matins David GonsethSwitzerlandI-Iavant-Poste 21 Camille Surdez I'm Not Sure Ich Bin Nicht Sicher Luisa Zürcher The Gods Les Dieux Anas SareenLost Touch Justine KlaiberNest Stefania Burla Rio Remains Beautiful O Rio De Janeiro Continua I-Indo Felipe Casanova Belgium, Brazil, SwitzerlandTusen Toner Francesco Poloni SwitzerlandYonne Julietta Korbel and Yan Ciszewski Switzerland, France
Retrospective - Great Expectations: British Postwar Cinema 1945-1960 A tribute to British cinema from that period. More than 40 films screened in partnership with the BFI National Archive and the Cinémathèque suisse, with the support of StudioCanal and curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht.