It’s August again and the dog days aren’t over yet (sorry Florence;-). Finally, after Lily Hinstin’s era, which was due to Covid disastrous, Giona A. Nazzaro’s second edition happens to be the 75th Locarno Film Festival. One of my first visits to the festival was in 2012, where I took part in the Youth Film Jury “Cinema e Giuventù”. I went back to Locarno almost every year since then, so if I’m not mistaken it would be my 11th edition.

Locarno is a summer film festival. It’s often very hot during the day so you will be tempted to have a dip in the nearby lake or gelato on a terrace. Real film aficionados will have a busy schedule cause there’s a lot to see. Starting from this year’s retrospective about the work of Douglas Sirk. I am a big fan of retrospectives but I watch films of all sections. Of course I’m keen on everything LGBTIQ but also on short films, first feature films and classics. The Locarno Festival is often the occasion to (re)discover master pieces and enjoy introductions by film experts or even members of the cast.

The most glamorous part is of course the open air screening on the Piazza Grande, where nearly 8000 spectators gather every night. The films shown there are mostly popular blockbusters. It’s also the moment for awards like the “Pardo alla carriere” or other prices by different sponsors of the festival. It’s definitely on the Piazza Grande stage that you will see the most celebrities.

Of course there are a lot of side events and party places around the festival. If you are not invited to one of the private parties you can always hang out at the Rotonda: a big food court on the roundabout linking the big screens FEVI, La Sala and l’altra Sala with the still rather newly opened PalaCinema, the GanRex, the Piazza, the Kursaal and other cinemas of Locarno. One of my favorites venues for after-film-drinks is the Teatro Paravento.

Even though it’s often hot and sunny in Locarno, sometimes it rains or rather pours because Ticino storms are quite something. In that case you better hurry to get a seat at the FEVI, where the Piazza films are shown indoors.

Enough tips and tricks for now! If you are also enjoying the festival, please let me know your recommendations (in the comment section below) and I will keep you posted about my latest discoveries.