Locarno: Pardo alla carriera (Lifetime Achievement Award) goes to Jean-Pierre Léaud
- On the occasion of the 67th edition of the Locarno International Film Festival, Jean-Pierre Léaud will receive the prestigious Pardo alla carriera
Jean-Pierre Léaud, a genuine icon of French auteur cinema, will light up the Piazza Grande in Locarno. Jean-Pierre Léaud brought numerous legendary characters to life on screen; these contributed to the splendour of the “Nouvelle Vague” cinematic trend. One of the memorable characters that Léaud played is Antoine Doinel, a character that directly materialised out of the prolific mind of François Truffaut. Doinel's character was born with The 400 Blows (1959) and developed throughout five films culminating in Love on the Run (1979).
His acting, full of energy and fragility, his facial expressions with his mysterious gestures and is unique way of using his body as a vehicle of human anxiety have indelibly marked the history of cinema. Aside from his symbolic collaboration with Truffaut, Jean-Pierre Léaud enriched the aesthetic world of discerning directors like Jean Eustache (the unforgettable Alexandre in La maman et la putain, 1973), Jerzy Skolimowski, Aki Kaurismäki, Olivier Assayas, Bertrand Bonello and finally Philippe Garrel, who knew how to highlight his immense talent thanks to unforgettable films such as Rue fontaine (1984) and above all La naissance de l’amour (1993).
The Locarno Festival award is an important acknowledgement; it underlines the significance of a legendary figure in international cinema.
(Translated from Italian)
Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.
