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LOCARNO 2019 Piazza Grande / Filmmakers of the Present / Moving Ahead / Out of Competition / Critics’ Week

Locarno’s Piazza Grande to host both auteur films and crowd-pleasers

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- The 72nd edition of the Locarno Film Festival will see a number of European films featuring in parallel sections of the event, but they will also make an appearance in the prestigious Piazza Grande

Locarno’s Piazza Grande to host both auteur films and crowd-pleasers
Notre Dame by Valérie Donzelli

“First of all, there was the question of the Piazza Grande line-up and our response came out of a desire to forge a link between authorial visions and crowd pleasing films”, explains Lili Hinstin, the new director of the Locarno Film Festival, who unveiled today the festival's line-up (read the news about the International Competition) on the subject of the prestigious Piazza programme. Hers is a desire to appeal to the masses, but to also whet the appetites of film lovers who are increasingly particular over quality and, all-importantly, originality.

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The Piazza Grande will play host to films ranging from the psychological thriller Instinct [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Halina Reijn
film profile
]
by the Dutch director Halina Reijn to the angst-inducing action movie 7500 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Patrick Vollrath
film profile
]
 by Patrick Vollrath (attending Locarno with this, his first film), not forgetting Stéphane Demoustier’s French-Belgian courtroom drama The Girl with a Bracelet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Demoustier
film profile
]
 and the wholesome and restorative comedy Notre Dame [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Valérie Donzelli, who be attending the festival to present her work. It’s likewise impossible not to mention the latest work by Quentin Tarantino (presented in Cannes) Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. A great, if not overwhelming number of European films will be strutting their stuff in the Piazza Grande, confirming the diversity and high quality of films emerging from this decidedly buoyant sector of late. These include the Italian films Magari [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Ginevra Elkann (opening film) and The Nest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roberto De Feo
film profile
]
by Roberto De Feo, the French production Camille [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Boris Lojkine
film profile
]
by Boris Lojkine, the French-Swiss short film New Acid by Basim Magdy, the Belgian-French co-production Adoration [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fabrice du Welz
film profile
]
by Fabrice Du Welz, the Swiss comedy Die fruchtbaren Jahre sind vorbei [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Natascha Beller and, finally, two productions hailing from the UK: Days of the Bagnold Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Simon Bird
film profile
]
by Simon Bird and Diego Maradona [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Asif Kapadia
film profile
]
by Asif Kapadia.

In terms of the long-awaited Filmmakers of the Present line-up, Lili Hinstin has emphasised her desire to include within the selection “extreme works which sit on the boundary between documentary film and fiction, which invent new forms of filmmaking and which help us to look at the world from different standpoints”. Indeed, a great number of surprising works are ready and willing to break the mould: the second work by the actress Jeanne Balibar Wonders in the Suburbs [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, Space Dogs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter
film profile
]
by Elsa Kremser and Levin Peter (who voices the first dog sent to the moon, Leika), and the surreal and incisive Swiss film Love Me Tender [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Klaudia Reynicke. Another surprising Swiss film in the mix is Bird Island [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maya Kosa and Sérgio da Costa
film profile
]
by the duo composed of Maya Kosa and Sergio da Costa. European productions and co-productions also abound in this festival section: Here For Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Andrea Luka Zimmerman and Adrian Jackson (UK), Ivana the Terrible [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ada Solomon
film profile
]
by Ivana Mladenović (Romania/Serbia), the Italian films The Young Observant [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Davide Maldi
film profile
]
by Davide Maldi and The Cold Raising the Cold [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Rong Guang Rong, the Belgian-French co-production Overseas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yoon Sung-A
film profile
]
by Yoon Sung-a, but also 143 rue du désert [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Hassen Ferhani (Algeria/France/Qatar), Oroslan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Matjaž Ivanišin
film profile
]
by Matjaž Ivanišin (Slovenia/Czech Republic) and The Tree House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Minh Quý Trương (Singapore/Vietnam/Germany/France/China).

The section dedicated to exploratory cinema has changed name and will henceforth be known as Moving Ahead, in tribute to Jonas Mekas (and his film dating back to the year 2000 As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty) who passed away on 23 January this year. That said, the spirit and objectives of the section remain unchanged and the selected works are just as destabilising, experimental and innovative as ever. The strong presence of European works spills over into this category too, thanks to titles from established directors and youngsters alike: Black Hole [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Emmanuel Grimaud and Arnaud Deshayes (France), Color-Blind by the experimental filmmaker Ben Russell (France/Germany), In Memoriam by Jean-Claude Rousseau (France), the UK-Thailand co-production Krabi, 2562 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Rivers
film profile
]
by the famous artist Ben Rivers and the filmmaker Anocha Suwichakornpong, Ralf's Colors [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by Lukas Marxt (Austria/Germany/Spain/France), The Giverny Document (Single Channel) by Ja’Tovia M Gary (US/France), the co-production uniting China and Germany The Invisible Hand by Omer Fast, Those That, at a Distance, Resemble Another [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
by Jessica Sarah Rinland (UK/Argentina/Spain) and Un film dramatique [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
by France’s Eric Baudelaire.

Piazza Grande

Magari [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Ginevra Elkann (Italy/France) (opening film)
Lettre à Freddy Buache - Jean-Luc Godard (Switzerland) (short film, 1982)
New AcidBasim Magdy (France/Switzerland) (short film)
The Girl with a Bracelet [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stéphane Demoustier
film profile
]
Stéphane Demoustier (France/Belgium)
7500 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Patrick Vollrath
film profile
]
Patrick Vollrath (Germany/Austria)
Greener GrassJocelyn DeBoer, Dawn Luebbe (US)
Once Upon A Time… In HollywoodQuentin Tarantino (US)
CoffyJack Hill (US) (1973)
Notre Dame [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Valérie Donzelli (France/Belgium)
Die fruchtbaren Jahre sind vorbei [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Natascha Beller (Switzerland)
Instinct [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Halina Reijn
film profile
]
Halina Reijn (Netherlands)
Memories of MurderBong Joon-ho (South Korea) (2003)
Camille [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Boris Lojkine
film profile
]
Boris Lojkine (France)
Days of The Bagnold Summer [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Simon Bird
film profile
]
Simon Bird (UK)
Diego Maradona [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Asif Kapadia
film profile
]
Asif Kapadia (UK)
The Nest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Roberto De Feo
film profile
]
Roberto De Feo (Italy)
Adoration [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Fabrice du Welz
film profile
]
Fabrice Du Welz (Belgium/France)
Cecil B. DementedJohn Waters (US/France) (2000)
To the Ends of the EarthKiyoshi Kurosawa (Japan/Uzbekistan/Qatar)

Filmmakers of the Present

143 rue du désert [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Hassen Ferhani (Algeria/France/Qatar)
Nafi’s FatherMamadou Dia (Senegal)
Ham On RyeTyler Taormina (US)
Here For Life [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Andrea Luka Zimmerman, Adrian Jackson (UK)
Ivana the Terrible [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ada Solomon
film profile
]
Ivana Mladenović (Romania/Serbia)
The Young Observant [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Davide Maldi
film profile
]
Davide Maldi (Italy)
Bird Island [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maya Kosa and Sérgio da Costa
film profile
]
Maya Kosa, Sergio da Costa (Switzerland)
La paloma y el loboCarlos Lenin (Mexico)
The Cold Raising the Cold [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Rong Guang Rong (Italy)
Love Me Tender [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Klaudia Reynicke (Switerland)
MariamSharipa Urazbayeva (Kazakstan)
Wonders in the Suburbs [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 – Jeanne Balibar (France)
The Tree House [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Minh Quý Trương (Singapore/Vietnam/Germany/France/China)
Oroslan [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Matjaž Ivanišin
film profile
]
- Matjaž Ivanišin (Slovenia/Czech Republic)
Overseas [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Yoon Sung-A
film profile
]
Yoon Sung-a (Belgium/France)
Space Dogs [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter
film profile
]
Elsa Kremser, Levin Peter (Austria/Germany)

Moving Ahead

(Tourism Studies)Joshua Gen Solondz (US) (short film)
A Topography Of MemoryBurak Cevik (Turkey/Canada) (medium-length film)
Black Hole [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Emmanuel Grimaud, Arnaud Deshayes (France)
Color-BlindBen Russell (France/Germany) (medium-length film)
DistancingMiko Ravereza (US) (short film)
In MemoriamJean-Claude Rousseau (France) (short film)
KasiteritRiar Rizaldi (Indonesia) (short film)
Krabi, 2562 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ben Rivers
film profile
]
Ben Rivers, Anocha Suwichakornpong (UK/Thailand)
LoreSky Hopinka (US) (short film)
Ralf's Colors [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Lukas Marxt (Austria/Germany/Spain/France)
OsmosisZhou Tao (China)
SwinguerraBarbara Wagner, Benjamin de Burca (Brazil) (short film)
The Giverny Document (Single Channel)Ja’Tovia M Gary (US/France) (short film)
The Invisible HandOmer Fast (China/Germany) (short film)
Those That, at a Distance, Resemble Another [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Jessica Sarah Rinland (UK/Argentina/Spain)
Un film dramatique [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Eric Baudelaire (France)

Out of Competition

Arguments [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Olivier Zabat (France)
Baghdad In My Shadow [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Samir (Switzerland/Germany/UK/Iraq)
Etre Jérôme Bel [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Sima Khatami, Aldo Lee (France)
Felix In WonderlandMarie Losier (France/Germany) (medium-length film)
Giraffe [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Anna Sofie Hartmann (Germany/Denmark)
The Holy Family [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Louis-Do de Lencquesaing (France)
The Prince's Voyage [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Jean-François Laguionie, Xavier Picard (France/Luxemburg)
Not a Dream [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
Giovanni Cioni (Italy)
A Pleasure, Camrades! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
José Filipe Costa (Portugal)
Under The GodDino Longo Sabanovic, Ana Shametaj, Pier Lorenzo Pisano, Valentina Manzoni, Zhannat Alshanova, Ariel Gutiérrez Flores, Giulio Pettenò, Salvator Tinajero, Hayk Matevosyan, George Varsimashvili, Arthur Theyskens, Alex Takàcs, Naomi Waring, Grieco Rafael, Anna Spacio (collective film overseen by Béla Tarr) (Switzerland)
WilcoxDenis Côté (Canada)
Parents [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Eric Bergkraut, Ruth Schweikert (Switzerland)
De una islaJosé Luis Guerin (Spain) (short film)
Lonely RiversMauro Herce (Spain/France) (short film)
Mi piel, luminosaNicolás Pereda, Gabino Rodríguez (Mexico/Canada) (short film)
NimicYorgos Lanthimos (Germany/United Kingdom/US) (short film)
San VittoreYuri Ancarani (Italy/Switzerland) (short film)
Sapphire CrystalVirgil Vernier (France/Switzerland) (short film)

Critics' Week

The Euphoria of Being [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 - Réka Szabó (Hungary)
Adolescentes [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- Sébastien Lifshitz (France)
Another Reality - Noël Dernesch, Olli Waldhauer (Germany/Switzerland)
Der grüne Berg (The Green Mountain) - Fredi M. Murer (Switzerland) (1990)
Lovemobil [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
- Elke Margarete Lehrenkrauss (Germany)
Murghab [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- Martin Saxer, Daler Kaziev, Marlen Elders (Germany)
Notha -ye- mesi yek roya (Copper Notes of a Dream) - Reza Farahmand (Canada/Iran)
Shalom Allah [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
- David Vogel (Switzerland)

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(Translated from Italian)

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