Canada Focus Unveiled for Locarno Pro’s First Look Initiative

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This year, the Locarno Film Festival’s Locarno Pro program will shine a light on Canadian cinema through its works-in-progress initiative, First Look. Notably, First Look is a significant post-production platform for global art house projects. Throughout its history, it has backed films from various countries such as Spain, the UK, Colombia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Israel, Poland, the Baltic states, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland, and Germany.

The 14th edition, in partnership with Telefilm Canada, is set to occur during the 78th Locarno Film Festival, spanning from August 6th to the 16th. From August 8th to 10th, an event called First Look will highlight six Canadian films that are still undergoing post-production. These chosen projects will be presented by their producers to a gathering of international film industry professionals such as sales agents, buyers, festival programmers, and figures from post-production funding organizations. In addition, producers will have the chance to exhibit their works in the festival’s Online Digital Library, which is only accessible to accredited industry members.

2023’s spotlight emphasizes Canada’s impressive cinematic legacy and its enduring bond with the Locarno Film Festival, as expressed by the organizers. Last year, no less than three Canadian productions graced the Pardi di Domani section of the festival: “Gender Reveal” by Mo Matton, “Like What Would Sorrow Look” (Chou He Zhuang) by Hao Zhou, and “Days Before the Death of Nicky” (Jours avant la mort de Nicky) by Denis Côté. This year, Quebec-based screenwriter, actor, and director Eric K. Boulianne was honored with the Pardi di Domani best direction award for “Making Babies” (Faire un enfant), and the festival welcomed Canadian filmmaker Matthew Rankin onto the Pardi di Domani jury.

Giona A. Nazzaro, artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival, expressed great excitement as he announced this year’s First Look would be dedicated to Canadian film productions. This is a project we’ve been preparing for quite some time now, as an increasing number of Canadian filmmakers are pushing boundaries in their innovative use of media. The Locarno Film Festival has always admired the artistic talents of Canadians, and I believe that this First Look will introduce a fresh perspective to a new generation, showcasing the multifaceted nature of Canadian cinema, encompassing various traditions, languages, and filmmaking styles.

Markus Duffner, director of Locarno Pro, stated: “This project is crucial for our objective to bolster the final stages of promising films and advance the international careers of up-and-coming filmmakers. Our continued partnership with Telefilm Canada reaffirms our dedication to aiding Canadian production companies in making a significant mark on the global scene.

Julie Roy, the head of Telefilm Canada (Executive Director and CEO), expressed her thoughts on the First Look focus on Canada: “Canada has a golden chance to display its daring storytelling and artistic ingenuity on a global platform at the Locarno Film Festival. We leverage our ties with film festivals like Locarno to highlight Canadian creators and their films for international recognition, while also fostering partnerships and generating fresh opportunities.

Filmmakers have until April 19th to submit their applications via Locarno Pro. To qualify for consideration, they should submit a minimum running time of 60 minutes from any stage of post-production. The main production company for the movie must be based in Canada. Following convention, an international panel of festival directors and curators will bestow several awards. The selected films and jury members will be revealed in July.

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2025-02-14 14:24