I absolutely love coming to this festival! Nestled at the northern tip of Lago Maggiore in Switzerland, Locarno is a charming little town with a Mediterranean vibe. Every August, it turns into a buzzing hub that pulls in all the big names from the local and global cinema scene. For ten whole days, the entire city transforms into one massive event space, featuring a huge open-air cinema right in the main square, along with many other theaters around, an open stage for celebrity chats, live music, and plenty of outdoor eateries to keep all the movie buffs that flood in every year entertained.
Whether you are a cinema buff or just want to have fun at a 10-day long party, this is definitely the place to be – and of course you could go hiking, climbing, canoeing, canyoning or just lazing at one the many “beaches” around the lake. And if you are into extremes why not try the 220 m “Golden Eye” bungee jump from the nearby Verzasca dam, made famous by the opening sequence of the 1995 James Bond film “Golden Eye”- just to stay on topic 🙂
https://www.locarnofestival.ch/it/home.html
Another independent part of the festival I’m particularly fond of is “Semaine de la Critique“. This section screens documentary films produced by filmmakers from countries around the globe, with a plethora of themes touching the manifold facets of humanity. This year I had the privilege to see three entries: “Los Vencedores“, Pablo Aparo, ARG, 2026; “Gabin“, Maxence Voiseux, F/GER/CH, 2026; and “A Teraz Wiosna“, Kamila Serwicka, POL, 2026 which won the grand prize this year. Follow the link to find out more!
