Traditionally, Locarno aims to promote personal filmmaking of artistic merit, to provide a showcase for major new films of the year from around the world and to take stock, in its competitive section, of the new perspectives of filmmaking expression, concentrating especially on such new film directors and industries as command international attention. In fact, the Festival, with its on-going process of cultural inquiry, has contributed to revealing or confirming directors who are currently enjoying a very wide recognition. Moreover, the Locarno Festival has established itself in recent years as an important industry showcase for auteur filmmaking, a perfect networking opportunity for distributors, buyers and producers from around the world.

The vast public of the last editions (an average o 180,000 viewers for the whole event), attentive and active, has set an example for revitalising movie-going rites. The other statistics are also striking, with an average of almost 1.000 press and media, and over 3,000 film-professionals from more than 30 countries attending. Along with 10 theatres, the Piazza Grande with its 7500 seats, state of the art technical facilities and its giant screen (26 x 14 m), has been one of the world's largest and most attractive open-air cinemas.

Between The Films:

• Excursions by boat on Lake Maggiore
• Guided excursions with Maggiore Services
• Walking and hiking on our mountains
• Shopping under the arcades of Piazza Grande or in the old town and in Ascona
• Visit of museums and exhibitions
• A well deserved sleep after a long night...

Program

• Concorso internazionale
• Piazza Grande