The 2010 Locarno International Film Festival will be held August 4 through 14.
The Locarno festival's new artistic director Olivier Père offers a reduced selection of films this year, spread across three major sections: the Piazza Grande, the International Competition, and the Filmmakers of the Present Competition. French films are once again strongly represented at the event. Benoît Jacquot's film Deep in the Woods will open the Piazza Grande section, which will present over the following days screenings of Invisible Boy by Philippe Parreno (with a retrospective of his films also on the menu), The Counsel by Cédric Anger, and Rubber by Quentin Dupieux.
In the International Competition, Isild Le Besco will present Bas-fonds, while Christophe Honoré will present Man At Bath.
Two other French films will be screened out of competition: Les Champs Brûlants by Catherine Libert and Stefano Canapa, and Mademoiselle Else by Isabelle Prim.
As has been the case in the past two years, the Gennevilliers Theater will present a program of three short films co-produced by Les Films du Bélier, one of which was directed by Bertrand Bonello.
The festival's special events will include a screening of the complete version of Emmanuelle Demoris's film Mafrouza and programs dedicated to Luc Moullet and Jean-Marie Straub.
Three French films are competing in the Filmmakers of the Present Competition: The Edge by Géraldine Bajard, Memory Lane by Mikhaël Hers, and Paraboles by Emmanuelle Demoris.
French actor and filmmaker Melvil Poupaud joins the jury for this year's International Competition, while Sylvie Pialat and Nina Meurisse will serve on the Pardi di Domani jury.
Chiara Mastroianni will receive the 2010 Moët & Chandon Excellence Award and will take part in a discussion with audiences on August 7.
The French-Language Film Day will take place on August 9, with a special program slated for presentation as well as a round table discussion on French-language films attended by Unifrance president Antoine De Clermont-Tonnerre.
