Under the leadership of festival programmer Olivier Père, the 2011 Locarno International Film Festival, to be held August 3 through 13, will once again throw the spotlight on French films.
The following films will compete for the Golden Leopard in the Competition section: Beirut Hotel by Danielle Arbid, Dernière Séance by Laurent Achard, Les Chants de Mandrin by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche, Low Life by Nicolas Klotz, and Goodbye First Love! by Mia Hansen-Love.
The Competition jury will be led by the producer Paulo Branco, with jury members including Louis Garrel.
Nana by Valérie Massadian will be showcased in the competitive Filmmakers of the Present section.
Four French films will be presented in screenings held on the Piazza Grande: The Art of Love II by Emmanuel Mouret, Et si on vivait tous ensemble? by Stéphane Robelin, Le Havre by Aki Kaurismaki, and Sport de filles by Patricia Mazuy.
Gérard Depardieu will travel to the Swiss city for a tribute to Maurice Pialat, as will Isabelle Huppert, who will be presented with the Moët & Chandon Excellence Award.
Hosted by Unifrance in partnership with the French Embassy in Switzerland, an informal dinner party will be held August 5 in honor of the French artistic delegation and Swiss journalists, as well as film buyers and distributors attending the film market.
