The festival will also honor Jane Campion,Shah Rukh Khan, Alfonso Cuaron, and producer Stacey Sher.
TheLocarno Film Festivalruns from August 7 17.
DEADLINE: How strong was this years crop of submissions?
Giona A. Nazzaro.Rosdiana Ciaravolo/Getty Images.
There is a lot of chatter around that last years strikes are still affecting the films on offer.
GIONA A. NAZZARO:It was a challenging year because we received an incredible amount of films.
We even added to our selection team to ensure we didnt miss any.
I had the feeling we were working even more than usual.
DEADLINE: Do you usually feel you miss a lot of films during the submission process?
DEADLINE:Tell me about the opening film.WhyThe Flood?
NAZZARO:We pickedThe Flood (Le Deluge)for opening night because its a very contemporary film.
Usually, when you see wigs and costumes, you place the film in the historical context.
DEADLINE:Giona, this is your fourth year at the helm.
Your programming has been very intentional.
What effect do you think that has had on Locarnos core local audience?
Are you seeing changes?
NAZZARO:Locarno is very local in the very best sense of the word.
We are rooted in the city.
My obvious goal is to have a very ambitious festival with strong films.
So it is very important that the new film by Hong Sang-soo is experienced by the greatest audience possible.
So the question is really how do you bring important films to the largest audience possible?
To answer your question, the work we have been doing has been perceived by the audience.
Because ultimately, its about pleasure.
Even a very intellectual experience is linked to pleasure.
For me, as a cinephile, watching the new film by Ben Rivers is an experience of pleasure.
I dont go in thinking this will be extremely intellectual.
Its about pleasure in the same way as a film by Howard Hawks.
I hope that doesnt sound naive.
NAZZARO:Locarno is placed between two major festivals.
You always need to exist in that space and make a run at strengthen your position.
Locarno is in a good place to do this because it relies on an audience.
So if we do a good job, we wont lose our audience.
On the other hand, the whole industry is changing at a very high rate.
It will never happen simply because the whole landscape is fluctuating.
This is why our job is important.
DEADLINE: Talk me through the Shah Rukh Khan decision.
Why is it important to honor him at a festival like Locarno?
NAZZARO:Shah Rukh Khan has been a dream for many years.
An opportunity opened to get him and we pursued for around two years.
The idea is very simple.
This is a very diverse world.
Its not Western or Eurocentric.
There are so many people out there.
And quite honestly, it goes back to pleasure.
I also want to engage personally with other peoples pleasure.
The first time I met Shah Rukh Khan was at Venice whenAsokawas presented.
I didnt know who this wonderful actor was, but the film felt immediately familiar.
His flair carried the essence of cinemas origins.
DEADLINE:Are there any titles from new voices that audiences should be keeping their eye on?
