Isabella Rossellini receives Excellence Award at Locarno Film Festival

Actress Isabella Rossellini received the prestigious Excellence Award at the opening of the 79th Locarno Film Festival, saying she was deeply honored by the recognition and proud to follow in the footsteps of her father and brother, CE Report quotes ANSA.

“I am very honored because I hadn't realized I was ‘excellent,’” Rossellini said with a smile upon arriving in Piazza Grande for the festival’s opening night. She added that the award held special meaning because her father received the same honor in 1948, nearly 80 years ago, while her brother, a film producer, was recognized in 2022.

“So I am living up to my father and my big brother, and that fills me with pride,” she said.

The Excellence Award is presented to personalities who have made a lasting contribution to cinema.

The opening evening continued with the screening of Les Yeux Verts (The Green Eyes), a French-Belgian-Swedish co-production directed by Fanny Liatard and Jeremy Trouilh.

The festival, which runs from August 5 to August 15 in the Swiss town of Locarno, will welcome numerous actors and filmmakers. Among the Italian films competing in the main competition are Alberi erranti by Salvatore Mereu, Ketticè by Giovanni Tortorici, and Armony by Dario Albertini. Matteo Incollu will also compete in the Locarno Kids Screenings section with L'estate che finì due volte.

Several other major awards will be presented during the festival. American filmmaker Darren Aronofsky will receive the Pardo d'Onore, while actress Virginie Efira will be honored with the Leopard Club Award.

American actor and director James Gray will receive the Career Leopard Award, and Italian actress Asia Argento will be presented with the Life Achievement Award. The festival will also honor special effects artist Rick Baker with the Vision Award and producer Sigurjón “Joni” Sighvatsson with the Raimondo Rezzonico Award. In addition to the award ceremonies in Piazza Grande, all recipients will participate in public conversations with festival audiences.

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