Locarno 2026

Jury statement on Far from the Trees:

By blending different timelines and realities that coexist, with subtle editing and foregrounding endangered cultures impacted by colonial violence, this film by Meritxell Colell Aparicio speaks to contemporary developments and interrelational wounds through deliberate pacing and rhythm that plays with memory and the archival nature of history.

For eight decades, the Locarno Film Festival has been at the forefront of the international festival circuit, premiering films by both established auteurs and rapidly rising talents. Nestled among the Swiss Alps and facing out onto Lake Maggiore, the city of Locarno is transformed for eleven days each August into a hub of world cinema. Films can be enjoyed in the calm of a cinema or out in the open air under the stars on the Piazza Grande, the spectacular outdoor venue that accommodates thousands of spectators on one of the largest screens of its kind in the world. Supplementing the main program is a slate of discussions and panels on major future-focused topics as well as masterclasses by some of the most prominent names in the world of cinema. Our FIPRESCI jury of five will give an award to a feature film in the Main Competition.