Lithuanian Film “Akiplėša (Toxic)” Wins Pardo d’Oro at Switzerland’s Locarno77

19 August 2024 | Source
At the 77th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, the Lithuanian film "Akiplėša (Toxic)" directed by Saulė Bliuvaitė won the Pardo d’Oro in the Concorso Internazionale. The festival, spanning 11 days, featured packed cinemas and honored several other films, including "Mond" by Kurdwin Ayub and "Seses (Drowning Dry)" by Laurynas Bareiša. The festival highlighted the prominence of women's voices in contemporary cinema.

The 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland concluded with the crowning of the Lithuanian drama "Akiplėša (Toxic)" by Saulė Bliuvaitė as the winner of the prestigious Pardo d’Oro in the Concorso Internazionale. This victory is a significant achievement for Bliuvaitė, marking her emergence as a powerful voice in global cinema. "Akiplėša (Toxic)" is an incisive portrayal of the challenges faced by teenage girls, exploring the intense pressures and expectations placed upon them in contemporary society.

Giona A. Nazzaro, Artistic Director of the Locarno Film Festival, hailed this year’s edition as "a truly unique edition that marked once more what makes Locarno such a cherished festival both with audiences worldwide and within the film industry." He emphasized the festival's commitment to celebrating creativity and hope, particularly highlighting the recognition of daring female auteurs, as evidenced by the major awards given to films directed by women.

Other notable winners in the Concorso Internazionale included the Austrian film "Mond" by Kurdwin Ayub, which received the Special Jury Prize, and "Seses (Drowning Dry)" by Laurynas Bareiša, which earned the Pardo for Best Direction. The Pardo for Best Performance was shared among Gelminė Glemžaitė, Agnė Kaktaitė, Giedrius Kiela, and Paulius Markevičius for their roles in "Seses (Drowning Dry)," and Kim Minhee was recognized for her performance in Hong Sangsoo’s "Suyoocheon (By the Stream)" from South Korea.

In the Concorso Cineasti del Presente, the Pardo d’Oro was awarded to "Holy Electricity" by Tato Kotetishvili from Georgia, further showcasing the diversity of cinematic voices present at the festival. Denise Fernandes won the Best Emerging Director Award for her work on "Hanami," a film that represents Switzerland, Portugal, and Cape Verde.

The Locarno Film Festival also continued its tradition of celebrating cinematic history alongside contemporary works. The Retrospective section, titled "The Lady with the Torch – The Centenary of Columbia Pictures," provided a historical context to this year's vibrant and varied program.

The 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival proved to be a resounding success, with packed theaters, sold-out screenings, and a slate of films that ranged from popular to experimental, auteur-driven to collectively crafted. The festival reaffirmed its position as a leading international platform for innovative cinema and a champion of emerging talent, particularly female directors, whose voices were prominently recognized across multiple award categories.

The 78th Locarno Film Festival is scheduled to take place from August 6 to 16, 2025, continuing its legacy as a beacon for cinematic excellence.

Complete List of Awarded Films at Locarno77

Concorso Internazionale

  • Pardo d’Oro – Grand Prize of the Festival and City of Locarno:
    • "Akiplėša (Toxic)" by Saulė Bliuvaitė / Lithuania
  • Special Jury Prize – Cities of Ascona and Losone:
    • "Mond" by Kurdwin Ayub / Austria
  • Pardo for Best Direction – City and Region of Locarno:
    • Laurynas Bareiša for "Seses (Drowning Dry)" / Lithuania/Latvia
  • Pardo for Best Performance:
    • Gelminė Glemžaitė, Agnė Kaktaitė, Giedrius Kiela, Paulius Markevičius for "Seses (Drowning Dry)" by Laurynas Bareiša / Lithuania/Latvia
    • Kim Minhee for "Suyoocheon (By the Stream)" by Hong Sangsoo / South Korea
  • Special Mentions:
    • "Qing Chun (Ku) (Youth (Hard Times))" by Wang Bing / France/Luxembourg/Netherlands
    • "Salve Maria" by Mar Coll / Spain

Concorso Cineasti del Presente

  • Pardo d’Oro – Concorso Cineasti del Presente:
    • "Holy Electricity" by Tato Kotetishvili / Georgia/Netherlands
  • Best Emerging Director Award – City and Region of Locarno:
    • Denise Fernandes for "Hanami" / Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde
  • Special Jury Prize CINÉ+:
    • "Kouté Vwa (Listen to the Voices)" by Maxime Jean-Baptiste / Belgium/France/French Guiana
  • Pardo for Best Performance:
    • Callie Hernandez for "Invention" by Courtney Stephens / USA
    • Anna Mészöly for "Fekete Pont (Lesson Learned)" by Bálint Szimler / Hungary
  • Special Mentions:
    • "Fekete Pont (Lesson Learned)" by Bálint Szimler / Hungary
    • "Kada Je Zazvonio Telefon (When the Phone Rang)" by Iva Radivojević / Serbia/USA

Pardi di Domani

  • Pardino d’Oro Swiss Life for the Best Auteur Short Film:
    • "Upshot" by Maha Haj / Palestine/Italy/France
  • Special Mention:
    • "Gwe-in Esi Jeongche (The Masked Monster)" by Syeyoung Park / South Korea
  • Locarno Film Festival Short Film Candidate – European Film Awards:
    • "La Fille Qui Explose" by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel / France
  • Pardino d’Oro SRG SSR for the Best International Short Film:
    • "Washhh" by Mickey Lai / Malaysia/Ireland
  • Pardino d’Argento SRG SSR for the International Competition:
    • "Gimn Chume (Hymn of the Plague)" by Ataka51 / Germany/Russia
  • Pardi di Domani Best Direction Award – BONALUMI Engineering:
    • "Que Te Vaya Bonito, Rico" by Joel Alfonso Vargas / United Kingdom/USA
  • Medien Patent Verwaltung AG Award:
    • "The Form" by Melika Pazouki / Iran
  • Special Mention:
    • "Freak" by Claire Barnett / USA
  • Pardino d’Oro Swiss Life for the Best Swiss Short Film:
    • "Sans Voix" by Samuel Patthey / Switzerland
  • Pardino d’Argento Swiss Life for the National Competition:
    • "Better Not Kill the Groove" by Jonathan Leggett / Switzerland
  • Best Swiss Newcomer Award:
    • Gabriel Grosclaude for "Lux Carne" / Switzerland
  • Special Mention:
    • "Progress Mining" by Gabriel Böhmer / United Kingdom/Switzerland

First Feature

  • Swatch First Feature Award:
    • "Akiplėša (Toxic)" by Saulė Bliuvaitė / Lithuania
  • MUBI Award – Debut Feature:
    • "Green Line" by Sylvie Ballyot / France/Lebanon/Qatar
  • Special Mentions:
    • "Hanami" by Denise Fernandes / Switzerland/Portugal/Cape Verde
    • "Kouté Vwa (Listen to the Voices)" by Maxime Jean-Baptiste / Belgium/France/French Guiana

Pardo Verde

  • Pardo Verde:
    • "Agora" by Ala Eddine Slim / Tunisia/France/Saudi Arabia/Qatar
  • Special Mentions:
    • "Der Fleck" by Willy Hans / Germany/Switzerland
    • "Revolving Rounds" by Johann Lurf and Christina Jauernik / Austria

Independent Juries and Awards

  • Ecumenical Prize:
    • "Akiplėša (Toxic)" by Saulė Bliuvaitė / Lithuania
  • Special Mention:
    • "Mond" by Kurdwin Ayub / Austria
  • FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics):
    • "Qing Chun (Ku) (Youth (Hard Times))" by Wang Bing / France/Luxembourg/Netherlands
  • Europa Cinemas Label:
    • "Mond" by Kurdwin Ayub / Austria

Junior Jury Awards

  • First Prize:
    • "Green Line" by Sylvie Ballyot / France/Lebanon/Qatar
  • Second Prize:
    • "Akiplėša (Toxic)" by Saulė Bliuvaitė / Lithuania
  • Third Prize:
    • "Salve Maria" by Mar Coll / Spain
  • “L’ambiente è qualità di vita” Prize:
    • "Qing Chun (Ku) (Youth (Hard Times))" by Wang Bing / France/Luxembourg/Netherlands
  • Best Film in Concorso Cineasti del Presente:
    • "Holy Electricity" by Tato Kotetishvili / Georgia/Netherlands
  • Special Mention:
    • "Olivia & Las Nubes" by Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat / Dominican Republic
  • Best Short Film in Concorso Internazionale:
    • "Razeh-Del" by Maryam Tafakory / Iran/United Kingdom/Italy
  • Best Short Film in Concorso Nazionale:
    • "Sans Voix" by Samuel Patthey / Switzerland
  • Best Short Film in Concorso Corti d’Autore:
    • "Upshot" by Maha Haj / Palestine/Italy/France
  • Special Mention for Concorso Internazionale:
    • "Punter" by Jason Adam Maselle / South Africa/USA
  • Special Mention for Concorso Nazionale:
    • "Lux Carne" by Gabriel Grosclaude / Switzerland
  • Open Doors Screenings “L’ambiente è qualità di vita” Prize:
    • "Twa Fèy (Three Leaves)" by Eléonore Coyette and Sephora Monteau / Haiti/Belgium

Semaine de la Critique Awards

  • Grand Prix Semaine de la Critique – Prix SRG SSR:
    • "Wir Erben" by Simon Baumann / Switzerland
  • Marco Zucchi Award:
    • "La Déposition" by Claudia Marschal / France

Residency Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur @ Villa Sträuli

  • Residency Award:
    • Maryam Tafakory / Iran for "Razeh-Del"
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