The SAG-AFTRA Actors’ Strike impact on 76th Locarno Film Festival

The 76th Locarno Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film events in the world, has been impacted by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike. Several esteemed guests of honour, slated to receive awards and accompany their films, have regretfully informed the festival organizers that they can no longer attend due to the strike. However, the festival management assures that the film screenings will continue as planned, unaffected by the labour dispute.

THE DECISIONS OF THE GUESTS OF THE FESTIVAL

The esteemed British actor Riz Ahmed, who should have received the coveted Davide Campari Excellence Award, has informed that he will not participate in the Festival. However, Dammi (directed by Yann Mounir Demange, 2023) will still be the opening film as initially planned.

Stellan Skarsgård (2023), the winner of the Leopard Club Award, has decided to stand in solidarity with the actors on strike and has announced that he will forfeit the award and related events. The award ceremony in Piazza Grande, initially scheduled for 4 August, and the Conversation on 5 August have been cancelled.
Locarno audiences will still be able to see his latest film, What Remains (directed by Ran Huang, 2022), in the Out of Competition section.

The Theater Camp screening in Piazza Grande on August 11 will take place as scheduled. Still, it will only be accompanied by co-director Nick Lieberman, while Molly Gordon and actors Ben Platt and Noah Galvin will not attend the event.

The Festival’s management is also in communication with the team of the film Shayda (directed by Noora Niasari, 2023), for which Cate Blanchett serves as an executive producer. The terms of her participation are currently being finalised.

Locarno76 views the ongoing strike as a reflection of the contemporary film industry’s challenges. They express their support for constructive dialogue and resolution between the parties involved while gracefully accepting the decisions made by their esteemed guests.

The 76th Locarno Film Festival will be from 2 to 12 August 2023 and promises a diverse and exciting array of films and events despite the challenges posed by the actors’ strike.

For more information and updates, visit the official website of Locarno76.