By Dean Marriott
Lights, cameras and plenty of action – that’s what awaits all attendees at the Locarno Film Festival. This year the festival ran from 3rd until 13th August, attracting films and participants from all over the world. Although films are screened at 10 different venues, the most breath-taking and unforgettable experience is to be had on the majestic Piazza Grande. The piazza transforms into an open-air cinema and thanks to the wonderful summer temperatures this year, provided the perfect setting for some incredible films, originating from all continents.
As a British actor based in Switzerland, I was honoured to receive my accreditation pass this year, giving access to all of the screenings and events during the festival. Integrating into the Swiss acting scene is no mean feat, so seeing my name on the attendee list alongside other Swiss actors was quite something.
As the weather was perfect, I naturally enjoyed a number of screenings on Piazza Grande, both European, and World, premieres. My selection included Jason Bourne, the action-packed, fast paced US thriller, Dans La Forêt, a tense French/Swedish coproduction, and the controversial French production, Le Ciel Attendra. The latter proved by far the most impressive and had an overwhelming effect on the audience, who gave an emotional 10-minute standing ovation to the young actors at the end of the screening. Recounting the story of the radicalisation of two young French girls and the circumstances surrounding this, the film attracted a lot of attention. Given the sensitive nature of the subject matter and the recent tragic events in Nice, security was tighter than usual, but as with most things in Switzerland, very subtly implemented, so as not to draw attention away from the festival itself and the pleasure of participating.
The screening of films started daily at 9am and continued until after midnight. Selecting which films to attend is a huge dilemma. Too many and you spoil the pleasure; too few and you feel as if you are missing out. I was pleased with the balance I achieved between features, shorts, presentations, music, sight-seeing and of course, relaxing by the hotel pool.
Seeing Jane Birkin playing the lead in the short film ‘La Femme et le TGV’, a beautiful portrayal of the relationship between a lonely woman and a TGV train driver, was one of the highlights. Having been her grandson’s English teacher when I was teaching at a French Lycée in Paris, I had heard first-hand about her challenges with the French language. Although, these were probably unfair, it had nonetheless triggered my curiosity, so the opportunity to see her playing a French-speaking lead was too much to resist. I was impressed. She gave a delightful performance and I now appreciate why so many of our French neighbours consider her somewhat a national treasure.
Finding a hotel during the festival is a huge challenge and can be quite expensive if left too late in the day. I managed to secure a room at the Ramada Arcadia hotel, on the lake front and a short walk to all the main screening venues. The outdoor pool was a refreshing treat as the daily temperatures soared into the mid-30s Celsius. The hotel also proved popular with some of the more notable attendees, resulting in a variety of pool-side TV interviews taking place, which I could observe whilst doing the breast stroke. I was in my element.
Getting to Locarno can be a bit of a trek by train, but if you’re not pressed for time, you can plan your connections to take advantage of the diverse scenery en route. We drove, this time, from our starting point in Morges to Brig (1hr 45mins) and then took the car train from Brig to Iselle di Trasquera. The 20-minute train journey through the Simplon Tunnel costs just CHF 22 for the car and passengers. This travel option not only allows you to relax a little, but could save you a lot of time by avoiding the potential traffic congestion on the Simplon Pass. On arrival in Iselle di Trasquera, we drove for a further 20 minutes before stopping in the Italian city of Domodossola for lunch, taking advantage of the sunny terrace of one of our favourite vegetarian restaurants, Sali &Pistacchi. Locarno is just a 1-hour drive from here.
You don’t have to be an actor to enjoy the Locarno Film Festival. It is a truly magical experience in an idyllic setting: the lake, the mountains, the food, the weather and the warmth of the Ticinese. This is really something not to be missed whilst in Switzerland.
Useful links:
http://www.pardolive.ch/en/pardo/festival-del-film-locarno/home
http://www.ascona-locarno.com/en/
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/car-bike/car-trains/autoverlad-simplon.html
Author's bio
Dean Marriott was born in London and educated in the UK and Germany. He retired from a career in finance, aged 33, and subsequently retrained as an actor and teacher. From an early age, his passion for languages and the arts has underpinned both his professional and social lives. In his quest for leisure activities, Dean keeps one key thought in mind: if Shakespeare’s words are true and ‘All the world's a stage’, we shouldn’t have to look far in order to be entertained. We just have to make the time to appreciate it.
If you are searching for an element of entertainment in your leisure pursuits and have a desire to look beyond the obvious, then Dean will use his artistic eye to point you in the right direction.
Dean works in Switzerland as an actor, voice-over artist, and onscreen presenter. He also teaches theatre, improvisation and film-making at La Chataigneraie, Ecolint, as part of their ECA programme.
