Locarno in love with Casanova

Spanish director Albert Serra with his Locarno's Golden Leopard for Story of My Death (Historia de la Meva Mort)

The much-heralded Catalan-language drama Story of My Death (Historia de la Meva Mort), Albert Serra’s dreamlike interpretation of the life and demise of the infamous 18th-century Venetian libertine and adventurer Giacomo Casanova, won the 2013 Locarno Film Festival’s Golden Leopard at the weekend (17 August).

Vicenc Altaio plays Casanova in Story Of My Death, which won the Golden Leopard at Locarno

Originally touted for Cannes earlier in the year, it created a Locarno buzz right from its initial screening.

It marks the first time a Spanish film has won the top award in the festival's 66-year history.

A Portuguese title won the jury prize - What Now? Remind Me (E Agora? Lembra-Me), Joaquim Pinto’s story of his own battle against HIV and Hepatitis C.

The Leopard award for Best Director went to South Korea’s Hong Sang-soo for Our Sunhi (U Ri Sunhi).

The acting prizes went to Brie Larson for her work in Destin Cretton’s Short Term 12, and Fernando Bacilio for thriller El Mudo.

Short Term 12 and Tableau Noir, from Swiss director Yves Yersin, were given “special mentions” by the jury, which was headed by director Lavrente Indico Diaz, from the Philippines.

Gabrielle, a drama about a musically gifted girl with a neurological disorder from Quebec director Louise Arcambault, won the audience award for films that screened in the festival’s vast Piazza Grande venue.

Director Albert Serra with the Golden Leopard

The award for Best First Film went to Mouton, from French directors Gilles Deroo and Marianne Pistone. The film, which screened in the Cineasti del Presente section for emerging filmmakers with their first or second film, also won that section’s jury prize.

The main Cineasti del Presente honour went to Manakamana, from Stephanie Spray and Pacho Valez. The film tells the story about a pilgrimage to a Nepal temple.

The 66th edition of the Swiss festival was under the artistic direction of Carlos Chatrian for the first time this year. Chatrian commented that he was very satisfied with his first edition as artistic director, adding: “Dor eleven days Locarno has seen a celebration of cinema in which the films were centre-stage. We are delighted that the festival proved to be a meeting-place for and dialogue between master filmmakers from the past, present and future and enabled the audience to be part of this exchange”.

Attendances showed a slight increase:162.919 admissions (compared to 2012: 161.680) over the 11 days. The number of delegate accreditations also increased, to a total of 4114 (2012: 3.950).

The 67th Festival del film Locarno will take place 6-16 August 2014. Read more reviews and features from the festival here.