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Superhero Scarlett Johansson stars in Luc Besson's Locarno opener Lucy
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The denizens of Locarno, along the shores of Lake Maggiore in the Italian speaking part of Switerland are preparing to move mountains for the opening of the Festival del Film Locarno, one of Europe’s most venerable cinematic events celebrating its 67th birthday this year.
The Festival which boasts one of the largest film arenas in the world – the 6000-seat Piazza Grande open air auditorium in the town’s main square and surrounded by lofty peaks, is to give the opening slot on August 6 to French mogul Luc Besson's new film Lucy, starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman.
Written as well as directed by Besson, Lucy (played by Scarlett Johansson) is a woman forced to become a drugs mule – but the drugs go into her system and transform her into a kick-ass machine, who does not feel pain. Freeman plays the scientist who wants to save her from herself – the drugs besides turning into a super human are also killing her.
On the jury front, it was announced today (July 14) that last year’s Venice Golden Lion winner Syrian director Ossama Mohammed will head up Locarno’s main jury in the Filmmakers of the Present section. Mohammed, whose Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait was acclaimed at Cannes this year, will be joined by Thierry Jobin, the Swiss Artistic Director of the Fribourg Festival, Canadian writer director and actor Don McKellar, French actress Clémence Poésy and French/Hong Kong editor Mary Stephen.
Italian director Gianfranco Rosi, who won the Golden Lion in Venice in 2013 for his documentary Sacro GRA – is to head up the festival’s International Competition jury. He will be joined by German filmmaker Thomas Arslan, Brazilian actress Alice Braga, Danish actress Connie Nielsen and Chinese director Diao Yinan, winner of the Golden Bear at the last Berlin Festival for Black Coal, Thin Ice.
The jury for the Leopards of Tomorrow section, (for shorts by filmmakers who have not yet made features) will be presided over by Dutch actor Rutger Hauer. His fellow jury members will be Brazilian director and programmer Helvécio Marins Jr, Spanish filmmaker Lois Patiño, Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy and Swiss director Nicole Vögele.
The Festival runs from August 6 to 18 and will announce its complete line-up on July 16.
Watch a clip from Lucy below:
And here's a locations featurette:
