Nina Roza, a feature by filmmaker Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, led the winners at this year’s Locarno Pro awards, taking two gongs.
The film, produced by Colonelle films (Canada), won the Urban Post First Look Award, covering post-production services up to CHF 50,000, and the Jannuzzi Smith Award, covering the design of an international poster worth € 10,000.
The film’s co-producers include Umi Films (Italy), Echo Bravo (Belgium), Ginger Light (Bulgaria), and Premier Studio (Bulgaria). Discussing the film, the Locarno pro jury said: “This film stood out for its beautiful integration of music and art, its performances, and a captivating narrative that explores identity, exile, and the idea of home and family. The Urban Post First Look Award goes to ‘Nina Roza’ by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles.”
The Music Library &SFX/Acorde Award , worth € 45,000 in music supervision services at Music Library & SFX’s labs, went to Thanks To The Hard Work Of The Elephants by Bryce Hodgson. The film is produced by Coukuma (Canada) and Harrington Studio (Canada).
Both the Cineground Award, worth CHF 15,000 in image finishing services, and Le Film Français Award, worth € 5,600 of advertising space, went to Lunar Sway by Nick Butler. The film is produced by Cloudy Pictures (Canada).
Elsewhere, Letter From My Village (1975) by Safi Faye won the third edition of the Locarno Heritage Restoration Contest. The film, represented by Arsenal – Institut für Film und Videokunst e.V., and chosen from over 30 applications from around the world, will receive a full restoration by Cinegrell. The newly restored version will be shown at the Locarno Film Festival 2026.
The jury for the Locarno Heritage Restoration Contest, composed of Bernardo Rondeau (Freelance Programmer), Nicole T. Allemann (Head of Film Restoration & Lab, Cinegrell) and Leon van Hee (EYE Film institute), said of the film: “On the 50th anniversary of its release, we want to honor Letter From My Village, the groundbreaking debut by pioneering Senegalese filmmaker Safi Faye. Thanks to this restoration, this powerful and poetic first feature will now be rediscovered by new generations. With this choice, we celebrate not only the film’s enduring relevance but also the legacy of a woman who paved the way for African cinema.”
Scroll down for the full list of this evening’s winners. Locarno ends on August 16.
FIRST LOOK
Urban Post First Look Award
Up to € 50,000 in post-production services
· Nina Roza by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, produced by Colonelle films (Canada), coproduced by Umi Films (Italy), Echo Bravo (Belgium), Ginger Light (Bulgaria), Premier Studio (Bulgaria), Sales agent Best Friend Forever, Fiction
Jury statement: “This film stood out for its beautiful integration of music and art, its performances and a captivating narrative that explores identity, exile and the idea of home and family. The Urban Post First Look Award goes to ‘Nina Roza’ by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles.”
Music Library &SFX/Acorde Award
€ 45,000 in music supervision services at Music Library &SFX ’s labs
· Thanks To The Hard Work Of The Elephants by Bryce Hodgson, produced by Coukuma (Canada) and Harrington Studio (Canada), Fiction
Cineground Award
CHF 15,000 in image finishing services
· Lunar Sway by Nick Butler, produced by Cloudy Pictures (Canada), Fiction
Jannuzzi Smith Award
The design of an international poster worth € 10,000.
· Nina Roza by Geneviève Dulude-De Celles, produced by Colonelle films (Canada), coproduced by Umi Films (Italy), Echo Bravo (Belgium), Ginger Light (Bulgaria), Premier Studio (Bulgaria), Sales agent Best Friend Forever, Fiction
Le Film Français Award
€ 5,600 of advertising space
· Lunar Sway by Nick Butler, produced by Cloudy Pictures (Canada), Fiction
SPANISH PREVIEWS
Antaviana Spanish Previews Award
A voucher worth € 10,000, including editing rooms, color grading suites, sound mix rooms and final deliveries.
· Lóngquán: The Dragon Spring (Lóngquán: el Manantial del Dragón) by Adrià Guxens, produced by La Charito Films (Spain), coproduced by Anna Moragriega Farrés (Pausa Dramática Films, Spain)
ALLIANCE 4 DEVELOPMENT
Masé Studio Award CHF 3,000 cash voucher
· Chocolat amer (Dark Chocolate) by Valentin Merz produced by Marie Lanne-Chesnot (Andrea Film, Switzerland)
Masé Studio Post-Production Award CHF 25,000 in post-production services
· Im Verborgenen (In the Hidden) by Goran Rebić, produced by Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu and Bady Minck (Amour Fou Vienna and Amour Fou Luxembourg)
Masé Studio Post-Production Special Award CHF 10,000 in post-production services at the Masé studios, valid for 5 years
· Neige (Snow) by Jenna Hasse, produced by Olivier Zobrist (Langfilm, Switzerland)
Alphapanda Market Breakout Award
Consultancy services in the value of € 3,500
· Das Blühen einer Chimäre (The Flowering of a Chimera) by Simon Maria Kubiena, produced by Elli Leeb & Fabian Leonhardt (Chimera Film, Austria)
Alphapanda states: “This is a radical film that explores rarely addressed topics in order to dig deep into the human soul. Thanks to a talented director with a clear artistic vision, we are convinced that this film will have a strong impact, both on audiences and on the industry. We look forward to seeing it on a big screen at a major festival very soon.”
Special Mention
· Primo Viaggio by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman, produced by Nanni Moretti and Benedetta Barroero (Sacher Film, Italy)
Script Consultancy Residency at DreamAgo offered by the Valais Film Commission
Worth CHF 5,000
· Najma et Salomé (Najma and Salomé) by Anne Zinn-Justin, produced by Clémentine Mourão-Ferreira (so-cle, France)
Pascale Rey (DreamAgo) and Tristan Albrecht (Valais Film Commission) state: “A village with two communities that don’t really get along sees its future threatened by recurring illnesses. This is the starting point for an alliance between two women determined to shed light on these strange events. DreamAgo and the Valais Film Commission are delighted to offer screenwriter and director Anne Zinn-Justin a script doctoring session with Sir Christopher Hampton for her project Najma and Salomé — a story with the feel of a firmly rooted modern western that resonates in a universal way!”
MIDPOINT Consulting Award
An in-depth online script consultancy with one of the MIDPOINT Institute experts
· Das Blühen einer Chimäre (The Flowering of a Chimera) by Simon Maria Kubiena, produced by Elli Leeb & Fabian Leonhardt (Chimera Film, Austria)
MIDPOINT states: “MIDPOINT Institute is proud to support a project that dares to explore the complex aftermath of violence without judgment, offering a path toward understanding and healing. For its courageous thematic approach, emotional depth, and promise of a distinct new voice in cinema, the MIDPOINT Consulting Award goes to ‘Das Blühen einer Chimäre (The Flowering of a Chimera)’ by Simon Maria Kubiena.”
Ticino Film Commission Residence Award
A 2-day location scout (worth CHF 4,000) and Letter of Intent (LOI) for financial support for the production company (worth up to CHF 12,000), if all or part of the film will be shot in Ticino
· Solastalgia by Yosr Gasmi and Mauro Mazzocchi, produced by Ivan Casagrande Conti, Tommaso Santambrogio (Chiotto Film, Italy) and ismaël (Utopia Films, Tunisia)
Jury statement: “Here in our very own region, in Ticino, we know only too well the lingering feeling that accompanies the changing of our landscape, the gradual loss of glaciers and the places we used to visit or inhabit. For this reason, we’re happy to be able to support a duo of talented young filmmakers by helping them find the best locations to express their singular vision of ‘Solastalgia’.”
LOCARNO HERITAGE RESTORATION CONTEST
· Letter From My Village (1975) by Safi Faye
