Locarno Film Festival 2027 – Locarno, Switzerland

Overview

The Locarno Film Festival 2027 will take place from 4 to 14 August 2027 in Locarno, in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. The 2027 edition will be the festival’s 80th edition, marking eight decades since Locarno first became a meeting place for international cinema. The festival is recognised as Switzerland’s most important film festival and is regarded as one of Europe’s major film events.

Locarno is particularly famous for its evening screenings in Piazza Grande, where thousands of spectators can watch films beneath the open sky surrounded by the historic architecture of the city. At the same time, the festival extends far beyond Piazza Grande, with competition screenings, independent cinema, retrospectives, industry activities and discussions taking place at cinemas and cultural venues across Locarno.

The 2027 programme has not yet been fully announced. The festival is already accepting film submissions according to the published 2027 deadlines, meaning the final competition selection and most of the public programme will be announced closer to the festival.

What Makes This Event Special

Locarno Film Festival has a reputation for combining internationally recognised cinema with emerging filmmakers and unconventional discoveries. Rather than focusing exclusively on commercially established films, the festival gives considerable attention to new directors, independent productions, short films and ambitious artistic projects.

Its location is equally important. During festival week, Locarno’s historic centre becomes an international meeting place for filmmakers, actors, critics, industry professionals and cinema audiences. The contrast between the intimate streets of Ticino and the enormous outdoor cinema in Piazza Grande is one of the event’s defining characteristics.

The festival’s 80th edition adds another layer to the experience. Reaching its eighth decade gives the 2027 festival a significant historical milestone while continuing Locarno’s long-standing emphasis on discovering new voices and presenting cinema in different formats.

Films & Featured Programme

The complete Locarno Film Festival 2027 programme has not yet been announced. Film submissions are being processed during 2026–27, so the final competition lineup will be revealed closer to August 2027. Swiss Films currently lists the 2027 submission deadlines as 19 February for the early deadline, 9 April for the regular deadline and 23 April for the late deadline for both features and shorts.

The festival’s programme traditionally includes several major competition sections. These include the Concorso Internazionale, which is the principal international competition, and Cineasti del Presente, which focuses strongly on contemporary emerging filmmakers.

Pardi di Domani is dedicated to short and medium-length films by independent filmmakers and film-school students who have not yet made feature films. The section is divided into Swiss and international competitions, making it particularly important for discovering directors at an early stage of their careers.

The festival also presents films outside competition, special programmes, retrospectives and historical cinema projects. The exact 2027 selections will be announced by the festival as the edition develops.

Festival Experience

For a visitor, Locarno Film Festival is less about seeing one headline film and more about building a personal cinema programme across several days. A typical day can include a morning screening, a discussion or industry event, an afternoon film at one of the indoor cinemas and a major evening screening in Piazza Grande.

The atmosphere changes considerably between venues. Indoor screenings provide a traditional cinema experience where audiences can concentrate entirely on the film, while Piazza Grande creates a much larger communal atmosphere with thousands of people watching together outdoors.

The festival also attracts filmmakers and actors who attend screenings and walk the red carpet. This gives visitors the possibility of experiencing a major international film event while still remaining close to the public-facing side of cinema.

Date & Schedule

Locarno Film Festival 2027 is confirmed for Wednesday 4 August through Saturday 14 August 2027, giving the festival an eleven-day programme.

The detailed 2027 screening timetable has not yet been published. Once the programme is released, it will determine the exact times and locations of competition films, Piazza Grande screenings, retrospectives, special events and other activities.

Piazza Grande traditionally hosts major evening screenings, while other films are presented throughout the day at indoor venues. This makes it possible for visitors to see several films in a single day, provided they allow enough time to move between cinemas.

Visiting this event? Don’t miss out on these amazing activities and local experiences while you’re here.

Location & Venues

The festival is centred on Locarno, a city on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore in Ticino. Its principal outdoor venue is Piazza Grande, the large historic square that becomes an open-air cinema during the festival.

Other festival activities take place at cinemas and cultural venues around the city. PalaCinema Locarno is an important part of the local film infrastructure and is located close to the historic centre.

The city’s compact layout is useful for festival visitors because many locations can be reached on foot. However, the exact venue assigned to each 2027 screening will only become clear when the official programme is released.

Festival History

The Locarno Film Festival was founded in 1946, making it one of Europe’s longest-established film festivals. Over the decades it developed a strong international reputation for supporting innovative cinema and presenting filmmakers who later became influential figures in the industry.

Its main competition is associated with the Pardo d’Oro, or Golden Leopard, one of the festival’s most prestigious awards. Locarno has also become known for its career tributes, retrospectives and programmes dedicated to film history.

The festival’s history is not limited to established filmmakers. Its identity has consistently included discovering emerging directors and providing a platform for films that might not receive the same exposure through mainstream commercial cinema.

The 2027 edition therefore represents both an anniversary and a continuation of a tradition that has shaped international film culture for eight decades.

Awards & Competitions

Competition is an important part of the Locarno experience. The Concorso Internazionale is the festival’s central international competition, while Cineasti del Presente focuses on contemporary filmmaking and emerging directors.

The Pardi di Domani competitions concentrate on shorter works and new filmmaking talent. These sections are particularly interesting for visitors who want to discover directors before they become widely known.

Among the festival’s best-known awards is the Pardo d’Oro, presented to the winner of the International Competition. Other awards recognise directors, actors and individual artistic achievements across the festival’s different sections.

The festival also has an audience award, the Prix du Public UBS, giving festival audiences an opportunity to participate directly in recognising a film. The award has been an established part of Locarno’s programme for many years.

Retrospectives & Film History

Locarno is not only concerned with new releases. Its retrospective programmes regularly return to important periods, filmmakers, movements and areas of cinema history.

The festival’s Retrospective section can include career-focused programmes as well as themed seasons, often presenting restored or historically important films on the big screen. Some retrospective programmes later travel to partner cinematheques and film institutions in Switzerland and abroad.

Another strand, Histoire(s) du cinéma, focuses specifically on film history and can include restored prints of significant Swiss and international works. For serious film enthusiasts, these programmes can be just as important as the new competition films.

Getting to the Festival

Locarno is accessible by train from other parts of Switzerland, with connections through the Ticino railway network. Visitors arriving from Zurich, Milan or other European cities can generally travel towards Locarno by rail and then use local transport or walk from the station towards the central festival areas.

Locarno is also well connected to the wider Ticino region, making it possible to stay in nearby towns such as Bellinzona, Ascona or other communities around Lake Maggiore if accommodation in central Locarno is limited.

Once in the city, walking is often the easiest way to move between festival locations. Visitors attending several screenings should check the venue of each film carefully because the festival uses multiple cinemas rather than a single complex.

Where to Stay Nearby

Staying in Locarno provides the easiest access to Piazza Grande and the central festival venues. Hotels, apartments and guesthouses are available throughout the city, while nearby Ascona and other Lake Maggiore destinations offer additional accommodation choices.

Festival dates coincide with the summer travel season in Ticino, so accommodation can become expensive or limited. Booking early is particularly useful for visitors who want to attend several days of the festival rather than making a short one-night visit.

Staying outside central Locarno can also work well because the regional transport network makes it possible to travel into the city for screenings and return after the evening programme.

Things to Do Before or After the Festival

Locarno is more than a film destination. The city sits beside Lake Maggiore, giving visitors opportunities to combine cinema with lakeside walks, boat trips and sightseeing.

The surrounding region also offers mountains, hiking routes and villages with traditional Ticino architecture. Visitors with additional time can explore Ascona, the valleys around Locarno or other destinations across Ticino.

For festival visitors, this combination is particularly convenient. A morning can be spent exploring the lake or historic centre before returning to Locarno for afternoon screenings and an evening film in Piazza Grande.

Restaurants & Local Food

Locarno and the surrounding Ticino region offer a mixture of Swiss, Italian and traditional Ticinese cuisine. Restaurants range from informal cafés and pizzerias to more traditional establishments serving regional dishes.

Visitors staying for several festival days may want to plan meals around their screening schedule. Popular restaurants near the historic centre can become busy during the evening, particularly when major Piazza Grande screenings are taking place.

Ticino is also known for dishes and products influenced by both Swiss and northern Italian traditions. Exploring local food provides an easy way to add another aspect of the region to a film-focused trip.

Ticket Information & Access

2027 ticket prices and the complete public ticketing programme have not yet been announced. The festival will publish its final ticketing information closer to the event once the programme and screening schedule are confirmed.

Locarno uses different arrangements for its various screenings and programmes, so visitors should not assume that one general ticket automatically provides access to every event. Piazza Grande screenings, competition films, special events and other programmes can have their own availability and ticket requirements.

Once the 2027 programme is published, visitors should check the official festival ticketing system for individual film times, venue information, ticket categories and any festival passes.

Tips Before You Go

If your main reason for visiting is Piazza Grande, plan your day around the evening screening but leave enough time to explore the rest of the festival. Some of the most interesting discoveries can come from smaller competition films rather than the most publicised evening screenings.

Summer temperatures in Ticino can be warm, while outdoor evening screenings may become cooler later at night. Comfortable clothing and a light layer are useful, particularly if you plan to remain in Piazza Grande for a full screening.

It is also worth checking the film’s original language and available subtitles before booking. Locarno presents international cinema from many countries, so subtitles can be an important consideration when choosing films.

Official Event Information

The 80th Locarno Film Festival will take place from 4–14 August 2027 in Locarno, Switzerland. The City of Locarno and Switzerland Tourism have both confirmed the dates, with Piazza Grande identified as the central outdoor festival venue.

The official festival website will provide the final 2027 programme, competition selections, film schedule, tickets, venues and visitor information as they are announced.

Official Locarno Film Festival website: https://www.locarnofestival.ch/