Locarno Film Festival 2026: Three Luxembourg co-productions selected

Three co-productions supported by Film Fund Luxembourg will feature in the programme of the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, which will take place from 5 to 15 August 2026, confirming the presence of Luxembourg cinema on the international stage.

Objet A in international competition Among the selected films, Objet A is included in the prestigious Concorso Internazionale, the festival's main competition, where it will compete for the Pardo d’Oro (Golden Leopard), the highest distinction awarded in Locarno. Directed by Ann Oren, Objet A is a Luxembourg co-production with Tarantula Luxembourg (producer: Donato Rotunno), Germany and Greece. The film also benefits from significant Luxembourg participation in key artistic and technical roles, with Audrey Hernu (production design), Aaron Baustert (sound mixing), Kyan Bayani (original music), Carmen Di Pinto (costume design), Gabriel Ohresser (sound engineer), Jasmine Schmit (head makeup artist) and Ingo Dumlich (dialogue editing). Synopsis: Ingeborg and Adam are partners in life as well as at work. Visionary hand surgeons, they like to be in control. She loves stealing objects, while he dreams of nothing more than being her object. After an accident, she is forced to slow down and accept the help of an enigmatic young woman named Gaia. While Ingeborg develops new obsessions, Adam sets out in search of his own object of desire. Bringing together world and international premieres, the Concorso Internazionale highlights demanding contemporary cinema, bridging classical narration and formal experimentation.

Luxembourg animation also in the spotlight Luxembourg will also be present in the new Locarno Kids Screenings competition with New York, Miriam et moi (Children of Liberty). Created this year, this competitive section highlights works intended for young audiences and all generations eager to discover the world through a fresh perspective. A jury composed of young spectators will award the Locarno Kids Award la Mobiliare there. Directed by Rémy Schaepman and Léahn Vivier-Chapas, this animated feature film is co-produced in Luxembourg by Mélusine Productions (Producers: Stéphan Roelants and Fabien Renelli) with France. Following its selection at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the film continues its journey at major international events with this new selection at the Locarno Film Festival.

Death Has No Master in the "Histoire(s) du Cinéma" section Finally, Luxembourg will be represented in the non-competitive Histoire(s) du Cinéma section with the drama Death Has No Master, presented earlier this year at the Directors' Fortnight of the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Venezuelan filmmaker Jorge Thielen Armand, this feature film is a Luxembourg co-production between Deal Productions (Producers: Alexandra Hoesdorff and Désirée Nosbusch) and partners from Venezuela, Canada and Italy. The film's lead actress, Asia Argento, will be awarded the Life Achievement Award as part of the festival. Through this triple selection, Luxembourg once again confirms the vitality of its audiovisual sector and the quality of its international collaborations.

Beyond the film selections, Film Fund Luxembourg will be a partner of the Open Doors programme of Locarno Pro, the festival's co-production and talent development platform dedicated to supporting under-represented regions and communities or those facing difficult creative conditions. One of the components of Open Doors consists of promoting audiovisual collaborations and co-productions with the region in the spotlight, which this year covers 42 countries on the African continent. Within this same framework, and in collaboration with the Luxembourg continuing training organisation EAVE, the Film Fund will grant a scholarship to one of the producers selected within the framework of Open Doors to enable them to participate in the EAVE Marketing Workshop, which will be held in Luxembourg in November.