La 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival 2026 will open with the recognition of one of the most representative figures of contemporary international cinema. On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in fact, Isabella Rossellini will receive the Excellence Award, a prize that the Festival awards each year to personalities capable of leaving a profound mark on the global cinematic imagination.
Actress, director, model and author, Rossellini has crossed decades of cinema while maintaining a personal artistic trajectory and difficult to classify. His career has spanned Hollywood productions, European arthouse cinema, television, and experimentation, building a path characterized by constant transformation and creative exploration.
After her debut in the world of fashion, her name has entered firmly into the history of cinema thanks to her interpretation of Dorothy Vallens in Blue Velvet di David Lynch, a 1986 film that has become an essential reference in contemporary cinema over the years. That role helped define Rossellini's image as an interpreter capable of combine elegance, restlessness and emotional intensity.
Over the years, the actress has worked with some of the most influential directors on the international scene, collaborating among others with Robert Zemeckis, David O Russell, Taylor Hackford, Marjane Satrapi, Guy Maddin and the brothers Paolo Taviani e Victor Taviani.
In recent years his career has seen a new phase of international attention thanks to works such as the chimera di Alice Rohrwacher e Conclave di Edward bergerThis last film brought her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, confirming once again the centrality of her stage presence.
In addition to his film work, Rossellini has developed a strong interest in the animal world and scientific dissemination. A master's degree in animal behavior and conservation from Hunter College in New York, he will participate in a public event during the Festival and present a selection of works that showcase the more experimental side of his artistic output.
Among the works planned are the web series Green Porn (2008-2009), in which Rossellini interprets the mating rituals of animals in costume with an ironic and surreal tone, in addition to the short films My Dad is 100 Years Old directed by Guy Maddin, Seduce me, Mammas, Darwin, What? e Darwin, What? What?, the latter co-directed with Paul David Magid. Also scheduled is an excerpt from Animals Distract Me.
The value of Rossellini's presence in Locarno was underlined by the artistic director Jonah A. Nazzaro, who called the actress "a true legend of contemporary cinema," highlighting her ability to consistently embrace artistic risk and creative reinvention. Nazzaro also recalled how self-irony and unpredictability have become distinctive elements of her artistic identity over time.
The Excellence Award is one of the Festival's most prestigious honors and, over the years, has been awarded to numerous leading figures in the international film scene. Recent winners include: Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Isabelle Huppert, Edward Norton, Ethan Hawke, Rice Ahmed e Golshifteh Farahani, awarded in the 2025 edition.
Il Locarno Film Festival 2026 will take place from 5 to 15 August 2026.
