Locarno Film Festival Awards: ‘Critical Zone,’ the Film the Iranian Government Doesn’t Want to Be Seen, Wins Big at Swiss Fest

The hype is real: Ali Ahmadzadehs Critical Zone (Mantagheye bohrani) has picked up the top Golden Leopard at Locarno.

It has been a bumpy ride for the film, set in Tehran over the course of one lonely night and described by the fest as a hymn to freedom and resistance.

As reported byVariety, Iranian authorities have been pressuring Ahmadzadeh to pull it from the Swiss festival arguing it was shot without permission and with the director himself banned from leaving the country.

Instead of actors, I worked with real people. In most situations, we had to hide the camera or find complicated tricks to work around the limitations. Making this film was a big rebellion. Showing it means an even bigger victory for us, said Ahmadzadeh in a statement, with Locarnos artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro calling for his release.

It means a lot. Not only for Ali, but it inspires and empowers a lot of Iranian underground filmmakers, whose voices are censored. Normally, this would be a moment of happiness, but Ali is not here. And I think his only crime is making movies and creating art, said producer Sina Ataeian Dena.

I dont want you to be happy. I want you to be angry that he is not here, that from left or right, freedom of expression is being attacked. Iranians gave up on Western politics a long time ago, but now, I am addressing Western civil society: People that are fighting in Iran? They share the same values with you. Be angry and do something revolutionary with your anger, he said to a standing ovation.

I hope this film will still be perceived as a work of art. As a work of art that has been produced under difficult, complex and endangering situations for the cast and crew. But its still an expression of the talent of an extremely unconventional filmmaker, Nazzaro toldVariety.

I was fed up with the official films from Iran, the ones where you have to read between the lines. What struck me [here] was the sheer audacity, the bold approach. Its an extremely courageous film. The fact that you have to be in a car, that your existential space is constantly being reduced and you have to create an artificial one through the use of drugs I just thought it was so interesting. Sometimes, you just have to make yourself heard.

Ahmadzadehs win marked a day of triumph for Iranian cinema, with Shayda starring Holy Spider revelation Zar Amir Ebrahimi directed by Noora Niasari and exec produced by Cate Blanchett also chosen as Locarnos closing film. Sadly, due to the strike, Blanchett couldnt attend.

The strike is a global phenomenon. We were impacted by not having Riz Ahmed, who sent a statement, we were impacted by not having Cate Blanchett. We had Lousy Carter and David David Krumholtz, who obtained a waiver, we had Stellan Skarsgrd, who came but did not accept the award. It has been different from talent to talent, adds Nazzaro.

I love stars. We are always welcome to welcome them. I am a fan.

Critics darling Radu Jude walked off with Special Jury Prize for Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, while promising Ukrainian newcomer Maryna Vroda already awarded for her short Cross in Cannes was named best director for Stepne.

I really hope there will be more Ukrainian voices, more Ukrainian films and that we will not disappear. Please, dont let us disappear, Vroda said, also mentioning people who died during the conflict and yelling Slava Ukraini! together with Radu Jude.

Finally, gender-neutral acting awards, introduced this year, went to Dimitra Vlagopoulou for Animal and Rene Soutendijk for Ena Sendijarevis Sweet Dreams.

Sylvain George was awarded a special mention for his night stroll around Melilla, Obscure Night Goodbye Here, Anywhere, where he accompanies Moroccan kids as they try to get to Europe, but first of all, to survive another day.

The thing with most films today is that they are playing it too safe. We are trying to stick our neck out for films that are unconventional, but obviously, they need to be good, observed Nazzaro. Also mentioning The Invisible Fight that ultimately went home empty-handed.

Rainer Sarnet is not some crazy guy. This is an accomplished filmmaker. And the fact that we are only paying attention now? Thats not his fault. I feel we could have an entire festival made of Eastern European films. They are the ones that address the political issues of today.

Dreaming Dying Credit: Momo Film Co In Locarnos Cineasti del Presente (Filmmakers of the Present) competition, Nelson Yeo won with Dreaming Dying also picking up another trophy for best First Feature while Katharina Hubers directing forA Good Place impressed the jury. One of her actors, Clara Schwinning, won the bestperformance award alongside Isold Halldrudttir and Stavros Zafeiris, acting in Touched.

lonore Saintagnans delightful Camping du Lac, about a strange place by the lake no one can leave, not even a mythical monster, got a special jury prize.

The idea of comedy addressing the theme of climate change may seem like an acrobatic feat, but the best jokes are often based on tragic facts. Given the current level of absurdity of the world, it would be only natural if we saw more and more funny films emerging, she said.

For a long time, comedies were considered a minor and stupid genre. I think the opposite: Humor has to do with intelligence.

Excursion by Una Gunjak and Negu Hurbilak, directed by the Negu Film Collective, were given special mentions.

Apart from the strike, the festival also witnessed a protest staged by environmental activists.

It was not an attack. It felt like people wanted to be heard. I didnt want them to get hurt, to do something irrational in the heat of the moment. I went: You want to talk and we want to hear. They were accompanied out and at the end of the film, they could hang out leaflets, said Nazzaro, also opening up about a more serene moment: Welcoming Ken Loach in Locarno.

He is a symbol of a world thats no more. A world ruled by solidarity, by pacifism and mutual respect. You see this man and for his entire life he stood up for what he believes in. He always had the back of the forgotten ones. He is not giving up.

Ken was drinking a beer in one of the bars around the Piazza, with Paul [Laverty] and his wife. And there you had The Old Oak again. In Locarno!

This has been a thrilling edition, reasserting the centrality of the Locarno Film Festival and its ability to explore contemporary cinema in every shape and size, capturing the hearts and minds of our generous, curious and passionate public, who crowded into the Piazza Grande and theaters in great numbers, said Nazzaro.

The 77th Locarno Film Festival will take place from Aug. 7-17, 2024.

This years winners:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Golden Leopard for Best Film

Critical Zone, (Ali Ahmadzadeh, Iran, Germany)

Special Jury Prize

Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World, (Radu Jude, Romania, Luxembourg, France, Croatia)

Best Director

Maryna Vroda (Stepne, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia)

Best Actress

Dimitra Vlagopoulou (Animal, Greece/Austria/Romania/Cyprus/Bulgaria)

Best Actor

Rene Soutendijk (Sweet Dreams, Netherlands, Sweden, Indonesia, Runion)

Special Mention

Nuit obscure Au revoir ici, nimporte o, (Sylvain George, France, Switzerland)

CINEASTI DEL PRESENTE (FILMMAKERS OF THE PRESENT) COMPETITION

Best Film

Dreaming Dying, (Nelson Yeo, Singapore, Indonesia)

Best Emerging Director

Katharina Huber (A Good Place, Germany)

Special Jury Prize CIN+

Camping Du Lac, (lonore Saintagnan, Belgium, France)

Best Actress

Clara Schwinning (A Good Place, Germany)

Best Actor

Isold Halldrudttir, Stavros Zafeiris, (Touched, Germany)

Special Mentions

Excursion, (Una Gunjak, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway, Qatar)

Negu Hurbilak, (Colectivo Negu, Spain)

FIRST FEATURE COMPETITION

Swatch First Feature Award

Dreaming Dying, (Nelson Yeo, Singapore, Indonesia)

PARDI DI DOMANI SHORT FILM COMPETITION

Concorso Corti dautore

Best Auteur Short Film

The Passing, (Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan, U.S)

Special Mention

Been There, (Corina Schwingruber Ili, Switzerland)

Concorso internazionale

Best International Short Film

A Study of Empathy, (Hilke Rnnfeldt, Denmark, Germany)

Pardino dargento SRG SSR for the International Competition

Du Bist So Wunderbar, (Leandro Goddinho, Paulo Menezes, Germany, Brazil)

Best Director

Eric K. Boulianne (Faire Un Enfant, Canada)

Medien Patent Verwaltung AG Award

The Guard, (Amirhossein Shojaei, Iran)

Special Mention

The Lovers, (Carolina Sandvik, Sweden)

Concorso nazionale

Best Swiss Short Film

Letzte Nacht, (Lea Bloch, Switzerland)

Pardino dargento Swiss Life for the National Competition

Night Shift, (Kayije Kagame, Hugo Radi, Switzerland

Best Swiss Newcomer Award

Letzte Nacht, (Lea Bloch, Switzerland)

PARDO VERDE RICOLA AWARDS

Pardo Verde Ricola

Guardians of the Formula, (Dragan Bjelogrli, Serbia, Slovenia, Montenegro, North Macedonia)

Special Mentions

Procida, (Procida Film Atelier, Italy)

Valley Pride, (Lukas Marxt, Austria, Germany)

INDEPENDENT JURY AWARDS

Ecumenical Jury Award

Patagonia, (Simone Bozzelli, Italy)

Special Mention

Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World, (Radu Jude, Romania, Luxembourg, France, Croatia)

FIPRESCI Award

Stepne, (Maryna Vroda, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia)

European Cinemas Label Award

Yannick, (Quentin Dupieux, France)

JUNIOR JURY AWARDS

Concorso internazionale

Do Not Expect Too Much From the End of the World, (Radu Jude, Romania, Luxembourg, France, Croatia)

Sweet Dreams, (Ena Sendijarevi, Netherlands, Sweden, Indonesia, Runion)

Critical Zone, (Ali Ahmadzadeh, Iran, Germany)

Environment is Quality of Life Prize

Nuit obscure Au revoir ici, nimporte o, (Sylvain George, France, Switzerland)

Special Mention

Stepne, (Maryna Vroda, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Slovakia)

Cineasti del Presente Award

Camping Du Lac, (lonore Saintagnan, Belgium, France)

Special Mention

On the Go, (Mara Gisle RoyoJulia de Castro, Spain)

Pardi di domani

Z.O., (Loris G. Nese, Italy)

Canard, (Elie Chapuis, Switzerland, Belgium)

Intelligence, (Jeanne Frenkel, Cosme Castro, France)

Special Mention

A Study Of Empathy, (Hilke Rnnfeldt, Denmark, Germany)

Open Doors Shorts

Environment is quality of life Prize

Rimana Wasi: Hogar de Historias, (Ximena Mlaga Sabogal, Piotr Turlej, Peru)

Special Mention

Plstico, (Vero Kompalic, Venezuela)

CRITICS WEEK AWARDS

Grand Prix

Monogamia, (Ohad Milstein, Israel)

Premio Zonta Club Locarno

Les Soeurs Pathan, (Elonore Boissinot, France)

Marco Zucchi Award

Les Premiers Jours, (Stphane Breton, France)

Residency Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur @ Villa Struli

Mohamadreza Mayghani, (Filmmakers Academy participant, Iran)

Stepne Credit: Andrii Lysetskyi