Pardo d'Oro (Locarno Golden Leopard)

Overview

The Pardo d'Oro (Golden Leopard) is the top prize at the Locarno Film Festival, one of the longest-running film festivals in continuous operation. The 78th edition took place from August 6 to 16, 2025, in Locarno, Switzerland. Tabi to Hibi (Two Seasons, Two Strangers) by Sho Miyake (Japan) won the Pardo d'Oro, receiving CHF 75,000 (approximately $93,000 USD) shared equally between the director and the producer. The festival's Piazza Grande outdoor screenings seat approximately 8,000 spectators, making it one of the largest open-air cinema venues in the world.

Locarno occupies a distinct position in the European festival landscape. While Cannes, Venice, and Berlin are the "Big Three" A-list festivals, Locarno is known for prioritizing formal innovation and cinematic discovery over commercial considerations. The Concorso Internazionale (International Competition) features approximately 15 to 18 films, all world or international premieres, judged by a jury of filmmakers and cultural figures. The 78th edition jury was led by president Rithy Panh (Cambodia), with members including Carlos Reygadas (Mexico) and Ursina Lardi (Switzerland).

The full Locarno Film Festival rules and regulations are published on the festival website. Submissions are accepted through the official submission portal.

Eligibility and Submission Rules

Films submitted to the Concorso Internazionale must meet the following requirements:

1. Runtime: 60 minutes or longer for feature films in the Concorso Internazionale. Short films (up to 59 minutes) compete in the Pardi di Domani section.
2. Completion date: Films must have been completed within the 12 months preceding the festival screening. For the 78th edition (August 2025), only films completed after August 31, 2024, were eligible.
3. Premiere status: Films must be world or international premieres. World premieres (first public screening anywhere) are favored. Films available on the internet, broadcast on television, or commercially released on VOD, DVD, Blu-ray, or any other format are not eligible.
4. Swiss productions: All Swiss productions and co-productions must be world premieres.
5. Language: All films must be submitted in the original language with English subtitles. Films without English subtitles will not be considered. English-language films do not require subtitles for pre-selection.
6. Excluded works: Films that are solely promotional, educational, or scientific in character are not eligible. Films submitted for previous editions cannot be resubmitted, even in new versions.
7. Screening format: If selected, accepted screening formats are 35mm or DCP only.

Submission Fees and Deadlines (78th Edition, 2025)

All fees include taxes and must be paid online before 2 PM CET on the deadline date. Incomplete or misleading entries are not considered. Entry fees are not refunded if the film is not selected or is found ineligible. Submissions require a Vimeo or YouTube screener link with download capabilities enabled.

Competition Sections and Prizes

The festival operates multiple competitive sections, each with its own jury and prize structure:

Concorso Internazionale (International Competition)

The main competition for feature films, documentaries, and animation over 60 minutes. All entries must be world or international premieres.

• Pardo d'Oro (Golden Leopard) - CHF 75,000, shared equally between director and producer
• Special Jury Prize - CHF 30,000, shared equally between director and producer (Cities of Ascona and Losone)
• Pardo for Best Direction - CHF 20,000 to the director (City and Region of Locarno)
• Pardo for Best Performance - two prizes awarded
• Special Mentions - up to two

The three top prizes may not be awarded ex aequo. The film receiving the Pardo d'Oro is not eligible for other monetary prizes. A maximum of two prizes per film may be awarded.

Concorso Cineasti del Presente (Filmmakers of the Present)

A competition dedicated to first and second features, focusing on emerging voices.

• Pardo d'Oro - Cineasti del Presente - CHF 35,000, shared equally between director and producer
• Best Emerging Director Award - CHF 20,000 to the director
• Special Jury Prize CINE+ - promotional campaign valued at CHF 25,000 on CINE+ channels in France
• Pardo for Best Performance - two prizes awarded

Pardi di Domani (Leopards of Tomorrow)

Short film competition with national and international categories.

• Pardino d'Oro (Best Swiss Short Film) - CHF 10,000
• Pardino d'Oro SRG SSR (Best International Short Film) - CHF 10,000
• Pardino d'Argento (Swiss Competition) - CHF 5,000
• Pardino d'Argento SRG SSR (International Competition) - CHF 5,000
• Best Direction Award - CHF 2,000 (sponsored by BONALUMI Engineering)
• Best Swiss Newcomer Award - equipment and services from Downtown Studio (CHF 10,000) and Taurus Studio (CHF 2,000)
• Pardino d'Oro for Best Auteur Short Film - CHF 15,000

Cross-Section Awards

• Swatch First Feature Award - CHF 15,000 to the director
• Pardo Verde (Green Leopard) - CHF 20,000 to the director, for films with a vision linked to environmental consciousness
• UBS Audience Award - CHF 30,000, shared between director, producer, and Swiss distributor

Recent Ceremony (78th Locarno Film Festival, August 2025)

The 78th edition ran from August 6 to 16, 2025. Key winners:

The previous year's 77th edition (August 2024) saw the Pardo d'Oro go to Akiplėša (Toxic) by Saulė Bliuvaitė (Lithuania), with the jury led by president Jessica Hausner (Austria).

History

The Locarno Film Festival was founded in 1946, making it one of the oldest film festivals in continuous operation, predating Cannes by one year. The festival was established in the Swiss-Italian town of Locarno, located on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore. The Pardo d'Oro statuette depicts a leopard (or "pardo" in Italian), a mythological animal that is kind of a lion and recalls Dante's lynx. The leopard was chosen in part because Venice already claimed the Golden Lion.

The Piazza Grande screenings, held outdoors in the town's central square, are among the most iconic film presentation events in the world. The combination of a massive outdoor screen, the alpine setting, and audiences numbering in the thousands creates a viewing experience unlike any other festival venue.

Past Golden Leopard winners include work by filmmakers who later achieved major international recognition, as well as established auteurs presenting their most challenging work. The festival has a strong record of championing cinema from underrepresented regions and traditions, with recent winners from Lithuania, Japan, Georgia, and Austria.

Business Impact for Filmmakers

For filmmakers working at the experimental or formally ambitious end of the spectrum, a Locarno selection validates their work within one of the world's most discerning festival contexts. The Golden Leopard carries particular weight with arthouse distributors, festival programmers, and cultural funding bodies.

Distribution signal: The Pardo d'Oro is recognized by arthouse distributors worldwide as a quality marker. Films winning the Golden Leopard frequently secure international distribution deals, particularly in France (where the CINE+ Special Jury Prize includes a promotional campaign valued at CHF 25,000), Germany, and the United States. MUBI, the streaming platform, has been an active acquirer of Locarno-selected films.

Career launch for emerging filmmakers: The Concorso Cineasti del Presente section focuses specifically on first and second features, providing a platform for debut and early-career filmmakers to present their work to an international audience of critics, programmers, and buyers. The Swatch First Feature Award (CHF 15,000) and the Best Emerging Director Award (CHF 20,000) provide direct financial support to filmmakers at the earliest stage of their careers.

Funding leverage: In Switzerland, films selected for Locarno can apply for Succès points through the BAK (Federal Office of Culture), which feed into future production funding decisions. Swiss filmmakers also benefit from MEDIA program support for films selected in competition sections. For international filmmakers, a Locarno premiere strengthens applications to national film funds and regional co-production support mechanisms.

Festival circuit positioning: Locarno's August timing places it after Cannes (May) and before Venice (September) and Toronto (September). A Locarno premiere can generate critical momentum that carries into the fall festival season, where films may secure additional bookings at Toronto, New York, London, or Vienna. The festival's reputation for formal innovation means that programmers at subsequent festivals pay close attention to the Locarno lineup.

Eligibility Quirks That Trip People Up

• Mistake: Submitting a film that had a limited online release or VOD availability before the festival. Correct rule: Films available on the internet, broadcast on television, or commercially released on VOD, DVD, Blu-ray, or any other format are not eligible. Locarno requires strict premiere status.
• Mistake: Assuming a film completed 14 months before the festival still qualifies. Correct rule: Films must have been completed within the 12 months preceding the festival screening. For the 78th edition (August 2025), only films completed after August 31, 2024, were eligible.
• Mistake: Submitting a Swiss co-production as an international premiere. Correct rule: All Swiss productions and co-productions must be world premieres, regardless of which section they target.
• Mistake: Expecting the festival to accept a streaming link as a screening format. Correct rule: If selected, accepted screening formats are 35mm or DCP only. No digital file formats are accepted for festival exhibition.
• Mistake: Hoping for a refund of the submission fee if your film is not selected. Correct rule: Entry fees are not refunded if the film is not selected or is found ineligible. Incomplete or misleading entries are simply not considered.

Prestige Tier

The Pardo d'Oro sits below the top-tier festival prizes (Palme d'Or at Cannes, Golden Lion at Venice, Golden Bear at Berlin) but above second-tier festivals like San Sebastian, Karlovy Vary, and Rotterdam. Locarno's August slot places it after Cannes (May) and before Venice (September), giving it a distinct window for films that prioritize formal innovation over commercial appeal. The CHF 75,000 ($93,000) cash prize is smaller than the Palme d'Or's prize but larger than most second-tier festival awards. For arthouse distributors like MUBI, IFC Films, and Neon, a Locarno selection functions as a quality marker comparable to a Cannes Un Certain Regard slot. The Concorso Cineasti del Presente section for first and second features rivals San Sebastian's New Directors section as a launchpad for emerging filmmakers.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Locarno rewards formally bold cinema that prioritizes artistic vision over commercial considerations. To compete for the Pardo d'Oro, your film must be a world or international premiere with no prior online, VOD, or broadcast availability. The key trade-off: Locarno's arthouse focus means a win boosts your reputation among critics and festival programmers but may not translate to wide theatrical distribution. Submit through the official portal with a Vimeo or YouTube screener link (download enabled) and pay the submission fee, which ranges from CHF 100 to CHF 200 for features depending on the deadline. The Concorso Cineasti del Presente section offers a separate entry point for first and second features, with a CHF 35,000 top prize. Swiss filmmakers can leverage Locarno selection for BAK Succes points, which feed into future federal production funding. Budget for English subtitles, as films without them will not be considered.

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See Also

For strategies on navigating the international festival circuit, see Festival Strategy for Independent Films. To model how festival recognition translates into revenue, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For evaluating the cost of a festival submission campaign against projected returns, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.