The Locarno Movie Competition is inaugurating for its 2026 version a brand new aggressive part devoted to movies for younger audiences, the organizers revealed on Thursday. “These characteristic movies, from world wide and celebrating their world or worldwide premieres, mirror the variety of household cinema,” they stated.
Competing for the Mobiliare Locarno Children Award, the movies will probably be judged by a youth jury made up of members aged 11 to fifteen.
Seven movies, all world or worldwide premieres, have been chosen for the inaugural version of the competitors and span various genres and cinematic traditions.
“For the primary 12 months that Locarno Children Screenings turns into a aggressive part, we now have put collectively a program that explores the complete free vary of cinematic prospects,” stated Daniela Persico, programmer of Locarno Children Screenings. “We wished to create a journey that was each shocking and accessible to even the youngest viewers, with out shying away from the complexities of the modern world, whereas elevating questions on training, the surroundings and society. The younger protagonists of our movies – accompanied by animal guides and dependable pals – will take us by way of the troublesome path to independence and spotlight how asserting one’s personal id can change into an asset to 1’s neighborhood.”
The choice consists of the Swiss nature documentary Derborence the age of animalsanimated works such because the French movie Kids of Liberty and the Colombian MU-KI-RAand Mexican journey movies The brand new arrivals. Additionally featured are coming-of-age tales The summer time that ended twice from Italy and Germany Paradeisain addition to the Danish social documentary If luck comeswhich follows a circus for underprivileged youngsters in Afghanistan.
Two titles will probably be offered out of competitors, specifically the Italian-Swiss manufacturing Angel Seekersabout a youngster from Ticino who discovers the world of social motion, and the French animated characteristic movie Lengthy reside Carmenwhich premiered in Cannes, reinvents opera by way of the eyes of road youngsters.
The 79th Locarno Competition will happen from August 5 to fifteen.
Right here is the entire choice of youngsters’s screenings of Locarno 79.
DERBORENCE THE AGE OF ANIMALS (DERBORENCE THE AGE OF ANIMALS) by Vincent
Chabloz – Switzerland – 2026
World premiere
IF LUCK COMES by Camille Bildsøe – Denmark, Iceland, Norway – 2026
Worldwide premiere
THE SUMMER THAT IS OVER TWICE by Matteo Incollu –
Italy – 2026
World premiere
LOS NUEVOS (THE NEWCOMERS) by Rodrigo Plá – Mexico, Spain – 2026
World premiere
MU-KI-RA by Estefanía Piñeres Duque – Colombia, Spain –
Worldwide premiere
NEW YORK, MIRIAM AND I (CHILDREN OF FREEDOM) by Rémy Schaepman, Léahn VivierChapas – France, Luxembourg – 2026
Worldwide premiere
PARADEISA by Marleen Valien – Germany – 2026
World premiere
ANGEL SEEKERS by Leopoldo Pescatore – Italy, Switzerland – 2026
World premiere
Particular occasion
CARMEN, THE REBEL BIRD (VIVA CARMEN) by Sébastien Laudenbach – France
– 2026
Swiss premiere
Closing occasion