The Golden Leopard prize at this year’s International Film Festival in Locarno has been awarded to Historia de la Meva Mort (Story of My Death) by Albert Serra, a Spanish-French production set in 18th century Europe.
Historia de la Meva Mort, one of 20 films competing in Locarno, tells the story of the Marquis Casanova and his manservant, who cross paths with Count Dracula in the final days of Casanova’s life. The Golden Leopard is worth CHF90,000 ($97,000).
The jury’s special prize at the 66th festival went to the Portuguese documentary E Agora? Lembra-me (What now? Remind Me) by Joaquim Pinto, who has been living with Aids for almost 20 years. The film is the notebook of a year in which Pinto participates in trial clinical studies with toxic, mind-altering drugs.
Best Director was awarded to South Korea’s acclaimed Sangsoo Hong for his film U ri Sunhi (Our Sunhi), a low-key story about a young film student.
Brie Larson got the Silver Leopard Best Actress award for her role as Grace in the American film Short Term 12 about a foster-care facility for at-risk teenagers. Short Term 12, one of the rare films in the history of the Locarno festival that received a 10-minute standing ovation, also received special mention from the jurors.
The Silver Leopard for Best Actor went to Fernando Bacilio for his role in the dark comedy El Mudo, a joint Peruvian-French-Mexican production by Peruvian brothers Daniel Vega and Diego Vega.
And finally, Swiss documentary Tableau Noir (Blackboard) by Yves Yersin received a special mention «for its careful and tender observation of an alternative school class and the filmmaker’s deep commitment.»
In the film Yersin follows a primary school class in Western Switzerland with an avant-garde teacher and depicts the fate of a school in the mountains which had to be closed because of a shortage of pupils. The film was very well received at the festival, moving many viewers to tears.