Lithuanian Teen Drama ‘Toxic’ Wins Big at Locarno Film Festival

As a movie enthusiast with a penchant for discovering hidden gems from around the world, this year’s Locarno Film Festival has been nothing short of a revelation! The spotlight shone brightly on Lithuanian cinema, a nation not typically renowned for its cinematic prowess. Saulė Bareiša’s “Toxic” swept the competition, winning both the Golden Leopard for Best Film and the top prize in the First Feature Competition. It’s safe to say that Lithuania has officially arrived on the global film stage!


2021’s Locarno Film Festival saw Lithuanian cinema steal the spotlight, as two of its productions garnered several prestigious awards. This is not common for Lithuanian films to make such an impact on the international film festival scene.

As a movie reviewer, I found myself utterly captivated by “Toxic,” an exceptional debut from the talented Saulė Bareiša. This remarkable film not only clinched the prestigious Golden Leopard for Best Film in the main International Competition, but it also defied convention by securing the top prize in the separate First Feature Competition – a rare double achievement indeed!

Full story to come, with a complete list of winners below:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

1. Golden Leopard for Best Film: “Toxic,” by Saulė Bliuvaitė

Competition for Filmmakers of Today (Present-Day Filmmaker Competition)

1. Initial Film Contest

PARDI DI DOMANI SHORT FILM COMPETITION
Tomorrow’s Filmmaker Competition
Best Emerging Filmmaker Short: “Upshot,” Maha Haj
Special Recognition: “The Masked Monster,” Syeyoung Park
Locarno Film Festival Short Film Candidate – European Film Awards:“The Exploding Girl,” Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel
International Category
Best International Short Film: “Washhh,” Mickey Lai
Silver Prize: “Hymn of the Plague,” Ataka51
Best Director: “Que te Vaya Bonito, Rico,” Joel Alfonso Vargas
Media Patent Agency Award:“The Form,” Melika Pazouki
Special Recognition: “Freak,” Claire Barnett
National Category
Best Swiss Short Film: “Sans Voix,” Samuel Patthey
Silver Prize: “Better Not Kill the Groove,” Jonathan Leggett
Best New Swiss Filmmaker Award: Gabriel Grosclaude, “Lux Carne”
Special Recognition: “Progress Mining,” Gabriel Böhmer

PARDO VERDE CONTEST
Pardo Verde: “Now,” Ala Eddine Slim
Special Recognitions: “The Spot,” Willy Hans; “Rotating Cycles,” Johann Lurf and Christina Jauernik

INDEPENDENT JURY AWARDS

1. Ecumenical Jury Award: “Toxic,” by Saulė Bliuvaitė

Junior Jury Awards Announced
International Competition
First Place: “Green Line” by Sylvie Ballyot
Second Place: “Toxic” by Saulė Bliuvaitė
Third Place: “Salve Maria” by Mar Coll
Quality of Life Prize: “Youth (Hard Times)” by Wang Bing
Cineasti del Presente Competition
First Place: “Holy Electricity” by Tato Kotetishvili
Special Recognition: “Olivia & Las Nubes,” Tomás Pichardo-Espaillat

Short Film Competition

CRITICS’ WEEK AWARDS
Grand Prix: “Wir Erben,” Simon Baumann
Marco Zucchi Award (for most aesthetically and formally innovative documentary): “La Déposition,” Claudia Marschal

Residency Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur @ Villa Sträuli: Maryam Tafakory

Read More

2024-08-17 17:17