Locarno Film Festival, Switzerland The Locarno International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in August in the city of Locarno. It is considered the fourth most important European film Festival after Cannes, Venice and Berlin In 1946, film festivals were held in Cannes and Venice in post-war Europe. In the same year, the first festival was held in the Italian canton of Switzerland, Ticino For 10 days, Locarno becomes the center of cinematic life in different countries. Festival screenings take place in 10 screening cinemas of the city, as well as in the open-air cinema on Piazza Grande The laureates of the festival are awarded a prize — a statuette of a leopard. The symbol of the festival was not chosen by chance: the city's coat of arms depicts a mythical animal resembling a lioness or a tiger Numerous bars and restaurants decorate their summer verandas with leopard-colored umbrellas, leopard flags are flying in the city, and even many large shops sell purchases in leopard packaging The Golden Leopard is awarded for the best film of the competition, the cash prize is divided between the producer and the director of the film. "Silver", "bronze" and "mini" — respectively for male and female roles, directing, and debut work
