Zoe Saldaña to Receive Locarno Fest Special Honor

Zoe Saldaña (Guardians of the Galaxy, Emilia Pérez, Lioness) will be among the stars attending the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival. On Monday, Aug. 10, she will feature in a special conversation with the public where she will also be awarded a Special Pardo, or Special Leopard honor, organizers said on Thursday.

Italian musician Claudio Simonetti (Suspiria, Dawn of the Dead), the keyboardist of the progressive rock band Goblin who has specialized in creating the scores for Italian and U.S. horror films since the 1970s, will also be honored “for his legendary contribution to music in film.” He will receive his honor on Thursday, Aug. 6 ahead of a special screening of Cut and Run (Inferno in diretta).

Movie premieres across the big Swiss summer film festival are also set to draw a wide array of big-name talent to Locarno. The fest on Thursday highlighted the expected presence of the likes of Olivia Wilde (The Invite), Monica Bellucci (Ketticè), Isabelle Huppert (Ni vue, ni connue), Claes Bang and Valerie Pachner (I Is Another), Caleb Landry Jones (Down the Arm of God), Kingsley Ben-Adir and Rob Morgan (Frank & Louis), Anders Danielsen Lie, Kathrine Thorborg Johansen and Simon Sears (Brave New Love), Ingrid Caven (Sixteen Moments of My Life) and Theo Rossi (Bruton).

Locarno 2026 has previously set honors for U.S. directors James Gray and Darren Aronofsky, Belgian-born actress Virginie Efira, Rick Baker, the seven-time Oscar winner behind some of cinema’s most fantastical creatures, Sigurjón “Joni” Sighvatsson, the producer behind the likes of Twin Peaks, Wild at Heart and Beverly Hills, 90210, as well as actresses Asia Argento and Isabella Rossellini.

Other names set to attend Locarno include Sandrine Kiberlain (Ni vue, ni connue), Valerio Mastandrea (Armony), Emmanuelle Devos (Demain je tombe amoureux), Kim Minhee (Nowhere to Lay My Eyes), Giulia Maenza (Alberi erranti), Alessandro Haber (Cercatori d’angeli), and Sara Serraiocco (Il Cileno).

The 79th edition of the Locarno festival runs Aug. 5-15.