Golshifteh Farahani Receives Locarno Honorary Award from Zar Amir Ebrahimi: “Cinema Is a Refuge in a Dark World”
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Golshifteh Farahani received the Locarno Festival’s Davide Campari Honorary Award from Zar Amir Ebrahimi on Wednesday night at the opening ceremony of the festival’s 78th edition.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Farahani became emotional during the ceremony, saying in her speech: “In my opinion, this award is given to you, to all of us, in this dark and bleak world. We still believe in art and culture. We seek refuge in cinema. We watch films—films that embrace everyone. We feel love, anger, and jealousy, regardless of which borders we belong to, which God we believe in, where we worship, or what nationality we hold. We watch films from all over the world, especially here in Locarno. And this is where humanity is, in a way, united.”
The About Elly and Patterson actress continued: “To me, this prestigious award belongs to all of you. Each of you is a candle in the darkness. We have come here to celebrate human values with dignity and grace. I thank you for your presence. I thank you for being such a shining light in this dark world, because now our brightness is very, very strong. And we will change this world through art and culture. Together, we will succeed.”
Before presenting the award, Amir Ebrahimi told Farahani: “You inspire all of us, me and so many others, with every moment of your life. I love you.”
At this edition of the Locarno Festival, Farahani is presenting Alpha, directed by Julia Ducournau. The film premiered at Cannes but did not receive positive reviews.
After the award was presented to Farahani, the film In the Land of Arto, starring Amir Ebrahimi, was screened. Directed by Tamara Stepanyan, the story follows a French woman who, upon traveling to Armenia, discovers that her late husband had lied about his identity.
Giona Nazzaro, artistic director of Locarno, after describing Farahani as “a tremendously talented artist” in his opening remarks, dedicated part of his speech to the Gaza crisis: “This year’s festival screens films that question the state of the world and the countless ongoing wars that claim the lives of millions of innocent people. As a society and as individuals, we have a duty to always keep our eyes open, especially when suffering becomes a daily matter, and thus we must condemn the unbearable destruction in Gaza and this horrific human tragedy inflicted on the people of Palestine by systematic bombing, violence, and repression.”
The Locarno Festival continues until August 16.
