Growth brings change

Since the 1980s, and particularly since the 2000s, the festival has seen considerable growth. That has given rise to a feeling that is widely shared among the people of Locarno that it is “always more”, seemingly with no end: more films, bigger budgets, more spectators, more awards, more stars, more venues, more staff, more checks, more parties etc.

Is this solely due to an increase in the private sector’s involvement in the event? Evidence of sponsorship has become ever-present in the public space, especially in the Piazza Grande, at the heart of the action. In the 1990s, a new form of management was introduced, allowing the event to become undeniably more professional, as well as leading to a division and specialisation of tasks. As the organisation has been computerised, international contacts have moved faster and also grown in number.

In the face of these changes, the witnesses in this video wonder whether there is a risk of the festival losing its identity and permanently abandoning its tradition of engagement, particularly in the area of human rights.

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This video is part of the exhibition «We are the festival too! New voices on the history of the Locarno Film Festival».