Locarno Film Festival's artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, has previewed the 79th edition of the Swiss event, describing this year's programme as "adventurous" and designed to counter the predictability of algorithm-driven content feeds. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nazzaro said he wanted to recreate the sense of discovery he experienced as a young cinephile visiting varied festivals, giving Locarno audiences the chance to encounter unexpected films rather than content shaped by their past viewing habits.

The 2026 lineup includes world premieres of Hong Sangsoo's Nowhere to Lay My Eyes, Denis Côté's Nobody's Violence and Albert Serra's Sixteen Moments of My Life, alongside restored classics such as Taxi Driver, Wild at Heart and a 4K director's cut of Dances With Wolves. The festival will also honour directors James Gray and Darren Aronofsky, actress Virginie Efira, make-up effects artist Rick Baker, and actresses Asia Argento and Isabella Rossellini, reflecting a strong emphasis on both new and established cinematic talent.