Marco Cavazzin’s short film “Mutrion” has won the best director prize in the Leopards of Tomorrow section at the Locarno Film Festival. The award highlights a young Italian filmmaker’s work in an international short-film competition, with the film exploring return, belonging and isolation in the Venice lagoon.

The 26-year-old director’s film was the only Italian entry among 20 works from countries including the UK, France, Iran, China, the US and Ukraine. Starring Manfredi Marini and shot entirely on lagoon islands, it follows Marco, who returns four years after leaving and confronts local rituals and expectations surrounding a superstition about losing a toenail.