The 78th Locarno Film Festival (6–16 August 2025) features four productions with strong ties to Hessen — three of them supported by us at Hessen Film & Medien.
Two short films, »Blind, Into the Eye« and »Unleaded 95«, have been selected for the Pardi di Domani: Concorso Internazionale section. Both were developed with our production funding for emerging talents. »Vuta N'Kuvute (Tug of War)«, supported through our distribution funding via Frankfurt-based jip film & verleih, will screen as part of the Open Doors Screenings — a section that currently highlights African filmmakers and their perspectives.
And there’s another local voice on the ground: director Timon Ott presents his short film »The Uniformed«, produced in Kronberg with many Hessian collaborators, also in the Pardi di Domani competition.
»Blind, Into the Eye«
In their essayistic short film, Atefeh Kheirabadi and Mehrad Sepahnia explore the Iranian protests since September 2022 through a philosophical lens. The film examines the tension between direct visual experience and mediated imagery, questioning the role of the technical image, the camera as eye — and the political act of seeing. Visually striking and analytically sharp, the film turns vision into a form of resistance. The Hessian production company Plotless Film served as service producer and creative partner. The collaboration was initiated in October 2023 during HessenLAB, our talent incubator in partnership with the B3 Biennale of the Moving Image, where the project was first pitched.
»Unleaded 95«
The interdisciplinary artist collective schwestern reimagines the story of Frankfurt’s legendary lesbian bar »La Gata« in a new cinematic form. Through montage, the iconic space is transposed to a stereotypically male domain: a motorway rest stop — complete with gas stations, motels, car washes, and drive-ins. Here, the lesbian-queer community claims space with resistance and joy. The film speaks to friendship, queer identity, and radical self-determination — and was created entirely in Hessen. »Unleaded 95« is a film by directors Emma Hütt and Tina Muffler, produced by Superzoom Film.
»Vuta N'Kuvute (Tug of War)«
Supported through our distribution funding via jip film & verleih, Amil Shivji’s award-winning drama screens in the Open Doors section. Set in British-occupied Zanzibar, it tells the story of Denge and Yasmin, who fall in love amid political turmoil, arranged marriage, and anti-colonial resistance. Based on Adam Shafi’s Swahili novel, the film weaves love and rebellion into a powerful historical narrative. Open Doors is supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
While not funded by us, we’re thrilled to see Timon Ott’s short film »The Uniformed« in the Pardi di Domani lineup. Ott is from Frankfurt, and his producer Ricardo Guzmán Bausch lives in Kronberg — where their production company Einbaum Film was also founded. The film follows a young man who commits to 17 years of military service — only to find his new unit far less unified than expected.
Hessen on the International Stage
Founded in 1946, the Locarno Film Festival is among the world’s oldest and most prestigious — alongside Venice — and the leading festival in Switzerland. We’re proud that Hessen is so prominently represented in this year’s program. We wish all participating teams inspiring encounters, meaningful conversations, and an unforgettable time in Switzerland.
More information: locarnofestival.ch