James Gray to Receive Locarno Career Pardo Award

American filmmaker James Gray will receive the Pardo alla Carriera, also called the Honorary Career Pardo Award, at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland. The award ceremony is scheduled for 9 August 2026 in Piazza Grande, the open-air screening venue in the Swiss city.

Locarno Film Festival

The Locarno Film Festival is an annual international film festival held in Locarno, a town in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland. The festival is known for screenings in Piazza Grande, one of Europe’s largest open-air cinema venues, and for its competition sections for feature films and short films.

Pardo alla Carriera

Pardo alla Carriera is an honorary lifetime achievement award presented by the Locarno Film Festival. The award is given to filmmakers for long-term contributions to cinema, and it is part of the festival’s Pardo, or leopard, branding.

James Gray and his films

James Gray is an American film director and screenwriter known for character-driven dramas. His filmography includes We Own the Night (2007), Two Lovers (2008), The Immigrant (2013), and Ad Astra (2019), and his latest film Paper Tiger premiered in competition at Cannes in May 2026.

Important Facts for Exams

• The 79th Locarno Film Festival is scheduled from 5 August to 15 August 2026.
• Paper Tiger stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller.
• Paper Tiger is set to open the New York Film Festival on 25 September 2026.
• Giona A. Nazzaro is the artistic director of the Locarno Film Festival.

Festival tribute screenings

The Locarno Film Festival tribute programme will include screenings of We Own the Night (2007) and Two Lovers (2008). Piazza Grande in Locarno is a major venue for public film screenings during the festival.