Movie&Short Festival awards ceremony will take place on August 9 in Locarno

The Movie&Short Festival awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, August 9, in Locarno. Among the competing works—already available for viewing online at www.movieshort.org—stand internationally renowned titles. The ceremony will be hosted by actor Elijah Knight, who has appeared in TV series such as Miss Fallaci and Unbreak My Heart, and in films such as The Safe and Prinzessin.

There are fourteen short films in the final round, submitted from all over the world. Emma Zander: Bad Dream (directed by Kimberly Aboltin) features a special appearance by Jacob Elordi, the internationally acclaimed star known for recent hit films such as Frankenstein, Saltburn, and Priscilla. It Happened Again Last Night by Roze and Gabrielle Stone stars Sydney Sweeney, celebrated for her performances in popular TV series and films like Euphoria and the romantic comedy Anyone But You. Sprout (directed by Allie Yonick) features Allegra Fulton, recognized for her roles in major films including The Shape of Water and Maudie.

Other entries include Will by Clara Altimas, starring Ed Pinker (Murdoch Mysteries), Two Travelling Aunties by Christine Seow, and The Truth by Marcel Büchi, featuring Elijah Knight (Miss Fallaci). From Russia comes The Stars Are Shining for Us by Alexander Shestakov; from Spain, SuperEscolares 2. Una mente sana by Íñigo Echávarri, entirely shot using AI; from Switzerland, Nocturnal by Cedric Spozio and Battles of the Fords of Isen by Lars Würgler and Sven Würgler. The UK is represented by In the Shadows 75 by Zubayr, starring King Davies Dogbe; Italy presents La prima spiaggia by Raul Quagliata, Il corteo - The Parade by Marco Ursillo, and Amigdala by Nicole Cuda and Amata Gatto.

The short films are open for online voting, allowing the public to award the Audience Prize. A distinguished jury will assign awards in categories including Best Film, Screenplay, Direction, Cinematography, Actor, and Actress.

The jury comprises notable figures such as Marco Calvani, lead actor in the TV series The Four Seasons and the film You, Me & Tuscany. A playwright whose works have been staged at the Phoenix Theatre in London, La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York, Teatro di Roma, and Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, Calvani directed the 2024 film High Tide and is currently working on a new film, Capitana. Giovanna Nodari, who has contributed to TV series such as Squadra Speciale Stoccarda, Another Monday, and All the Way Up, directed the short film Decent People. Glenn Cooper, a bestselling author with over eight million copies sold worldwide of his thrillers translated into 30 languages, is also on the panel. His debut novel, The Library of the Dead (2009), part of the The Library of the Dead trilogy, achieved international success, selling over 400,000 copies in Italy alone, while the Cal Donovan series is set in the Vatican. Actor Giuseppe Bonifati, known for roles in Ridley Scott's All the Money in the World, Michael Mann's Ferrari, and Martin Scorsese's docu-series The Saints, also serves on the jury. Nicole Muji, founder of the French Riviera Film Festival in Cannes and an expert in international entertainment public relations, completes the panel.

The 2026 edition also benefits from the collaboration of prominent international partners. Transmedia Group, founded in 1981, brings decades of experience in high-level public relations within the film industry, managing PR strategies for film premieres, award contenders, and emerging artists. The Fellini Foundation, a prestigious cultural institution dedicated to preserving, promoting, and disseminating the artistic and cinematic legacy of Maestro Federico Fellini, actively supports auteur cinema, education, and the organization of globally significant cultural events.

User :- Adrienne Mazzone

Email :-amazzone@transmediagroup.com