Locarno Festival Opens With British Postwar Cinema Retrospective

The 78th Locarno Film Festival highlights cinema as a vital space for reflection and empathy, with President Maja Hoffmann emphasizing its unique role in supporting independent filmmaking. A major focus of the festival is the retrospective "Great Expectations: British Postwar Cinema 1945–1960," curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht in partnership with the British Film Institute National Archive and the Cinémathèque Suisse, which aims to reframe this era beyond period dramas to showcase films reflecting Britain's societal changes post-WWII. This program features 45 films, including classics and overlooked genre works, illuminating the reconstruction period's cultural dynamics. The festival's collaboration with the BFI ensures a comprehensive and curated experience highlighting the era's cinematic contributions. Additionally, the Museum of the Moving Image in New York will present a full retrospective of British filmmaker Terence Davies, celebrating his influential career and distinct cinematic language. These events underscore a growing appreciation for British cinema's postwar period and the enduring power of film as a medium for cultural and historical insight.