Emma Thompson Receives Leopard Club Award, 'The Dead of Winter' Premieres at Locarno

Emma Thompson will be honored with the Leopard Club Award at the 78th Locarno International Film Festival, recognizing her as a vital force in cinema for four decades and the only person to have won Academy Awards for both acting and screenwriting. The award ceremony and the world premiere of her latest film, the thriller "The Dead of Winter," directed by Brian Kirk and executive produced by Thompson, will take place on August 8 in Locarno's Piazza Grande. The film features Thompson as a widowed fisherwoman in snowbound Minnesota who interrupts a teenage kidnapping and becomes the girl’s only hope. Locarno's artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, praised Thompson for her fearless approach to diverse roles ranging from Shakespeare to major blockbusters like the "Harry Potter" series. Thompson's career spans television and film, including acclaimed works such as "Howards End," "Sense and Sensibility," "Angels in America," "Love Actually," and "Cruella." The Locarno Festival celebrates Thompson's multifaceted talents in acting, writing, and producing, highlighting her enduring impact on multiple generations of fans.