Locarno Festival counters the somber mood of the world with art and comedy

Switzerland’s most important film festival kicks off today with a lineup designed to capture the planet’s current pulse. But rather than spiral into despair, the programme leans boldly into comedy. Laugh – if you dare. How can art – and cinema in particular – reckon with the growing tide of battlefields, humanitarian crises, war crimes, forced migrations, and societal collapse? This year, Locarno Film Festival’s artistic director, Giona A. Nazzaro, has placed his bet on what might be the most civilised response to a world in distress: laughter. Defying industry trends, six of the 17 films in the festival’s main competition are comedies. But the humor they offer often skews dark, subversive, and anarchic. Comedies, satires, and ironic takes on the world permeate the festival’s other sections as well. This year’s guest of honour is none other than Jackie Chan, whom Nazzaro hails as “the Buster Keaton of modern cinema” – a nod to the American silent film star known for his deadpan ...