How the Locarno Film Festival brought Chinese films to the West

Chinese cinema has been a recurring feature of the Locarno Film Festival over the last 75 years. From Chen Kaige’s Yellow Earth to Bi Gan’s Kaili Blues, films and filmmakers who went on to transform contemporary Chinese cinema have had their first encounter with international critics at Locarno. This year looks set to continue the tradition. Chinese film is once again in the spotlight at the Locarno Film Festival. The actor Jackie Chan is to receive a lifetime achievement award, while Chinese-American actor Lucy Liu will be given a career achievement award at this year’s event, which runs from August 6 to 16. The programme includes works by early-career Chinese filmmakers, building on a long tradition of introducing new developments in Chinese cinema to Western audiences. This year also marks two significant anniversaries in Sino-Swiss relations: it's 75 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties between Switzerland and China, and 40 years since Chen Kaige’s debut, Yellow ...