The 79th Locarno Film Festival will honor actress Zoe Saldana with the Special Pardo award, organizers announced on July 31, 2026.
The festival is scheduled to run from August 5 to August 15 in Switzerland.
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Saldana is known for her roles in 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' 'Emilia Perez,' and 'Lioness.'
She headlines a lineup of international honorees and attending stars at this year's event.
Claudio Simonetti Also Honored
Italian musician Claudio Simonetti, a keyboardist for the band Goblin, will receive a special honor on August 6.
The honor precedes a screening of 'Cut and Run' ('Inferno in diretta').
Simonetti is celebrated for composing scores for cult horror films like 'Suspiria' and 'Dawn of the Dead.'
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Festival organizers stated that Simonetti will be honored "for his legendary contribution to music in film."
The festival will feature premier appearances by high-profile talent, including Olivia Wilde for 'The Invite,' Monica Bellucci for 'Ketticè,' and Isabelle Huppert for 'Ni vue, ni connue.'
Other attending stars include Claes Bang and Valerie Pachner for 'I Is Another,' Caleb Landry Jones for 'Down the Arm of God,' and Kingsley Ben-Adir and Rob Morgan for 'Frank & Louis.'
Anders Danielsen Lie will appear for 'Brave New Love.'
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Additional honorary award recipients previously announced for the 2026 festival edition include filmmakers James Gray and Darren Aronofsky, actor Virginie Efira, special effects creator Rick Baker, producer Sigurjon "Joni" Sighvatsson, and actors Asia Argento and Isabella Rossellini, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
