Artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro called Farahani “charismatic and multifaceted,” praising her ease in navigating auteur projects and large‑scale productions. The Tehran‑born performer, 42, first came to prominence with Dariush Mehrjui’s The Pear Tree and has since appeared in Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson, Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies and Netflix’s Extraction franchise. Exiled from Iran since 2009, she has used her platform abroad to advocate for artistic freedom, a stance frequently cited by commentators on Iranian diaspora media.
Farahani will accompany the Piazza Grande Swiss premiere of Julia Ducournau’s body‑horror drama Alpha, fresh from its Cannes competition debut, and take part in a public masterclass for festivalgoers. The ten‑day gathering, set for 6–16 August, hosts seventeen world premieres in competition, including new features from Radu Jude and Abdellatif Kechiche, reinforcing Locarno’s reputation as a launchpad for adventurous cinema.
Beyond the open‑air screenings, organisers will livestream Farahani’s Q&A as part of a digital expansion that followed last year’s 137,000 in‑person admissions. Campari Group, title sponsor of the prize since 2021, notes that recent recipients Mélanie Laurent and Guillaume Canet helped boost the brand’s visibility, a trend the company expects to continue with Farahani’s global following.
Her tribute will precede the 8,000‑seat Piazza’s screening of Alpha, ensuring Locarno opens with an artist who has long crossed linguistic and political frontiers to redefine contemporary performance.
