Italian-American Actress to Receive Award at 79th Festival Opening Night 2026

The Locarno Film Festival has announced that the legendary Italian-American actress, model and filmmaker Isabella Rossellini will be honored with the Excellence Award at the festival’s upcoming edition. The recognition celebrates a career defined by a rare blend of Hollywood technical precision and a fearless, European approach to artistic experimentation.

Rossellini will be formally recognized on the opening night of the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, which is scheduled for Wednesday, August 5, 2026. The ceremony will take place in the festival’s iconic venue, the Piazza Grande, in the Swiss town of Locarno. The festival itself is slated to run from August 5 to 15, 2026.

As an entertainment editor who has covered the intersection of cinema and celebrity for over 15 years, I have watched Rossellini consistently defy the boundaries of “the star.” Whether through her high-fashion origins or her willingness to embrace the avant-garde, she has maintained a trajectory that prioritizes creative curiosity over commercial safety. This award serves as a timely acknowledgment of her enduring influence on contemporary visual storytelling.

A Legacy of Artistic Risk and Reinvention

The Excellence Award is reserved for figures who have made a profound impact on the medium of film. Locarno Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro described Rossellini as a “true legend of contemporary cinema,” emphasizing her ability to evolve across different eras and mediums. In a statement announcing the honor, Nazzaro praised her as “a singular talent who has always fully embraced the thrill of artistic risk, reinvention, and fearless creative transformation.”

Nazzaro further noted that Rossellini has made “unpredictability her ultimate artistic signature,” calling her a “visionary and incomparable performer and self-deprecating genius whose profound presence has left an indelible mark on contemporary cinema through her boundless talent and deep humanity.”

Rossellini’s transition from the world of fashion to the silver screen was marked by roles that challenged the traditional expectations of glamour. Most notably, she etched herself into cinematic history as Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch’s 1986 masterpiece Blue Velvet. The role is widely cited for its balance of raw vulnerability and haunting intensity, establishing her as a performer capable of navigating the surreal and the psychological.

Collaborations with Cinematic Visionaries

Beyond her work with Lynch, Rossellini has built a diverse portfolio through collaborations with some of the most distinct voices in global cinema. Her filmography includes work with Robert Zemeckis, David O. Russell, Taylor Hackford, Marjane Satrapi, and Guy Maddin, as well as the Taviani brothers. These partnerships highlight her versatility and her ability to give voice to the diverse, often elusive visions of the directors she supports.

Exploring the Multidisciplinary Artist

While her acting credits are extensive, the Locarno Film Festival will also highlight Rossellini’s work as a filmmaker and creator. The festival plans to screen a selection of her credits that showcase her range, moving from traditional narrative cinema to experimental digital media.

Among the featured works will be her self-directed web series Green Porno (2008-09), a project that exemplifies her “joyfully unconventional” approach to art. The festival will also showcase her 2005 project My Dad is 100 Years Old, as well as Seduce Me (2010) and Mammas (2013). The program will include Darwin, What? and Darwin, What? What?, which she co-directed with Paul David Magid in 2020.

This curation underscores the festival’s intent to celebrate Rossellini not just as a face of cinema, but as a creator who utilizes the camera to explore nature, humor, and the human condition. Her work in the Green Porno series, in particular, demonstrates her ability to blend education with surrealism, further cementing her status as a multidisciplinary icon.

The Prestige of the Locarno Excellence Award

Joining the ranks of the Excellence Award recipients places Rossellini in a distinguished lineage of performers who have shaped the landscape of modern film. Previous honorees include acclaimed figures such as Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Michel Piccoli, Anjelica Huston, Carmen Maura, and Isabelle Huppert. Most recently, in 2025, the award was presented to Golshifteh Farahani.

For a global audience, the Locarno Film Festival remains one of the most critical venues for discovering “cinema of the future” while honoring the masters of the past. By awarding Rossellini, the festival acknowledges the bridge she represents between the classic European spirit of artistic fearlessness and the technical brilliance of the Hollywood system.

As the festival approaches, the industry looks forward to seeing how Rossellini’s presence will influence the 79th edition. Her career serves as a blueprint for artists seeking to maintain their autonomy and curiosity in an increasingly formulaic industry.

The next major milestone for the event is the official opening ceremony on August 5, 2026, where Rossellini will take the stage at the Piazza Grande.

Do you have a favorite Isabella Rossellini performance or project? Share your thoughts in the comments below or join the conversation on our social media channels.