32nd Locarno Film Festival
The 32nd Locarno Film Festival was held from 2 to 12 August 1979 in Locarno, Switzerland. Eighteen films competed at the festival from thirteen nations. Some interesting films at the festival were the Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard competitor Les Petites Fugues directed by Yves Yersin and the symbolic insane asylum picture Hospital of the Transfiguration directed by Edward Zebrowski.
On the last night of the festival, jury member and actress Bianca Jagger made an impromptu appeal for nations around the world to support her home country of Nicaragua through international aid.
The Golden Leopard, the festival's top prize, was awarded to The Herd directed by Zeki Okten. Incarcerated screenwriter of The Herd, Yilmaz Güney, received a Special mention by the International Jury.
International Jury
- Bianca Jagger, Nicaraguan actress and human rights advocate
- , French distributor
- Carlo Di Palma, Italian cinematographer
- Pal Gabor, Hungarian film director
- Bruno Ganz, Swiss actor
- Daniel Olbrychski, Polish actor
- Nicos Panayotopoulos, Greek critic and screenwriter
Official Sections
The following films were screened in these sections:Official Awards
International Jury
- Golden Leopard: The Herd directed by Zeki Okten
- Ernest Artaria Prize: The Stud Farm directed by Andras Kovacs
- International Jury Special Prize: Immacolata and Concetta: The Other Jealousy directed by Salvatore Piscitelli
- International Jury Grand Prize: LES PETITES FUGUES to actor Michel Robin
- International Jury’s first Special mention: Production team for Hospital of the Transfiguration by Edward Zebrowski
- International Jury’s second Special mention: Screenplay of The Herd written by Yilmaz Güney
FIPRESCI Jury
- International Critics Award: LETZTE LIEBE by Ingemo Engstöm, The Stud Farm directed by Andras Kovacs
Women’s Jury
- Golden Apple: THE HERD directed by Zeki Okten, DER EINTÄNZER by Rebecca Horn
Oecumenical Jury
- Oecumenical Jury Prize: LES PETITES FUGUES by Yves Yersin