AceShowbiz - Isabella Rossellini is set to be honored with the prestigious Excellence Award at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, which will take place this summer. The award ceremony will occur on the festival’s opening night, Wednesday, August 5, in the scenic Piazza Grande of Locarno, Switzerland.

The festival organizers praised Rossellini as an iconic figure across cinema, television, and fashion, highlighting her unique blend of Hollywood technical mastery with a European artistic boldness. They noted her multi-decade career as distinguished by artistic daring and technical excellence. Her early impact as a model was soon overshadowed by her unforgettable role as Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch’s critically acclaimed film Blue Velvet (1986). This performance combined glamour, vulnerability, and an intense emotional depth that captivated audiences worldwide.

Locarno’s statement emphasized Rossellini’s cinematic heritage and her significant contributions to film history. She has collaborated with renowned filmmakers such as Robert Zemeckis, David O. Russell, Taylor Hackford, Marjane Satrapi, Guy Maddin, the Taviani brothers, and most notably, David Lynch. Her performances have been described as powerful yet elusive, adeptly expressing diverse directorial visions. More recently, she has been recognized for her roles in Alice Rohrwacher’s La Chimera (2023) and Edward Berger’s Conclave (2024). For the latter, Rossellini received a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 97th Academy Awards. Her poised and electric screen presence continues to be a vital part of modern cinema.

During the festival, Rossellini, who also holds a master’s degree in Animal Behavior and Conservation from Hunter College in New York, will participate in a public conversation. She will present her acclaimed web series Green Porno (2008-2009), noted for its witty, self-directed portrayal of animal mating rituals performed with deadpan comic brilliance. Additional works to be showcased include My Dad Is 100 Years Old (2005) directed by Guy Maddin, Seduce Me (2010), Mammas (2013), Darwin, What? and its sequel Darwin, What? What? co-directed with Paul David Magid (both 2020), as well as an excerpt from Animals Distract Me (2011).

Giona A. Nazzaro, Locarno’s artistic director, described Isabella Rossellini as a “true legend of contemporary cinema” and “a singular talent” who embraces artistic risk, reinvention, and fearless creativity. He called her “joyfully unconventional” and “consistently brilliant,” praising her unpredictability as her ultimate artistic hallmark. Nazzaro further hailed her as a visionary performer and “self-deprecating genius” whose profound presence has left an indelible mark on contemporary film through her boundless talent and humanity.

In addition to Rossellini’s award, the Locarno Film Festival announced that U.S. director Darren Aronofsky will receive the Honorary Leopard this year. Previous recipients of the Excellence Award include high-profile names such as Susan Sarandon, John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Michel Piccoli, Anjelica Huston, Carmen Maura, Isabelle Huppert, Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Rampling, Edward Norton, Bill Pullman, Ethan Hawke, Song Kang-Ho, Laetitia Casta, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Riz Ahmed, Mélanie Laurent, Guillaume Canet, and, most recently, Golshifteh Farahani.

The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival is scheduled to run from August 5 through August 15, continuing its tradition of celebrating remarkable talent in the world of cinema.