Alexander Payne to be honoured with Pardo d'Onore award at Locarno Film Festival

ANI June 12, 2025 258 views

Alexander Payne, the acclaimed director behind films like 'Sideways' and 'The Holdovers,' will receive the prestigious Pardo d'Onore at the 78th Locarno Film Festival. The festival praised Payne as a defining voice in modern American cinema. He will present screenings of 'The Descendants' and 'Nebraska' and engage in a public discussion. The event takes place from August 6-16 in Switzerland.

"Alexander Payne has secured his place as a defining voice in 21st-century American cinema." — Locarno Film Festival
Washington DC, June 12: American filmmaker Alexander Panyne will be honoured with the Leopard Award, Pardo d'Onore at the 78th edition of Locarno Film Festival. The event is set to take place on the night of August 15.

Key Points

1

Payne to showcase 'The Descendants' and 'Nebraska' at festival

2

His films have won 3 Oscars and 8 Golden Globes

3

Past winners include cinema legends

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Event runs August 6-16 in Switzerland

According to Variety, Payne will also present his films 'The Descendants' (2011) and 'Nebraska' (2013) and participate in a public discussion with the audience at the film festival.

While announcing the recipient of the Leopard Award, the Locarno Film Festival wrote, "The distinctive voice behind a slate of dryly funny modern classics, writer-director Alexander Payne has secured his place on the short list of filmmakers whose work can be said to define American cinema in the 21st century," on their Instagram handle.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKynpWnMopG/?

According to the website of the Locarno Film Festival, Payne's films have won three Academy Awards, three BAFTAs, and eight Golden Globes in various categories.

His critically acclaimed work includes films like 'Election' (1999), 'About Schmidt' (2002), 'Sideways' (2004), 'Nebraska' (2013), and 'The Holdovers' (2023).

As per the film festival website, Payne was born in Nebraska in 1961. He studied filmmaking at UCLA. By 1996, he had written and directed the ingenious,s politically charged comedy Citizen Ruth, starring Laura Dern, which received major acclaim after premiering at Sundance.

The Pardo d'onore has existed since 2017. Over the years, the honorary Leopard award has been presented to some of the most outstanding personalities in cinema.

The 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 6 to August 16.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
Congratulations to Alexander Payne! His films like 'Sideways' and 'The Descendants' have such universal appeal. It's interesting how American cinema resonates globally. Would love to see more collaborations between Hollywood and Indian filmmakers. 🎬
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Priya M.
While I appreciate Payne's work, I wish Indian filmmakers got similar recognition at international festivals. Our cinema has so much depth and diversity, but often gets overlooked in the West. Hope to see more representation soon!
A
Arjun S.
'Nebraska' is such a masterpiece! The black-and-white cinematography and simple storytelling reminded me of some classic Indian regional films. Art has no boundaries indeed. Looking forward to seeing what he creates next.
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Sneha R.
Interesting that the award ceremony is on August 15 - our Independence Day! Maybe it's a sign we should celebrate our freedom by watching great cinema from around the world. Any recommendations for Indian films with similar dry humor style?
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Vikram J.
His films are good but sometimes too slow for Indian audiences used to more dramatic storytelling. That said, 'The Holdovers' was brilliant - the emotional depth was universal. More power to filmmakers who tell human stories!

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Tags:
Alexander Payne Locarno Film Festival Pardo d'Onore The Descendants Nebraska Oscar winner