Chatrian will head the sixth edition of the Locarno film festival in August before he moves to Berlin.
Keystone
The Locarno Film Festival in southern Switzerland will need a new artistic director as the incumbent, Carlo Chatrian, has been appointed to co-lead the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, in the German capital.
The announcement was made by the German minister of state for culture and media in Berlin on Friday.
The 46-year-old Italian born Chatrian, who was chosen together with Mariette Rissenbeck as managing director of the Berlinale, is due to take up his post in May 2019.
Over the past six years, he has maintained the festival’s profile among European cinephiles, while programming world premieres in international competition slots as well as Hollywood crowd-pleasers in the famed Piazza Grande open-air cinema.
His appointment is seen as a surprise, as Chatrian, a graduate of literature and philosophy who also made a name for himself as a journalist and author, appeared to rule himself out as successor of Dieter Kosslick in interviews to the press.
Observers say he will face a daunting challenge of reforming the Berlinale which competes for movies with the Cannes Film Festival in southern France.
The Berlin International Film Festival, Europe’s most popular cinema event, was led by a Swiss documentary film director and photographer, Moritz de Hadeln, from 1980 to 2001.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Abroad
Thousands of emigrants’ descendants in Argentina demand Swiss citizenship
This content was published on
Paul Hottinguer, a member of one of Switzerland’s most famous banking families, will face trial in Paris for tax fraud and money laundering.
Swiss man who died in Iranian prison had photographed military site
This content was published on
The Iranian judiciary said that the Swiss man who died in an Iranian prison on January 9 had been detained for photographing a restricted military site.
Swiss researchers patent new device for avalanche detection
This content was published on
The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research said it has granted a group of Swiss researchers a patent for a device to enhance avalanche warnings.
Berset discusses ECHR climate ruling implementation at Davos
This content was published on
Switzerland has submitted a report on the court's ruling in Strasbourg. Berset told Justice Minister Beat Jans that the Council of Europe is reviewing it.
This content was published on
A 27-year-old ski tourer has died in the hospital in Sion, in southwestern Switzerland, after being caught in an avalanche on Saturday.
Swiss health minister criticises Trump’s ‘rash’ WHO exit
This content was published on
Switzerland has expressed “deep” regret over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider said in Davos.
This content was published on
Job vacancies in Switzerland fell by 10% in 2024, marking the first negative annual balance since the Covid-19 pandemic, says Adecco.
Swiss president meets Zelensky in Davos amid tensions with Europe
This content was published on
Swiss President met Zelensky at Davos. As Zelensky thanked Switzerland, Keller-Sutter said it's too early to discuss a new summit, awaiting Trump's actions.
Basel diocese files five claims of sexual abuse in Swiss Catholic Church
This content was published on
The diocese of Basel has received 141 reports of sexual abuse since the publication of a sweeping study on violations in the Catholic Church by the University of Zurich in 2023.
Swiss president calls for open markets and stable institutions in WEF speech
This content was published on
Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter was among speakers at the WEF in Davos to make the case for fair competition, a day after Donald Trump became the 47th president of the United States.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
The history and future of films in Locarno
This content was published on
Once a year, Locarno turns into a glamorous place. The film festival's longtime president shares his view on the event's past and future.
This content was published on
Born in Turin, Italy, in 1971, Chatrian has worked as a film critic for magazines such as Filmcritica, Duellanti and Cineforum since the early 1990s. He is the director of the magazine Panoramiques. Chatrian has run film courses at various schools and institutions. He first worked with the Locarno Film Festival in 2002, and served…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.