LOCARNO — American filmmaker James Gray will receive the Pardo alla Carriera lifetime achievement award at the 2026 Locarno Film Festival, where he will also present his latest feature, “Paper Tiger,” the festival announced.
Gray will be presented with the career honor on Aug. 9 in Locarno’s Piazza Grande during the 79th edition of the Swiss film festival, organizers said. The ceremony will be followed by a screening of “Paper Tiger,” which will be shown as part of the festival programme.
The festival said the award recognizes Gray’s contribution to contemporary cinema. Locarno artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro described Gray as a filmmaker whose work has explored themes connected to family, identity and cultural heritage while moving across genres including crime drama, science fiction and adventure.
“Paper Tiger” is among the director’s newest projects and features actors including Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, according to festival information. The film will be accompanied at Locarno by screenings of two earlier Gray works, “We Own the Night” (2007) and “Two Lovers” (2008).
Gray, 57, began his feature directing career with “Little Odessa” in 1994, a film that received recognition at the Venice Film Festival. His subsequent credits include “The Yards” (2000), “We Own the Night,” “Two Lovers,” “The Immigrant” (2013), “The Lost City of Z” (2016), “Ad Astra” (2019) and “Armageddon Time” (2022).
The Locarno Film Festival, held annually in Switzerland, is one of Europe’s longstanding international film events and is known for its open-air screenings at Piazza Grande. The 2026 edition is scheduled to run from Aug. 5 to Aug. 15, organizers said.
The Pardo alla Carriera has previously been awarded to figures from international cinema and entertainment, with past recipients including actors and directors recognized for their long-term contributions to film.
Gray is scheduled to attend the festival for the award presentation and the screening of “Paper Tiger,” according to the announced programme.
