A window on the world
Raphaël Brunschwig reveals how Ticino became a formative cultural exchange platform and how big cats found a home in Locarno.
From identity-shaping power animals to inner power places
Every year since 1946, Locarno, a small city on Lake Maggiore, becomes a global capital of arthouse films and attracts an audience of more than 100,000 people. The international film programme of the Locarno Film Festival flickers across the cobblestones of the Piazza Grande for eleven days. It ranks among the most renowned film festivals in the world and sets the bar high. New achievements become a standard of quality and innovation is in demand. How to stay surprising with new ideas, improve the Festival and remain relevant in our fragmented society – that’s the challenge which Raphaël Brunschwig enjoys facing, in collaboration with the President of the Locarno Film Festival, Marco Solari, and its Artistic Director, Giona A. Nazzaro. The goal is clear: constant renewal, while staying within the guardrails of tradition and sustaining audience interest. Working ceaselessly on a project that has an important history and deep roots in the region and in the country, as well as an influence in the world, Raphaël sees great potential for the future.
In the leopard’s footsteps
The colours yellow and the leopard’s spots have become an integral part of the Festival, heightening expectations whenever they appear round this neck of the woods: The Locarno Film Festival is about to begin. The leopard was not always the symbol of the Festival. 50 years ago, Locarno’s biggest prize was still the Golden Sail. But then artist Remo Rossi was commissioned to create a new symbol. Since a Golden Lion was already the top award at Venice, the lion on the coat of arms of Locarno was reinterpreted as a mythological Leopard. Which is why, ever since, the striking spots of the power animal have become synonymous with the Festival.
Although nowadays it seems natural that the Festival takes place in the Piazza Grande, which today even graces our 20-franc banknote, in those days it was more of a cloak-and-dagger operation, launched virtually without permission. Since one could no longer have screenings in the Grand Hotel and the cinemas were not suitable either, someone took the liberty of doing it in the Piazza Grande. And so the open-air feeling established itself as a formative, characteristic feature of the Festival, even though it arose by chance and necessity.
Energised
In essence an introverted person, in his position as COO of the Festival Raphaël plays an extroverted role on a daily basis. He was recommended to his predecessor with the caveat «Gradually, he will be ready.» Raphaël has always been able to do one thing especially well: read people and situations, which is the most important quality that a sponsorship coordinator (his initial job) must possess. In a short amount of time Raphaël must decide which priority and sensitivity he should bring to bear in a given situation. Understanding the needs of the partner, knowing which values and issues the partner represents as an institution, finding parallels to the Locarno Film Festival and optimally representing them in the collaborative work – from the beginning, Raphaël had it in his blood. It was necessary to deepen and expand the long-standing partnership with Hertz, which as a proud partner supports the Festival during the stressful summer months. The trust his bosses have in his abilities allowed him to reach his current position in just a few years.
As a memento and lucky charm, a three-pin high power socket that was given to him by his predecessor decorates his office. This was once the reason for a short circuit on a Prefestival evening that caused a 45-minute power outage. Nearly the entire audience remained seated and patiently waited for the film to flicker across the screen. Thanks to this «lucky charm», the goodwill of the audience assisted his work.
Looking back, throughout the course of his career Raphaël has time and again been able to leave his comfort zone in a healthy manner and grow into his responsibility. Raphaël’s philosophy is to never deny himself. As an introverted person, having enough time for himself is especially important. Raphaël thus recharges his batteries in order to cope with all his responsibilities as a husband, a father and co-director of the festival, and also with exhausting everyday matters.
The rituals that he practices nowadays as a matter of course are the result of an intensive journey. Raphaël gets up at 5 a.m. every day, writes down his dreams, writes in his diary and meditates. After a workout, he eats breakfast with his wife and begins working in the office at 7.30. Does he also do all that during the busy time of the Festival? «I do better every year,» says Raphaël with a laugh. The adrenaline always upsets his plans. During the festival he plunges into another world – with new priorities, rules and a race against time.
Curtain-up for dramas, large and small
«A day feels like a week and a week like three years,» says Raphaël about his sense of time during the eleven-day film festival. When he looks back on the festival in September, it is astonishing what was achieved in this short amount of time. To give some idea of the scale of things: Raphaël gets over 250 calls and hundreds of e-mails every day and is responsible for nearly 1,000 employees. As co-director of the festival, he always tries to resolve dramas, large or small, pragmatically.
Organising a festival this big is almost like a drug. You can almost get lost in its intensity. But for Raphaël there is definitely a positive side: «You cast off your ego and work with others for something bigger.» No wonder there’s something of a «post-festival» down.
Raphaël handles it by spending time with his family. A dip in the crystal-clear water of the River Maggia, with its stunning rock formations, washes away the weight of the past few months.
A place with special magic
Even before the establishment of the Locarno Film Festival, the area around Ascona was a meeting place for back-to-nature people, artists and writers as well as supporters of various alternative movements. Atop Monte Verità, above Ascona, is the origin of many important texts read by Raphaël in his younger years which have shaped his career.
As a young adult Raphaël lived in his own universe. He even spent some time completely cut off from the outside world, occupying himself with a deal of philosophical literature. The question of meaning drove him on: Raphaël wanted to write his own coming-of-age novel and gather as many experimental experiences as possible. His serendipitous devotion to meditation put an end to this personal journey and is reflected in his reconciliation with the outside world.
Monte Verità has remained a power place for him over the years, where he can deal with his inner world and relax in the garden. Here the circle closed for Raphaël: for him, the artistic freedom in this region was interrelated with the Festival. It was no accident that, right here, a festival of international importance arose that is independent compared to other film festivals. With its open and honest manner, the Locarno Film Festival offers a programme that reflects our social action in a very special way to the audience.
Exploit potential – Preserve tradition
Raphaël recognizes it is a privilege to work for a project that thousands of people have already invested in. Under the presidency of Marco Solari, the paws of the film leopard have left their tracks. But strong growth knows its limits: the number of places in city theaters, in hotels and in the Piazza Grande are finite. But how can one help the Festival heighten its presence throughout the year and generate additional value for film makers, viewers and partners? Raphaël has undertaken this task and devotes himself first andforemost to one thing: digitalization. Then the magic of the eleven days can be spread out over the year. With digital projects like Locarno Kids and Locarno Shorts Weeks, initial platforms are established and the curatorial work of the Festival carries on permanently, online.
Just a human
For Raphaël, film is one of the most exciting art forms with which to record and reflect on the events of our age and human existence. One important role of the Festival is to create a platform for auteur films, which find it harder to reach audiences in our present- day media world. While algorithms recommend films on well-known streaming platforms, the artistic team from the Locarno Film Festival puts together a film programme with relevant contemporary works from around the world. The focus of the Festival is clear: curious viewers should be offered a platform for new experiences. Because in the end it’s always, in essence, about creating oneself. Even though not everyone makes their own film, the desire to reflect upon oneself remains. And precisely this makes the Locarno Film Festival possible. With its values of openness and independence, it offers a platform for examining one’s own humanity.
