Meryl Streep Musical Dramedy ‘Ricki And The Flash’ To Open Locarno Film Festival

Jonathan Demme’s musical dramedy Ricki and the Flash, which stars Meryl Streep as a musicians seeking to mend her family relationships after a career spent on the road pursuing musical fame, will open the 68th Locarno Film Festival. The film, which Sony is releasing, was written by Diablo Cody (Juno) will world premiere August 5 at the Piazza Grande.

The fest, which runs August 5-15, has a strong line-up of American titles, including Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Me And Earl And The Dying Girl, Catherine Corsini’sLa Belle Saison and Antoine Fuqua’s Southpaw. 

Michael Cimino’s Vietnam classic The Deer Hunter gets an airing to tie in with Cimino being awarded a Pardo D’onore Swisscom. Other honourees this year include Edward Norton, who will receive the festival’s Excellence Award ; Andy Garcia, who receives the Leopard Club Award; Teco Celio, who will receive the Premio Cinema Ticino; and Russian filmmaker Marlen Khutsiev who will receive the Pardo alla carriera.

This the full line-up of the festival’s competition:

Bella E Perduta- directed by Pietro Marcello (Italy)

Brat Dejan-  directed by Bakur Bakuradze (Russia/Serbia)

Chevalier-  directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece)

Cosmos-  directed by Andrzej Zulawski (France/Portugal)

Entertainment-  directed by Rick Alverson (U.S.)

Happy Hour- directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Japan)

Heimatland- directed by Lisa Blatter, Gregor Frei, Jan Gassmann, Benny Jaberg, Carmen Jaquier, Michael Krummenacher, Jonas Meier, Tobias Nölle, Lionel Rupp, Mike Scheiwiller (Switzerland/Germany)

James White- directed by Josh Mond (U.S.)

Right Now, Wrong Then-  directed by Sangsoo Hong (South Korea)

Ma Dar Behesht (Paradise)- directed by Sina Ataeian Dena (Iran/Germany)

No Home Movie- directed by Chantal Akerman (Belgium/France)

O Futebol- directed by Sergio Oksman (Spain)

Schneider Vs Bax- directed by Alex van Warmerdam (Netherlands/Belgium)

Suite Armoricaine- directed by Pascale Breton (France)

Sulanga Gini Aran, (Dark in the White Light)- directed by Vimukthi Jayasundara (Sri Lanka)

Te Prometo Anarquia- directed by Julio Hernández Cordón (Mexico/Germany)

The Sky Trembles And The Earth Is Afraid And The Two Eyes Are Not Brothers- directed by Ben Rivers (UK)

Tikkun- directed by Avishai Sivan (Israel)