Filmmaker James Gray will receive the prestigious Career Leopard (Pardo alla Carriera) award at the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, according to festival organizers. Gray will accept the honor in the Swiss town’s Piazza Grande on Sunday, August 9, and will present his latest film, Paper Tiger, following the ceremony.
Locarno Honors James Gray’s Career
The 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival, running from August 5 to 15, is celebrating Gray for a body of work that spans gritty crime dramas and sweeping historical epics. According to the festival, Gray forged a singular career rooted in piercing realism since winning the Silver Lion at Venice for Little Odessa in 1994 at age 25.
Nazzaro described Gray as the last great novelist of American cinema. “His films form a rich body of work that echoes the Jewish diaspora, film noir, and Russian as well as North American literature,” Nazzaro stated.
In addition to the festival opener Paper Tiger—which premiered in competition at Cannes and will open the 2026 New York Film Festival—Locarno will screen two key titles from Gray’s filmography: We Own the Night (2007) and Two Lovers (2008). Gray’s extensive catalog also includes The Yards (2000), The Immigrant (2013), The Lost City of Z (2016), Ad Astra (2019), and Armageddon Time (2022).
Gray on Directing Actors and Cinema History
Speaking at a Sunday press conference during the festival, Gray addressed his approach to filmmaking and performance, expressing surprise at his own standing. “I’m always shocked when an actor says they want to work with me,” Gray told reporters, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gray emphasized that performers drive the visual language of a production more than is commonly credited. “Actors dictate the style of the film much more than I think is talked about,” Gray said. “I just try to make sure that they are totally comfortable to be excellent. I have no acting talent. I’m not a good director of actors. It is all about how good they are and letting them have the freedom to be themselves in the scene and to listen to each other.”
When discussing his writing process, Gray noted that he avoids tailoring scripts to specific performers to prevent logistical complications. “You write it for some actor, and then you find out that guy is not available for two years, and then they can’t do it,” he explained.
Reflecting on international cinematic history, Gray cited mid-century Italian cinema as a profound influence. “If I had to pick cinema 1945 to 1980, I would say Italian cinema is everything to me,” Gray stated.
Gray also offered a personal definition of the medium, describing movies as “the most beautiful art form because it’s the closest thing we have to a dream.” That intimacy shapes how he experiences viewing films in a theater. “It’s why people say, ‘I hate that movie’ or ‘I love that movie.’… That’s why when somebody talks behind you in the movie theater, you want to kill them. It’s something interrupting your dream,” Gray said.
Previous Career Leopard Recipients
The Pardo alla Carriera is supported by Ascona-Locarno Tourism, the destination partner of the festival. Gray joins a distinguished roster of past recipients who have received the Career Leopard in Switzerland. Previous honorees include:
- Francesco Rosi
- Claude Goretta
- Bruno Ganz
- Claudia Cardinale
- Johnnie To
- Harry Belafonte
- Costa-Gavras
- Shah Rukh Khan
- Jackie Chan
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