This year’s selection at the Locarno Film Festival features outstanding international talent, maintaining the festival’s reputation as a showcase for avant-garde and culturally relevant films. The films Parallax by Kazakh filmmaker Zhannat Alshanova and Joqtau (Washhh) by Ukrainian director Oleksii Radynski have both attracted a lot of attention.

Parallax, which Variety called a “visually arresting” movie, uses a disjointed storyline to examine the protagonist’s unsettling experiences. The directing of Alshanova is praised for her “striking use of color and composition,” which successfully captures the characters’ emotional and psychological states. With its abstract style, the movie invites audiences to interact with the narrative on a deeper level and provides a singular cinematic experience that is “intellectually stimulating and visually captivating.”

However, Joqtau (Washhh), set against the backdrop of a war-torn Ukraine, is a moving meditation on loss and remembering. The movie directed by Radynski is praised for its “raw and powerful storytelling,” which offers a very intimate look at the human cost of war. A sequence of personal vignettes is used to tell the story, each of which adds to a larger picture of the protagonists’ adversities and resiliency. Variety calls Joqtau (pronounced Washhh) a “heart-wrenching depiction of the enduring impact of war on individuals and communities.”

With each giving a unique voice and vision, these movies demonstrate the diversity and depth of modern international filmmaking. The dedication of the Locarno Film Festival to presenting these kinds of films highlights the festival’s significance as a global hub for filmmakers. This year’s pick, as Variety notes, exemplifies “the festival’s dedication to fostering a deeper appreciation for the art of filmmaking and the stories that resonate across cultures.”

Two particularly noteworthy additions to the festival are Parallax and Joqtau (Washhh), both of which make a lasting impression with their distinct visual beauty and storyline.