Romanian film 'You Don't Belong Here' wins Golden Leopard at Locarno

Romanian director Florin Șerban's film "You Don't Belong Here" has clinched the prestigious Golden Leopard award at the 79th Locarno Film Festival.

The jury, presided over by Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz, recognized the film for its "implacable narrative and aesthetic force." "You Don't Belong Here" tells the story of a surgeon who returns to his provincial hometown to manage a small hospital, only to discover his son is involved in the murder of an old Roma man during a far-right extremist raid.

Șerban described the film as a portrait of a worldview that "might disappear, or perhaps, should disappear." The film's style is characterized by slow pacing and a succession of static shots, often associated with the new Romanian cinema movement of the 2000s.

In contrast, the Special Jury Prize was awarded to "A Margem do Rio" by Brazilian directors Matheus Farias and Enock Carvalho. This film was noted for its more baroque approach, blending queer nocturnal sequences filmed in a thriller style with a more conventional narrative set within an evangelical community.