Once again this year the Locarno International Film Festival is delighted to offer the public a free screening on the Piazza Grande on the eve of the Opening Night, on Tuesday, August 4th, 9:30 pm – thanks to the support of CSS Assurance.

Marching Band (France/USA), a documentary co-directed by Claude Miller (Betty Fischer et autres histoires, L’Effrontée), Héléna Cotinier and Pierre-Nicolas Durand, will be presented as an international première with the film delegation in attendance.

The film takes an unusual look at the recent American electoral campaign, as experienced on the front line by two university marching bands in the state of Virginia. This fascinating portrait of contemporary American youth (which contributed to the election of Barack Obama) is driven by the extraordinary energy of the Marching Bands.

The 62nd edition of the Locarno Festival will be opened on the following day on the Piazza Grande, with Marc Webb’s (500) Days of Summer, followed by La guerre des fils de la lumière contre les fils des ténèbres by Amos Gitai.