American filmmaker James Gray will receive the Pardo alla Carriera at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, taking place from August 5 to 15, 2026.
The award, presented with the support of Ascona-Locarno Tourism, will be given to Gray in Piazza Grande on Sunday, August 9. Following the ceremony, the director will present his latest film, Paper Tiger. The festival will also screen two earlier works, We Own the Night and Two Lovers.
Gray began his international career with Little Odessa, which earned the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1994, when he was 25. His subsequent films, including The Yards, We Own the Night, Two Lovers and The Immigrant, established him as a distinctive voice in American independent cinema.
Much of his early work drew from his upbringing within New York’s Russian Jewish community, combining family drama, organised crime and the social pressures surrounding the pursuit of the American dream.
Over the past decade, Gray has expanded his filmmaking into larger productions and different genres. The Lost City of Z explored colonial ambition and geographical discovery, while Ad Astra moved his recurring themes of family and isolation into science fiction. Armageddon Time later returned to childhood, education and racial inequality in 1980s New York.
Paper Tiger Brings Gray Back to New York
Paper Tiger premiered in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival and is also set to open the 2026 New York Film Festival.
The film follows two brothers whose hopes of improving their lives bring them into contact with the Russian mafia. The cast includes Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller.
Gray produced the film alongside Rodrigo Teixeira, Anthony Katagas, Raffaella Leone, Andrea Leone, Marco Perego, Gary Farkas, Leonardo Maria del Vecchio, Carlo Salem and Andrea Bucko.
The production also reunites the director with several regular collaborators, including cinematographer Joaquín Baca-Asay, composer Christopher Spelman, production designer Happy Massee, casting director Douglas Aibel, editor Scott Morris and costume designer Amy Roth.
Locarno Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro described Gray as a filmmaker whose work connects the Jewish diaspora, film noir and Russian and North American literature, while maintaining a recognisable artistic identity across genres.
From an industry perspective, the award recognises a director who has moved between independent drama, international co-production and large-scale studio filmmaking without abandoning the themes and visual approach that define his work. Gray’s career demonstrates how filmmakers can work with major stars and larger budgets while maintaining a consistent authorial voice.
The Pardo alla Carriera has previously been presented to figures including Francesco Rosi, Claudia Cardinale, Johnnie To, Harry Belafonte, Costa-Gavras, Tsai Ming-liang and Shah Rukh Khan. Jackie Chan received the award in 2025.
James Gray’s recognition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival underlines the continuing importance of filmmakers who can move between independent cinema and larger international productions without losing a clear artistic identity. By pairing the career award with the presentation of Paper Tiger and screenings of two earlier films, the festival is not only looking back at his achievements but also showing how his work continues to evolve within the contemporary film industry.
