Famous, or infamous, people make for good subjects of movies, whether documentaries, essay films or fiction features.
Just look at the lineup of this year’s Locarno Film Festival, whose 79th edition, running Aug. 5-15, features all sorts of screen stories about bold or recognizable names.
From a German entertainment figure and an Italian film and series creator to a U.S. prisoner sentenced for an “unintended crime,” the program of the Swiss festival allows you to learn more about people who have been in the headlines. Plus, there is also a cinematic letter to a documentarian of modern Lebanese history and a fiction feature about infamous Nazi Heinrich Himmler’s massage therapist.
If you are curious about diving deeper into the lives of the famous and the infamous at Locarno 2026, THR has compiled some possible picks for you below.
Sixteen Moments of My Life (Seize Moments De Ma Vie) by Albert SerraSection: Out of competition
