THE 69th Locarno Film Festival wrapped up Saturday after a successful two-week running that showed 279 films at the Swiss event. This year the international lineup gave voice to a number of new female filmmakers. Of the 17 world premieres in competition for the main prize, eight were directed by women.

    The international jury, led by Mexican director Arturo Ripstein, recognized one of those titles, giving Bulgaria’s Ralitza Petrova the Golden Leopard for her first feature, “Godless.” The feature was well-reviewed among international critics for revealing the underbelly of Bulgaria’s crime circuit.

    The film’s lead Irena Ivanova also took home the best actress award for her performance as Gana, a drug-addicted nurse to the elderly who sells identity cards with her boyfriend on the black market.

    “Scarred Hearts,” inspired by the 1937 Max Blecher novel, by Romanian director Radu Jude picked up the special jury prize. And Portuguese art house helmer Joao Pedro Rodrigues won best director for “The Ornithologist,” a contemporary retelling of “Saint Anthony of Lisbon.”

    Andrzej Seweryn won best actor for “The Last Family” and Tizza Covi’s “Mister Universo” took home a special mention prize.

    In the “Filmmakers of the Present” section, the jury, led by director Dario Argento, awarded Eduardo Williams with the Golden Leopard for “The Human Surge,” an exploratory film following young characters across Buenos Aires, Maputo and Mozambique.

    The special jury prize went to “The Challenge” by Yuri Ancarani. Japan’s Mariko Tetsuya won the best emerging director prize. And a special mention went to Kiro Russo for “Viejo Calavera.”

    The festival’s public prize went to Cannes’ Palme d’Or winner “I, Daniel Blake” by Ken Loach. And the award for best first feature went to “The Future Perfect” by Nele Wohlatz of Argentina.

    (SD-Agencies)