Gurvinder Singh’s ‘Rehmat’ selected for main competition at 79th Locarno Film Festival

National Award-winning filmmaker Gurvinder Singh’s latest feature ‘Rehmat’ has been selected for the main competition at the 79th Locarno International Film Festival, making it the only Indian film in contention at the Swiss event this year.

The film will compete in the prestigious Concorso Internazionale section for the top honour — the Pardo d’Oro (Golden Leopard).

The 79th edition of Locarno will be held from August 5 to 15 in Switzerland. Known for showcasing arthouse and auteur cinema from around the world, Locarno is one of Europe’s oldest and most respected film festivals.

Singh, who has earlier won acclaim for films like Alms for a Blind Horse and Chauthi Koot, is recognized for his rooted storytelling in Punjabi language and culture. ‘Rehmat’ entering the main competition puts Indian independent cinema back in the global spotlight at Locarno, where an Indian film has rarely featured in the top category in recent years.