Emma Thompson will receive the Leopard Club Award at the 2025 Locarno Film Festival, where her new thriller The Dead of Winter premieres. The two-time Oscar winner is being honoured for her iconic career in film and TV, spanning indie classics, blockbusters, and award-winning performances.
Acclaimed British actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson is set to receive a major honour at the 78th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. Thompson, a two-time Academy Award winner, will be presented with the prestigious Leopard Club Award on August 8, in celebration of her extraordinary career in film and television. The honour coincides with the world premiere of her latest project, The Dead of Winter, a gripping thriller directed by Brian Kirk.
Emma Thompson remains a rare and remarkable figure in Hollywood, being the only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have won Oscars for both acting (Howards End) and screenwriting (Sense and Sensibility). The Locarno Film Festival, known as Europe’s leading event for independent cinema, is recognising her for a career marked by versatility, fearlessness, and emotional depth.
In a statement, the festival praised Thompson’s “willingness to take risks with her roles,” which has allowed her to stay relevant and deeply respected across generations. The tribute highlights Thompson’s enduring appeal, from literary adaptations and indie films to blockbuster franchises.
Her extensive body of work includes celebrated roles in The Remains of the Day, Angels in America, Love Actually, Nanny McPhee, Saving Mr. Banks, Years and Years, Cruella, Matilda the Musical, and the Harry Potter series, among many others. Most recently, her bold performance in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande won acclaim for its emotional honesty and bravery.
At Locarno, Thompson will be present for the world premiere of The Dead of Winter, where she not only stars but also serves as executive producer. The film, produced by Stampede Ventures and augenschein, features Thompson as a widowed fisherwoman who becomes entangled in a kidnapping during a harsh Minnesotan blizzard. The premiere will take place at the festival’s iconic 8,000-seat open-air venue, Piazza Grande.
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Locarno’s Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro lauded Thompson’s artistic range and deep commitment to her craft, saying: “Emma Thompson embodies the best of a tradition of performers who continue to infuse each role with profound understanding. She moves effortlessly from Shakespeare to James Ivory, from the enchantment of Harry Potter to the mischief of Nanny McPhee, always challenging and redefining expectations.”
Over her illustrious career, Thompson has received multiple accolades, including two Oscars, two Golden Globes, three BAFTAs, a Golden Lion, and an Emmy. She now joins the esteemed ranks of past Leopard Club Award recipients such as Faye Dunaway, Andy Garcia, Hilary Swank, and Mia Farrow.
The Locarno Film Festival will run from August 6 to August 17, 2025, continuing its legacy as a vital platform for bold, independent filmmaking and the celebration of cinema’s most enduring talents.
