The Locarno Film Festival is planning a restrospective devoted to Otto Preminger during its 65th edition.

The programme, which will show the director’s entire body of work, is being made in collaboration with the Swiss and French cinematheques.

Preminger (1905-1986) made his first film, Die grosse Liebe, in Austria in 1931 before moving to the US and working for 20th Century Fox. His films include Laura, Fallen Angel, The Moon Is Blue, Anatomy of A Murder, Exodus, Bunny Lake Is Missing and The Human Factor.

Forty films will be screened in the best 35mm prints available.

There will also be discussions about his work from visiting filmmakers and critics, as well as a public roundtable with retrospective curator Carlo Chatrian.

A book in French and English will be published by Capricci, in collaboration with the Swiss Cinemathèque and the Festival del film Locarno. The Swiss and French Cinémathèques will repeat the Preminger retrospective in the autumn.

Locarno artistic director Olivier Père said: “Otto Preminger’s work appears to be the peak of classicism, and is built on balance and a feel for brilliant composition as well as storytelling, that encompasses both individual destinies and history, violence and restraint, a cold intelligence and emotion, lofty scepticism and humanism.”

Locarno runs Aug 1-11.

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