Asia Argento receives lifetime achievement award at Locarno Film Festival

Italian actress Asia Argento has been honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland. During an emotional acceptance speech, Argento described the recognition as a profound moment of validation, stating it felt as though the universe was telling her, ‘You are not wrong, you are good as you are.’

Argento reflected on her complex relationship with cinema, noting that while she inherited an obsession with film from her father, director Dario Argento, her early career was often marked by performance anxiety. She credited director Abel Ferrara with teaching her to prioritize the relationship with the camera over her own ego.

In a personal moment, Argento shared that her father had called her to offer congratulations, telling her, ‘When you engage, you are good.’ The actress, who has been a prominent figure in the #MeToo movement, spoke candidly about her perceived social maladjustment and how film provided her with a sense of belonging and a way to connect with the world.