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Merge Film Festival in pictures, edition by edition: the screenings, the guests, the awards and the people who make the festival happen.

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2026 · First edition

1–4 October 2026, Cinema Lux, Massagno (Lugano). The 2026 edition recap →

Artistic director Dario Cirrincione and Manila Tunesi, film selector and head of staff, interviewed by RSI outside Cinema Lux, Thursday 1 October

The Cine Lux sign and the festival poster, with students outside, Friday 2 October

The main hall full of students for WALL·E, Friday 2 October

Alessandro Bavari and Dario Cirrincione on stage at Cinema Lux, Friday 2 October

The Swiss Press Award by linkfloyd goes to Let’s Play Ball by Dayu, Friday 2 October

The panel on the environmental impact of AI, Saturday 3 October

Javishth Chabria and Kevin B. Lee in conversation with Felix Bachmann, Saturday 3 October

The main hall of Cinema Lux during the conference with Javishth Chabria and Kevin B. Lee

The Youth Jury deliberating outdoors at dusk, Saturday 3 October

Francesca Monti and Marco Longo of the Hybrid jury with the Hybrid Award at the closing ceremony, Sunday 4 October

The festival team on stage at Cinema Lux, Sunday 4 October

The Youth Jury at the photocall with its award, Sunday 4 October

Dario Cirrincione and Manila Tunesi getting ready for the live interview on RSI national television, Thursday 1 October

Dario Cirrincione and Manila Tunesi outside Cinema Lux, just before going live on RSI

The mayor of Massagno speaks at the opening ceremony, Thursday 1 October

The audience in the main hall of Cinema Lux on opening night

Students arriving at Cinema Lux for the schools’ morning, Friday 2 October

School classes waiting outside Cinema Lux, Friday 2 October

School classes filling the main hall before WALL·E

Students watching WALL·E in the main hall

The masterclass by Antonella Autuori (SUPSI) for art high schools, Friday 2 October

Sharon Ritossa, director of Closed Waters, answers the audience’s questions after Competition Programme 1, Friday 2 October

Two members of the festival team outside Cinema Lux

Sharon Ritossa, director of Closed Waters, at the festival photocall, Friday 2 October

The open talk and launch of FORMA APERTA, Friday 2 October

Alessandro Bavari in conversation with Dario Cirrincione, with live captions on the screen, Friday 2 October

Letizia Marrone, head of the Youth Jury, puts a question to Alessandro Bavari

Screening & conversation with Alessandro Bavari, moderated by Dario Cirrincione

A question from the audience during the conversation with Alessandro Bavari

Francesco D’Isa, director of Unum, on stage during the Swiss awards evening, Friday 2 October

Q&A after Competition Programme 2 with Francesco D’Isa (Unum), centre, and Reza Delavar (Commit), left, Friday 2 October

Marco Longo at the roundtable “How is the image changing?”, Saturday 3 October

Marco Zaffalon speaking at the roundtable on work and the role of human beings in the age of AI, with live captions in Italian

Emil Gasanov, director of Home, at the Q&A after Competition Programme 3, Saturday 3 October

Emil Gasanov, director of Home, on stage for the Q&A after Competition Programme 3

Marco Zaffalon, Colin Porlezza, Javishth Chabria and Pierre Alexandre Tremblay at the roundtable on work and the role of human beings in the age of AI, moderated by Felix Bachmann, in collaboration with USI, Saturday 3 October

Silvia Santini, Marta Soprana and Elettra Fiumi with moderator Ilaria Espa at the panel on the environmental impact of AI

Silvia Santini (USI) speaking at the panel on the environmental impact of AI

Watching the films in competition in the main hall, Saturday 3 October

Alessandro Bavari outside Cinema Lux, Saturday 3 October

The Youth Jury taking notes in the hall, Saturday 3 October

Javishth Chabria and Kevin B. Lee at the conference held in collaboration with USI

Kevin B. Lee speaking at the conference, with Javishth Chabria and Felix Bachmann

The conference with live captions in Italian on the screen, Saturday 3 October

Mirko Rovatti of the Youth Jury during the deliberation, Saturday 3 October

Thinking it over: Patric Dornbierer of the Youth Jury during the deliberation

Giuseppe Di Salvatore of Filmexplorer presents the Critics’ Award, Saturday 3 October

Giuseppe Di Salvatore and Dario Cirrincione with the Critics’ Award trophy

The Youth Jury in the hall at the awards ceremony, Sunday 4 October

The Youth Jury announces its award on stage, Sunday 4 October

The festival team thanked on stage at the end of the awards ceremony, Sunday 4 October

Dario Cirrincione and Karin Büchel of PlusPoint, a partner of the festival, at the photocall, Sunday 4 October

Photos © Merge Film Festival