Ticino’s Summertime Popularity
The italian-speaking part of Switzerland sees it’s popularity skyrocket in the summertime. Elegant Lugano and trendy Locarno, along with towns like Ascona and the coastline of lake Maggiore are visited not only by international tourists for the classy dolce vita and laid back culture, but also by Swiss from the german speaking cantons, who feel right away as if they were down south in the mediterranean (without having to make the 6-hour road trip).
Locarno has tried to become trendy the past half dozen years by vigorously promoting its film festival, the important projections for which take place on the big square, which is normally overrun by parked cars and bistro chairs. While the festival remains a minor event as far world cinema goes, this year it managed to attract its greatest number ever of buyers — the commercial agents of distributors who seek to buy international distribution rights.
Even though George Clooney now lives not too far away, he (along with pretty much the rest of the international film jet set) skipped the event. The highest profile visitors to the Locarno film festival tend to be Swiss politicians, like Michelilne Calmy-Rey and Pascal Couchepin, who evidently relish the prospect of becoming celebrities themselves.
