Swiss animator Marcel Barelli has been awarded the Locarno Kids Award 2025. His debut animated feature, "Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter," will premiere in Switzerland at the 78th Locarno Film Festival.
The festival organizers praised Barelli as "one of the most promising and original voices in Swiss and international animation." The film previously premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2025.
"Mary Anning: Fossil Hunter" tells the story of a 12-year-old girl in 1811 who embarks on a fossil-hunting quest after her father's death. The film pays tribute to British paleontologist Mary Anning. Barelli's works often explore the relationship between humans and nature.
Barelli will receive the award on August 12, 2025, at the Piazza Grande. The 78th Locarno Film Festival will take place from August 6 to 16, 2025.