Isabella Rossellini is working on a new series of animal-related short films, the star and filmmaker told the 79th edition of the Locarno Film Festival on Thursday.
First, there was Green Porno, her series of shorts that launched in 2008 on the Sundance Channel and explored some of the more bizarre mating behaviors in nature. She followed that up with Seduce Me in 2010, which expanded on that theme. Then came Mammas in 2013, which shone a spotlight on animal motherhood. Now, Rossellini is diving into a different animal-centric topic: pets.
“It’s about the history of pets, domestic animals called The Survival of the Friendliest,” Rossellini said, according to a simultaneous interpretation of her Italian comments provided by the festival. “I play all the roles,” she shared.
Rossellini recalled how Robert Redford “loved silent and short films because back then there were a lot of shorts” and felt that for the new Apple iPhone’s small screens, shorts would make sense. So he encouraged her to make Green Porno for the Sundance Channel. The icon concluded that “I owe” Redford for the opportunity to become a director.
Discussing her well-known fascination with animals further, she shared: “I have always loved animals.” Because at the time, there was no animal-related degree to study for, she said she decided to go after her other big passion, namely fashion.
About her modeling work, Rossellini shared how it helped her overcome struggles after harshly bad reviews for her first major film role as Eugenia in The Meadow from directors Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, for which she won the Silver Ribbon award for best new actress in Venice. “The critics killed me, so for five years, I quit” and focused on modeling, she shared. “When you are young, you are really mortified.” And she explained that her modeling work “reassured me.”
While the icon is staying busy, fans should not hold their breath for a Rossellini-directed feature film, she signaled. Asked why she hasn’t made a feature so far, she explianed: “Partly because I have no time. I have a farm, and I play some roles.”
What’s the biggest factor for the star in choosing her roles? “The most important thing is the director,” she said. “If the script is great but the director is not, he may ruin it.”
During her appearance, Rossellini, the daughter of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman and Italian director Roberto Rossellini, discussed her collaborations with such legendary filmmakers as the late David Lynch, Robert Zemeckis, Guy Maddin and James Gray, who will also be honored at Locarno in the coming days.
Among other things, Rossellini reminisced about how controversial Lynch’s Blue Velvet was when it came out and shared insights into her singing in the movie. “There was a lot of voice editing,” she said with a laugh. “Otherwise, I would be a singer. We needed a lot of takes because I couldn’t hold a note. That’s the magic of the movies.”
About Maddin, she said she saw his film The Heart of the World and had to meet him. “I was mesmerized,” Rossellini recalled, so she visited him in Winnipeg. They ended up making five films together. “His movies look like old movies with scratches, because he loves cinema,” she said. “So to me, they look like my dad’s films, which haven’t been restored yet.”
The late British director John Schlesinger was another one of her favorite collaborators, even though their film The Innocent “was not a success,” the star recalled. She also shared that, “a few years ago, I dreamed that my dad and John had become fiancées in heaven. They had [become] a couple in heaven.”
Rossellini’s Thursday appearance drew a big crowd, with some fans already in place an hour before it started despite the scorching heat.
On Wednesday evening, the Italian-American actress, model and filmmaker had helped kick off Locarno 2026 with star power, receiving the Swiss fest’s Excellence Award.
Her Thursday conversation was moderated by Olivier Père, the former artistic director of the Locarno festival and now executive director of ARTE France Cinéma and head of its cinema unit since 2012. He is also part of the jury for the international competition of Locarno79.
After the session, Rossellini patiently signed autographs for fans, with many a mobile phone used to snap pictures. Some audience members even brought gifts, giving her, for example, a book and a letter.
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