Lucy Liu To Receive Locarno Career Award & Present ‘Rosemead’ On Piazza Grande

Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu will be honored with a Career Achievement Award at the 78th Locarno Film Festival in August.

The lakeside festival will also host the international premiere of Eric Lin’s Rosemead, featuring a critically acclaimed performance by Liu.

The award ceremony and screening will take place on Locarno’s Piazza Grande on August 14.  The following day, Liu will participate in an on stage conversation about her career.

With a career spanning over three decades, actress and filmmaker has starred in films that have collectively grossed over $3.7 billion worldwide, with credits including Kill Bill, Charlie’ s Angels, Chicago, Set It Up, Presence, and Red One.

Rosemead stars Liu as an ailing woman racing against time to protect her son from his violent obsessions in a drama inspired by true events. Liu also serves as a producer.

Liu first broke out with her performance as ambitious Chinese-American lawyer Ling Woo in Ally McBeal, earning both Emmy and SAG nominations.

She has since become a pioneering force in television with her credits including series such as Why Women Kill, Elementary, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Star Wars: Visions, and A Man in Full.

Beyond acting, Liu has also directed episodes of Marvel’s Luke Cage Elementary, Why Women Kill, and American Born Chinese (2023), while also receiving acclaim for her documentary short Meena (2014), which tackled human trafficking.

As a producer, she championed projects like Freedom’ s Fury and Redlight, and recently voiced and produced the Emmy-nominated VR experience The Pirate Queen (2024), which is expanding into a graphic novel.

Liu also became only the second Asian American woman in nearly 60 years to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“Lucy Liu’s influence on both film and television is immeasurable. A master of reinvention, she has consistently delivered powerful performances that challenge the status quo,” said Locarno’s Artistic Director Giona A. Nazzaro.

“From her breakout role in Ally McBeal to her unforgettable portrayal of O-Ren Ishii in Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Liu has forged a path that few can follow. Her career spans genres and mediums, from action blockbusters like Charlie’ s Angels to poignant dramas like Soderbergh’s Presence, with each role adding depth and complexity to her already impressive body of work.

“Liu has also made a lasting impact on television, with standout performances in Why Women Kill, Elementary, and others, solidifying her place as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. As a producer, director, and humanitarian, her influence extends beyond acting – whether it’s her powerful documentaries like Meena or her innovative work on the Emmy nominated The Pirate Queen VR experience. It is a true privilege to host Lucy Liu on the Piazza Grande and to present a project as intimate and transformative as Rosemead – a testament to her ever-evolving artistry. Her fearless choices and groundbreaking performances continue to inspire audiences and redefine what it means to be an artist in the 21st century.”

The 78th Locarno Film Festival runs from August 6 to 16.