Beatrice Gibson Won Locarno Emerging Director Award
The filmmaker received the award in 2026 for her film At Night, a project shot during the pandemic.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Documentary
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In 2026, Beatrice Gibson won the Best Emerging Director award at the Locarno Film Festival for her film At Night. The documentary was filmed in Paris during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why it matters
Gibson created the film to bring an intersectional group of women together, using her own presence in the movie to examine issues of race and class privilege. The project drew structural inspiration from literary works including The Descent of Alette and Don Quixote.
The production featured a principal shoot duration of 3 weeks. Cinematographer Ben Rivers captured the footage using 16mm film.
The players
Beatrice Gibson
She is the director of the film At Night and integrated her own experiences regarding race and class into the project.
Ben Rivers
He is an experimental filmmaker and cinematographer who shot the project on 16mm film.
Locarno Film Festival
This is an annual film festival held in Switzerland that honors emerging and established cinematic talent.
Nell Dunn
She is a British author known for her work documenting the lived experiences of women, including her 1965 book Talking to Women.
The details
Gibson utilized a unique collaborative method by sending participants questions based on Nell Dunn's 1965 book Talking to Women. The cast is composed of non-professional actors, including artists, psychotherapists, and poets.
Timeline
Nell Dunn published the book Talking to Women in 1965.
Liyo Gong performed in the film Here in 2023.
At Night won an award at the Locarno Film Festival in 2026.
Industry Dynamics
This project reflects a broader trend of documentary filmmakers moving toward experimental, hybrid structures that blend pre-scripted narratives with reality. It highlights how contemporary directors are increasingly looking to 20th-century literature to frame modern social explorations.
Viewers interested in the film can track its ongoing festival circuit appearances to find upcoming public screenings. As an independent documentary project, availability for home streaming will depend on future distribution deals reached by the production team.
The takeaway
Gibson demonstrates that blending personal inquiry with non-professional casting can create a powerful intersectional narrative. Filmmakers looking to replicate this success should consider how historical literary structures can provide a backbone for spontaneous, contemporary interviews.
Further reading
Explore more analysis of independent cinema in our Documentary section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by BFI.
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