Jia Zhangke given lifetime honor at Swiss Film Fest

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Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke has received a lifetime achievement honor from the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland.

The 40-year-old director accepted the Leopard of Honor in Locarno on Thursday (August 5).

Olivier Père, the festival's artistic director, said, "This is the first time that Locarno has given a Leopard of Honor to such a young filmmaker, but he is already one of the major names in world cinema."

The award joins Jia's collection of international awards that also include a Venice Golden Lion.

Chinese film director Jia Zhangke poses with the Leopard of Honor statuette at the 63rd Locarno International Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland on Thursday, August 5, 2010. [CFP]

Jia's notable works include "Still Life", "24 City" and "Pickpocket". These art-house films have brought the director to the international limelight, but have yet to enter the domestic mainstream.

Jia's latest film "I Wish I Knew", a documentary about the World Expo host city of Shanghai, was invited for special screenings at this year's Cannes Film Festival. However, the film was met with cold shoulders after its domestic release in July.

The annual Locarno International Film Festival is among the oldest film festivals in Europe. The 63rd edition is currently underway and will run through August 14. Swiss filmmaker Alain Tanner was also awarded the Leopard of Honor at the festival.