In Memoriam – Seven Years Later – Claudia Laffranchi – Hollywood Foreign Correspondent
IN MEMORIAM
JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUP REMEMBERING OUR DEAR FRIEND
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We love and miss you, Claudia
Each year during Festival season we are reminded of our community’s great loss. This year we will once again be reminded of our BFF, as the third edition of “Locarno in Los Angeles” will be underway in Feb, 2020.
Claudia Laffranchi (IMDB – fb – tw), 49, Angelena-Ticinese, Foreign Correspondent, journalist and emcee of the International Film Festival in Locarno, was found dead in her Los Angeles apartment, in the early afternoon of May 22nd, 2012.
Claudia was in very close contact with her Homeland Ticino in southern Switzerland, where she regularly collaborated with local television stations and newspapers as their Los Angeles entertainment correspondent. For the past seven years she was also the multi-talented, multi-lingual live emcee and presenter at the Piazza Grande during the Locarno International Film Festival.
This year’s “Locarno in Los Angeles” event would have been SO much richer, had she been around… sniff…
Living in Hollywood and having extensive first-hand exposure to the World of cinema and television, enticed her to also produce and direct. Claudia was welcomed to the elite circle of influential journalists by winning the prestigious 53rd journalism award given by her peers of the Los Angeles Press Club.
She graced thousands of people with her presence, her beautiful smile, her wit and sense of humor – and was a great cheerleader for the #Angeleno-Swiss/Ticinese community and the driving force behind the creation of Helvetic.LA, who encouraged many creative projects and actively promoted young talent, and mingled among the great Hollywood Stars with her usual poise, class, style, elegance and grace.
We were so much looking forward to growing old together – either in LA, in Ticino, or enjoying the Best of both Worlds – but she left us way too early. Our hearts are aching and our sincere condolences go to her loved ones in Ticino.
Per Claudia’s Family wishes, her friends in Los Angeles had the chance to gather in a private ceremony Wednesday, to pay respects, celebrate her life, and say “arrivederci” to our dearest friend.
In Memory of Claudia: Festival del Film Locarno, Erich Maria Remarque & Paulette Goddard Foundation
Media:
(Italian Corriere del Ticino, tio.ch, Ticinonews, Giornale del Ticino, InfoInsubria, RSI-Quotidiano – video)
(German: Blick / GMX / Tages Anzeiger )
(English: LA Observer / ScreenDaily )
Previous Helvetic.LA stories of everyone’s best friend, our eternally beautiful Claudia
Claudia, we met 10 years ago, and from the first moment, I knew you were someone special, beautiful, talented, full of energy and a contagious smile… I have wonderful memories of the moments we shared, and will keep them in a very special place in my heart… Un abbraccio, cara… รจ stato un onore conoscerti…
paola
May 28, 2012 at 6:43 am
Claudia . Nothing but amazing memories with Delara Fakhr Simona Manini Kathy Zahedi and all our countless friends . your amazing energy . charm and wit . lives in us all . you made us laugh so much . love always . Patricio .
Patricio Calderon
May 28, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Claudia, my heart sinks. Talking about you, using the past tense, doesn’t make any sense. We still have so much to do. I’ll miss you. We all will.
Valentina
May 29, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Claudia, I didn’t know you personally; we never met. However I will never forget your regal presence on
stage: such poise, such elegance, such grace ,such beauty. Your sense of fashion was impeccable. I
came all the way from Toronto, Canada
to attend the festival, but my anticiipation to see you walk on stage every year was overwhelming. I
will never forget your smile and your sense of humour when things didn’t go exactly according to plan.
You will sadly be missed , but never forgotten.
Howard Charles
June 26, 2012 at 6:51 am
Claudia, I miss you.
Amy Alkon
January 9, 2017 at 5:51 am