Isabella Rossellini says she is developing a history-of-pets shorts series and recalls David Lynch and Robert Redford at Locarno 2026

Isabella Rossellini said she is working on a new shorts series that will trace a “history of pets,” during an appearance at the Locarno 2026 film festival. Rossellini, who has directed and starred in multiple film and television projects, described the project as a format built around short episodes, while speaking to festival audiences about what she sees as the cultural and emotional role animals play for people.

At Locarno, Rossellini also addressed past creative relationships, including comments on David Lynch and Robert Redford. In interviews around the festival, she framed her own working life as one shaped by distinctive collaborators, highlighting how different filmmakers influenced the way she thinks about performance, storytelling, and the texture of everyday life on screen.

The appearance included remarks about Lynch, with Rossellini discussing her experience of working in or around projects associated with him. She also spoke about Redford, describing him as part of her broader professional network and recalling conversations that she said helped define her sense of craft and audience connection.

Rossellini additionally shared a personal anecdote involving her family history and an earlier dream. She recounted dreaming about her father, Paolo Rossellini, and British director John Schlesinger ending up “a couple in heaven,” a detail she said reflected how she remembers and processes her parents’ legacies.

Rossellini’s comments came as Locarno 2026 continued its programming that blends established film figures with new work-in-progress. The festival appearance underscored her ongoing shift between front-of-camera work and directing projects, alongside new development initiatives that she said are still taking shape.

A spokesperson or production entity for the pets shorts series was not identified in the festival coverage, and the report did not provide a release schedule or distribution partner. For now, the project is best understood as an announced development track associated with Rossellini’s ongoing creative pipeline, with additional details expected as production planning moves forward.