The Locarno Film Festival has unveiled the lineup for the 23rd edition of its Open Doors program, now with a renewed emphasis on the African continent. After a successful three-year focus on Latin America and the Caribbean, this initiative is shifting its spotlight to Africa for the next four editions. The goal is to highlight emerging filmmaking talent throughout the region. The 2025 edition, scheduled from August 7 to 12 during Locarno Pro, will feature a mix of industry training, mentorship, networking, and public events.

Six film projects from various African nations have been selected for the Open Doors Projects, a co-production platform. The lineup includes Les Bilokos, a documentary from the Democratic Republic of the Congo directed by Erickey Bahati and produced by Giresse Kassonga; the Ivorian-Burkinabé hybrid documentary-animation Diary of a Goat Woman by Azata Soro and Nameita Lica Toure; The Fortunate, a dark comedy from Ethiopia by Habtamu Gebrehiwot and Nahusenay Dereje; the Nigerian reincarnation-themed romance Kachifo (Till The Morning Comes) by Dika Ofoma and producer Blessing Uzzi; the Senegalese family drama Lutteurs (Fighters) from director Alassane Sy and producer Jules Dieng; and Black Snake, a supernatural mystery from Zimbabwe directed by Naishe Nyamubaya and produced by Sue-Ellen Chitunya.

Concurrently, the Open Doors Producers initiative has selected six producers from Angola, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. This program aims to enhance creative production networks across Africa and promote sustainable collaborative models. The selected participants include Kamy Lara, Moustapha Sawadogo, Leul Shoaferaw, June Wairegi, Yannick Mizero Kabano, and Kudakwashe Miss Maradzika.

Yanis Gaye, the new Head of Studies at Open Doors, expressed: “The launch of this new cycle of Open Doors marks an exciting moment for the role African film industries will play in the global independent film landscape in the coming years. Our passionate artistic team has designed a platform where talents will be empowered to shape the tools, strategies, and community necessary for their projects and careers to thrive. Our program aims to enhance both creative vision and business acumen, enabling participants to navigate selective markets while preserving their unique narrative voices. They will gain the frameworks to evolve their production companies into sustainable creative enterprises and explore equitable international co-production partnerships.”

Zsuzsi Bánkuti, Head of Open Doors, added: “As we embark on this new cycle focused on Africa, Open Doors reaffirms its commitment to supporting filmmakers in environments where artistic freedom is often under threat. We are thrilled to welcome a strong lineup of predominantly first and second-time filmmakers whose innovative approaches and formal experimentation signify a bold evolution in global cinematic storytelling. The diversity of perspectives represented is remarkable — each project offers a unique voice that challenges conventional narratives. Our aim is to contribute to a more robust regional and international film ecosystem by supporting a generation of filmmakers whose varied ideas and methodologies foster a sustainable and collaborative film community.”

The program will culminate in a professional jury session on August 12, where financial and in-kind prizes will be awarded. These include the CHF 50,000 Open Doors Grant supported by visions sud est and the City of Bellinzona, the EUR 8,000 CNC Development Prize, and the EUR 6,000 Arte Kino International Prize. Additional industry support will be provided by partners such as the International Culture Center Tabakalera, the San Sebastian Film Festival, Sørfond, the World Cinema Fund, OIF, IFFR Pro, and the Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur.

Meanwhile, directors of selected short films will take part in the Open Doors Directors program, gaining access to talks, workshops, and networking opportunities. The details of the short film selections will be announced on July 8, alongside the festival’s official lineup. This expanded focus on Africa represents a significant step in Locarno’s commitment to nurturing underrepresented cinematic voices on a global stage.