Locarno: Festival’s Open Doors Program Names New Team for African Cinema Initiative

The Locarno Film Festival‘s Open Doors program, which supports filmmakers from underrepresented regions of the world, has unveiled a new team for its next four-year mission: To focus on supporting and elevating African cinema.

The co-production and talent develpment initiative, previously focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, will turn its attention to the African continent for the next four years, teaming up with pan-African film studio collective YETU (Un)Limited to help strengthen African cinemas’ ecosystem locally and boost the presence of African filmmakers internationally.

Producer and YETU co-founder Yanis Gaye (Senegal) has been appointed head of studies for the initative, leading a team of industry professionals, many of which have deep roots in African cinema.

Ibee Ndaw from Gambia/Senegal joins as an Open Doors programmer, bringing extensive experience as a festival manager and sales agent. Producers Tiny Mungwe and Mitchell Harper from South Africa, who have 15 years of experience in pan-African community cinema, will serve as artistic consultants.

The selection committee will feature prominent African filmmakers including as Angolan director and programmer Fradique Bastos, the Nigerian-American producer Melissa Adeyemo, and Burkinabé director Apolline Traoré. They will work alongside Locarno’s Julia Duarte to identify and support emerging talent.

Zsuzsi Bánkuti, head of Open Doors, emphasized the program’s commitment to creating a “safe and creative space” for film professionals, highlighting the team’s deep understanding of the regional cinema landscape.

Filmmakers from 42 eligible African countries can apply for three main programs: Open Doors Projects, Open Doors Producers, and Open Doors Directors. Submissions will be open from Nov. 28 to Jan. 16, 2025, with a webinar scheduled for Dec. 12 this year to provide more information to interested participants.