For the inaugural year of a four-year cycle dedicated to African cinema, the Locarno Film Festival is highlighting six projects from the continent, betting on these talents to support a thriving regional industry.

The Locarno International Film Festival will spotlight six African projects during its 78th edition, set for August 7 to 12, 2025. These projects are part of the "Open Doors" program, which is dedicated to emerging filmmakers from the Global South.

"We are thrilled to welcome a selection of first and second-time filmmakers whose inventive approaches and formal experimentation reflect a bold evolution in global cinematic storytelling," said Zsuzsi Bánkuti, director of the "Open Doors" program, during the selection process in June.

Among the selected works is "Les Bilokos," a documentary from the Democratic Republic of Congo, directed by Erickey Bahati and produced by Giresse Kassonga. From Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso comes "Journal intime d’une femme-chèvre," by Azata Soro and Nameita Lica Toure, blending documentary and animation.

Nigeria will be represented by "Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes)," a reincarnation-themed romance written and directed by Dika Ofoma and produced by Blessing Uzzi. From Zimbabwe, "Black Snake," a supernatural mystery by Naishe Nyamubaya and produced by Sue-Ellen Chitunya, unfolds between ancestral rituals and contemporary social tensions. Senegal presents "Lutteurs (Fighters)," a family drama by Alassane Sy, produced by Jules Dieng, set against a backdrop of traditional wrestling and generational conflict. Finally, "The Fortunate," a dark comedy from Ethiopia, is led by Habtamu Gebrehiwot and Nahusenay Dereje.

Launched in 2003, the "Open Doors" program aims to support filmmakers from regions often absent from major distribution circuits due to political, economic, or structural reasons. After a three-year cycle focused on Latin America and the Caribbean, Locarno has committed to dedicating four years, from 2025 to 2028, to 42 countries across the African continent.

"The launch of this new cycle is a strong signal of the role African film industries will play in the global independent cinema landscape in the coming years," said Yanis Gaye, the new Head of Studies at "Open Doors." "Through our program, we aim to strengthen the creative vision and business acumen needed to succeed in selective markets while maintaining distinctive narrative voices."

Fostering New Models

Beyond directors, six African producers are also taking part in the "Open Doors Producers" program. They include Kamy Lara from Angola, Moustapha Sawadogo from Burkina Faso, Leul Shoaferaw from Ethiopia, June Wairegi from Kenya, Yannick Mizero Kabano from Rwanda, and Kudi Maradzika from Zimbabwe. Their participation reflects a commitment to structuring professional networks across the continent and supporting sustainable, collaborative models.

The selected directors will also benefit from mentoring sessions, conferences, development workshops, and a crucial visibility platform.

"Participants will acquire the frameworks needed to grow their production companies into sustainable creative enterprises, while exploring ways to foster more equitable international co-production partnerships," Gaye explained.

In addition to support, "Open Doors" offers awards granted by a professional jury on August 12. These include a 50,000 Swiss Francs grant, approximately $62,000, funded by Visions Sud Est and the City of Bellinzona, as well as prizes from the French CNC, Arte Kino, and partner institutions such as the World Cinema Fund and Sørfond.

For Burkinabe filmmaker Azata Soro, this recognition is transformative. "It’s rare to find a program that doesn’t try to format voices, but to amplify them. We need spaces like this to tell our stories our own way."

As African cinema gains increasing recognition at major international festivals, Locarno’s committed support could serve as a catalyst in transforming the continent’s cultural industries. If "Open Doors" succeeds in its mission, it could help reshape a global film landscape long dominated by the Global North.

Servan Ahougnon