African Cinema Shines at Locarno Film Festival

The Locarno Film Festival's Open Doors program, a talent development initiative for filmmakers from underserved regions, is focusing on African cinema for its 2026 edition. This program aims to foster sustainable careers and cross-border networks for participating producers.

Six producers are attending from countries including Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Cabo Verde, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Sudan. These filmmakers are driven by resilience and innovation, developing unique models to shape their cinematic ecosystems. They often function as entrepreneurs, managing multiple aspects of filmmaking simultaneously.

Running from August 5-10, Open Doors offers hands-on training, mentorship, and networking during the festival. Participants like Natasha Craveiro from Cabo Verde aim to showcase their nation's cinema beyond its football fame, while Tapiwa Chipfupa from Zimbabwe is excited to connect face-to-face with peers after a beneficial online program.

Adja Mariam Mahre Soro from the Ivory Coast is presenting an animated young adult series, a novel offering for the program. Craveiro is bringing two hybrid features exploring Cape Verde's environmental concerns and post-colonial traumas. Chipfupa's supernatural thriller focuses on a young girl defying tradition.

These producers are actively seeking co-producers and financing. They also aim to contribute to their local film industries, developing initiatives like producers' labs and programs for young women creatives. Efforts in the Ivory Coast include building an animation ecosystem, establishing co-production treaties, and developing an animation school pilot.