The Locarno Film Festival has unveiled the partners and participants for the inaugural edition of its Open Doors Connect programme. Launched ear
The Locarno Film Festival has unveiled the partners and participants for the inaugural edition of its Open Doors Connect programme.
Launched earlier this year, Open Doors Connect is focused on professionals from countries outside Open Doors’ customary geographic focus which is currently centred on the African continent.
The programme sees foundations, film institutions, and organisations sponsor an industry professional from the Global South.
It is aimed at those working directly in production, but also anyone looking to build modern relationships with the African continent and engage as a partner.
The Wyss Academy for Nature is sponsoring Candy Radifera (Madagascar), who is also the recipient of the Wyss Academy’s CHF 20,000 production fund for her upcoming documentary The Crab Diagonal.
The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie is sponsoring Frédy Agblo (Benin), an emerging producer committed to amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering modern narratives from Africa for global audiences.
Projeto Paradiso is sponsoring Talita Arruda (Brazil), a distributor who also served as an expert during Open Doors’ Latin American cycle.
Film Nomad Lab is sponsoring Nomintuya Baasankhuu (Mongolia), who participated in Open Doors in 2021 with her project Water Garden and has since founded her own film development initiative in Mongolia, Film Nomad, inspired in part by her Open Doors experience.
The two-month hybrid programme takes place online and on-site during the Locarno Film Festival, and is mentored by producer Fibby Kioria (Kenya) and curator, producer, arts manager and consultant Mitchell Harper (South Africa).
Harper said: “The inaugural Open Doors Connect will mark a new phase in the programme’s development. Bringing together film professionals from Benin, Madagascar, Brazil and Mongolia, Open Doors Connect aims not to act as a platform for professional development of the participants, but also to ideate and facilitate opportunities for South-South collaborations, drawing on knowledge, experiences and models from each of their regions.”
The Locarno Film Festival runs from August 5-15.
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