Johannesburg, South Africa — The Locarno Film Festival has launched its first Open Doors Connect program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at supporting filmmakers from regions where artistic expression is at risk. This program, a part of a four-year cycle dedicated to African cinema, provides a platform for professionals from various African countries to network, receive mentorship, and showcase their work.
The initiative, which runs concurrently with the festival from August 5-10, features a diverse array of filmmakers, including Candy Radifera from Madagascar, who is also the recipient of the Wyss Academy’s CHF 20,000 production fund for her upcoming documentary, The Crab Diagonal. Other participants include Frédy Agblo from Benin, Talita Arruda from Brazil, and Nomintuya Baasankhuu from Mongolia. Each participant is sponsored by an organization such as the Wyss Academy for Nature, Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, Projeto Paradiso, and Film Nomad Lab, reflecting the program’s commitment to fostering international producer collaboration and creating opportunities for filmmakers from underserved regions.
The program is structured to offer a two — month hybrid program, including both online and on-site activities during the festival. Participants will be mentored by producer Fibby Kioria from Kenya and curator, producer, arts manager, and consultant Mitchell Harper from South Africa.
The Open Doors Connect program is a significant step in the festival’s development, aiming to not only act as a platform for professional development but also to ideate and facilitate opportunities for South-South collaborations, drawing on knowledge, experiences, and models from each of their regions.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: hollywoodreporter
Source: Georg Szalai
