African filmmakers have long found opportunities through Locarno’s Open Doors platform.
Years before its expansion to cover more countries on the continent, directors such as Mati Diop with Atlantics and Rungano Nyoni with I Am Not a Witch brought their early projects to the programme. Diop’s debut feature was incubated during the 2012 edition, which targeted Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, while Nyoni participated in 2014 when the focus grew to 25 Sub-Saharan countries.
In 2025, Open Doors is extending its reach to 42 African nations in its Africa-focused cycle. The 2025 Projects line-up includes Nigerian filmmaker Dika Ofoma’s Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes), produced by Blessing Uzzi of Bluhouse Studios. The slate also features projects from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Zimbabwe.
The latest cycle was announced in November 2024 and followed in December by an outreach stop in Lagos, where Open Doors Director Delphine Jeanneret presented the programme at the S16 Film Festival. Ofoma, who received a Rising Star Award at the festival, said the workshop clarified what was required for entry and encouraged him to apply.
Open Doors Projects operates as an international co-production workshop for works in development, pairing directors and producers with potential partners. Over three months, participants engage in online sessions in June and July, then meet in person during the Locarno Film Festival and Locarno Pro in August. The programme offers targeted coaching, pitching opportunities, and access to producers, funders, and distributors. Its aim is not only to secure investment but also to build long-term capacity in represented regions.
Ofoma described his application as a trial run, noting previous rejections from other labs, workshops, and film schools. His short films, starting with modest YouTube releases like Soma, The Way Things Happen, and Nkemakonam, gradually gained festival attention through works such as A Japa Tale, A Quiet Monday, and God’s Wife. These projects screened at festivals including S16, Kurzfilmtage Winterthur, International Film Festival Rotterdam, and the New York African Film Festival.
His collaboration with Uzzi began after she noticed the creative potential in his early shorts, which were made on small budgets. Together they produced A Quiet Monday and Obi is a Boy, the latter yet to be released. Bluhouse Studios has supported a range of projects, from Dammy Twitch’s I Hate It Here to Lekan Afolabi’s Freedom Way, and the YouTube series Zikoko Life. Uzzi describes the studio’s approach as rooted in shared sensibilities and authenticity.
Kachifo is a queer romance set in both pre-colonial Igbo society and modern-day Nigeria, inspired partly by Diop’s Atlantics. Uzzi was convinced of its potential from their first meeting and encouraged Ofoma to develop it as a feature. For him, the story had been in hibernation since his university days, waiting for the right moment to resurface.
The application process for Locarno was extensive, requiring detailed story materials and production plans. Ofoma advises future applicants to take their motivations seriously and dig deep into what makes their projects unique.
Both Ofoma and Uzzi see Open Doors as a pathway to international partnerships while remaining committed to creating films that resonate with local audiences. Uzzi aims to balance festival success with accessibility at home and hopes to position Bluhouse projects for global relevance.
While co-productions can face challenges in reaching home audiences, the team is confident Kachifo will find its viewership, whether through traditional or alternative distribution. The project recently received the Open Doors Grant, the ARTE Kino International Prize, and the SØR Fund Award, announced on August 12 at the Locarno Open Doors closing.
