Yesterday, the Open Doors section of the Locarno Film Festival gave out awards to its 2025 cohort. The programme, which is focusing on African filmmaking over the next four years, had handed invitations to just over a dozen projects and filmmakers to the 2025 edition of the Swiss festival.
The section’s big award—of 25,000 Swiss francs (over 31,000 dollars)—went to the Zimbabwe project Black Snake, which will be directed by Naishe Nyamubaya and produced by Sue-Ellen Chitunya. The prizes were made possible by the contributions of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the City of Bellinzona, and the Open Doors initiative.
Black Snake, said the jury, is a “bold and singular work from Zimbabwe” that is “[anchored] in landscapes and a cultural world rarely seen on screen, and driven by compelling characters”.
In second place—receiving 20,000 Swiss francs—was Kachifo, a Nigerian project by director Dika Ofoma and producer Blessing Uzzi. The jury said Kachifo made it “excited by the complex and challenging approach taken, which will require further work to fully realize. We look forward to seeing this film about love on the big screen soon”.
The Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso production Journal intime d’une femme chèvre (Diary of a Goat Woman) received 5,000 Swiss francs. The project will be directed by Azata Soro and produced by Nameïta Lica Touré. According to the jury, Diary of A Goat Woman “is powerful and poetic project…Through the journey of a woman who refuses submission, it gives voice to what is often left unsaid. The jury is proud to support a deeply personal reflection on transmission and resistance”.
Other prizes handed out include the CNC Development Grant of 8,000 euros, which went to DR Congo project Les Bilokos (The Bilokos), directed by Erickey Bahati and produced by Giresse Kassonga. Said the jury: “In a context where representations of the war in the DRC are rare, the film offers a new perspective on this conflict, shedding light on the resilience of former combatants who are now rebuilding their lives in Goma, a city still scarred and shaken by war.”
The ARTEKino International Award, worth 6,000 euros was received by Kachifo. The project was also the recipient of the Sørfond Award, which would facilitate the appearance of the filmmakers at the Sørfond pitching event in November.
Other awards were given to Rwandan producer Yannick Kibanda Mzero (Open Doors – OIF – ACP – EU Award and Tabakalera-San Sebastian Film Festival Residency Award), Kenya’s June Wairegi (MECAS Award), and Angola’s Kamy Lara (Rotterdam Lab Awards and World Cinema Fund Audience Strategy Award).
The 2025 Locarno Film Festival continues until the 16th of August.
