Open Doors presents 13 films from sub-Saharan Africa at Locarno; 300 young artists trained by 2029.
Open Doors 2026: sub-Saharan Africa through the lens of local filmmakers
Communication Published on 18 August 2026
Open Doors 2026: sub-Saharan Africa through the lens of local filmmakers
Making a film doesn’t just mean writing a script or shooting a scene. For filmmakers in many sub-Saharan African countries, it also involves securing funding, getting access to training, meeting producers, and just hoping that their film gets seen. Open Doors – the Locarno Film Festival’s platform dedicated to filmmakers from the Global South and East – was set up to help tackle such obstacles.
The SDC supports the Open Doors initiative because it shares the same basic belief – that a free and dynamic culture scene is key to the development of a society. For its 2026 edition, that took place from 5 to 10 August, Open Doors continued the series dedicated to sub-Saharan Africa which began in 2025 and is scheduled to run until 2028. This year, the platform presented 13 films from 12 countries in the region.
Let’s zoom in on how this support for culture is taking shape on the ground in three of our partner countries: in Benin, with the film My Father’s Kora; in Burkina Faso, with the restoration of the Guimbi cinema; and in Niger, where Switzerland has been supporting cultural development and young artists since 2017. Because a vibrant culture scene creates spaces for dialogue, freedom of expression and exchange – all of which are vital for more inclusive and sustainable societies.
Giving a voice to people who share their stories
From 2025 to 2028, Open Doors has chosen to focus on the 42 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Several of these are SDC partner countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda and Tanzania.
For this year’s various programme elements 26 filmmakers and producers have been selected, 17 of whom are women. The diverse Open Doors screenings also featured 13 films from 12 countries in the region, providing fresh perspectives on a multifaceted continent and showcasing stories that challenge, move and inspire. Thanks to Open Doors, artists from the Global South and the East gain better access to audiences, market opportunities and professional networks, both Swiss and international.
Beninese filmmaker Aymar Ayéman Esse, who directed My Father’s Kora, is one such artist.
Esse’s film follows Souleymane, a young Berliner with a Senegalese father. When he turns 16, Souleymane inherits a kora that has seen better days. So, he sets off to have the instrument repaired in the country where it comes from, Senegal – a journey that also becomes a quest for his own identity. The film, which was supported by Swiss cooperation in Benin in 2024, had its world première at Locarno as part of Open Doors 2026. This is a fine illustration of how a film can travel: written in Benin, filmed in Dakar and Berlin, then screened at Locarno. And this is precisely how Open Doors really does open doors for filmmakers, enabling their stories to travel beyond borders.
For many of these professionals, Open Doors means much more than being selected for the festival. It offers them an opportunity to develop a project, expand their network, meet international partners and showcase stories that are rarely shared beyond national borders. Prizes are also awarded to the most outstanding projects.
Artistic creation: a catalyst for development
In many places, like other forms of artistic creation, independent cinema continues to struggle. Financing difficulties, a lack of infrastructure and restrictions on freedom of expression remain barriers to creative expression.
Yet films often shed light on realities that rarely find a voice elsewhere: the aftermath of conflicts, migration, social change or the hopes and dreams of a new generation. Highlighting these experiences encourages dialogue, brings different perspectives into focus and helps democracy grow.
For the SDC, support for culture aligns with this goal. Just like a free press, an independent culture scene promotes a greater diversity of voices, strengthens social cohesion and helps build more open and resilient societies.
In Niger, the SDC has been supporting local artists through a cultural development programme since 2017. Between 2017 and 2022, the programme helped more than 130 students and 300 artists and culture professionals access specialist training. This enabled some of them to make their first short films and develop their first productions.
Encouraged by these initial results, Switzerland has decided to continue its efforts together with the Nigerien authorities and culture stakeholders. By 2029, the programme aims to have trained 300 young artists in artistic and entrepreneurial fields, awarded 80 mobility grants to support professional development and creative work, refurbished 15 cultural venues and relaunched an incubator for young culture entrepreneurs. More broadly, the aim is also to empower a new generation to create and make a living from their art, contributing to community life.
These efforts also address an economic challenge. The culture and creative industries are among the fastest-growing sectors in the world. Yet in many SDC partner countries, this potential continues to be limited by a lack of training, professional networks and access to international markets. Supporting artists therefore also means fostering sustainable career prospects.
Supporting spaces where culture comes to life
In Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second-largest city, there has not been a working cinema for over twenty years. In order to fill this gap, a local organisation launched a project to restore Ciné Guimbi. Although the work was interrupted several times due to a lack of funding, it is now well under way thanks to the support of several partners, including Swiss cooperation in Burkina Faso.
Beyond the screening room, the project is also aiming to create a vibrant community hub: a space for training, artist residencies, meetings and debates, designed also to support local enterprise in the audiovisual sector. The reopening will give the people of Bobo-Dioulasso direct access to cinema once again, in a city that is widely recognised as one of the country’s cultural capitals.
All three initiatives are based on the same approach: supporting culture professionals in their own countries so that they can create and showcase their work and connect with their audiences.
In Locarno, the Open Doors films are only screened for a few days. But their journey continues beyond the festival. Behind every screening lies a commitment to helping filmmakers tell the story of their society in their own words, from their own perspective and with complete freedom.
Information about the film ‘My Father’s Kora’
List of the 2026 winners
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