Locarno Open Doors
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| Locarno Open Doors | |
|---|---|
| Name | Locarno Open Doors |
| Location | Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland |
| Established | 2000 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Venue | Piazza Grande, Spazio Cinema, various locations |
Locarno Open Doors is a film industry platform held annually in Locarno, Ticino, linked to the broader cultural calendar of the Locarno Film Festival. It operates as a development and promotion forum for screen projects originating in and about Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Arab world, attracting producers, distributors, sales agents, and festival programmers from across Europe and beyond. The initiative emphasizes co-production, training, and market access, interfacing with international institutions, broadcasters, and funding bodies.
History
Founded in 2000 as an extension of the Locarno Film Festival’s industry activities, the program emerged amid a European restructuring of film funds and coproduction treaties such as the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production and the expansion of the Eurimages fund. Early editions responded to shifts following the enlargement of the European Union and the aftermath of the Yugoslav Wars, focusing on projects from the Balkans, the Maghreb, and the Middle East. Over time the platform developed links with networks like CNC-associated initiatives, the International Confederation of Art Cinemas (CICAE), and festival partners including the Berlinale, Venice Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and the Busan International Film Festival to facilitate circulation and coproduction. Key milestones include alliances with the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, partnerships with the Locarno Film Festival's Open Doors Award, and the integration of workshops inspired by models used at the Sundance Institute and the European Film Market.
Objectives and Activities
Open Doors aims to support audiovisual projects from underrepresented regions by fostering connections with institutions such as Arte, Eurimages, European Audiovisual Entrepreneurs (EAVE), and national film centers like the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée and the Italian Ministry of Culture. It facilitates meetings between filmmakers and representatives of broadcasters like BBC, ZDF, Canal+, and distributors akin to Kino Lorber and Wild Bunch. Activities center on project mentoring, script development influenced by methodologies from the Palme d'Or-linked circuit, and access to markets studied by entities like the European Film Academy. The platform also emphasizes preservation and restoration dialogues involving archives such as the British Film Institute and the Cinémathèque Française.
Events and Programming
Programming includes tailored sessions: project pitches in the tradition of the Sundance Labs, coproduction meetings modeled on the Cannes Marché du Film, and panels featuring representatives from festivals like Rotterdam International Film Festival, San Sebastián International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, and institutions including the Institut Français and Goethe-Institut. Masterclasses often host filmmakers and producers with profiles comparable to laureates of the Golden Leopard and European Film Award, while market screenings and work-in-progress presentations echo formats from the Locarno Film Festival and the IDFA Forum. Ancillary events bring together lawyers versed in treaties like the Berne Convention, sales agents from companies such as Memento Films International, and commissioning editors from broadcasters including France Télévisions and RAI.
Participation and Selection Process
Selection is competitive and curated by a panel drawn from networks like EAVE, the European Film Academy, and festival programmers from Berlinale Talents and Festival de Cannes market delegations. Applicants submit dossiers comparable to those required by the European Commission’s Creative Europe MEDIA programme, including script samples, budgets, and financing plans referencing entities like Swiss Films and national funds such as Fonds Sud Cinema. Shortlists are announced alongside the Locarno Film Festival programme, and selected projects engage in one-to-one meetings with delegations representing sales outlets, co-producers, and broadcasters including NRK and SVT.
Impact and Reception
Open Doors has been credited with facilitating coproductions that premiered at major festivals like Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, and Locarno Film Festival itself, contributing to career trajectories akin to filmmakers celebrated by the European Film Awards. Industry commentaries in outlets paralleling the coverage of Screen International and Variety note its role in strengthening networks between the Mediterranean and Central European cinemas, while cultural ministries cite its contribution to national filmographies archived by institutions such as the Swiss National Library. Critiques have addressed challenges common to platforms interfacing with funding mechanisms like Eurimages and the Creative Europe programme, including sustainability and market access discrepancies.
Organizational Structure and Funding
Administratively, the platform operates within the structure of the Locarno Film Festival organization and collaborates with entities such as the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, regional authorities of Ticino, and private partners from the audiovisual sector including sales agents and co-production companies. Funding mixes grants from the Swiss Confederation, contributions from cultural agencies like the Fondation suisse pour la culture Pro Helvetia, sponsorships from corporate partners, and in-kind support from broadcasters and training networks. Governance involves artistic directors, selection committees composed of representatives from festivals such as Berlinale, Venice Biennale film section, and international funding bodies like Eurimages and the European Commission's Creative Europe MEDIA subprogramme.