East Africa’s film industry has scored major international recognition after a Tanzanian-Kenyan co-production and a Ugandan feature project were selected for the prestigious Locarno Open Doors 2026 programme in Switzerland.
The Ones With the Tempered Flowers, directed by Tanzanian filmmaker Neema Ngelime and produced by Kenyan producer Ivy Kiru, is among six projects chosen for the Open Doors Projects programme.
The experimental documentary explores themes of womanhood and motherhood through a unique artistic lens.
Joining it is Uganda’s A Vineyard for A Lobster, directed by Talemwa Pius and produced by Gashumba Emmanuel.
The fiction feature uses a snow-covered landscape as a powerful allegory to examine the lingering effects of colonialism.
Open Doors is the talent development and co-production platform of the internationally renowned Locarno Film Festival.
The initiative supports filmmakers from under-represented regions by providing mentorship, training, networking opportunities, and access to international industry professionals.
The selected projects will participate in workshops, project presentations, and industry events from August 5 to August 10, during the 79th Locarno Film Festival.
The programme is currently in the second year of a four-year cycle dedicated to supporting filmmakers from 42 African countries.
The selection places East African storytelling on a global stage and highlights the growing influence of the region’s filmmakers within the international film industry.
It also follows a series of recent achievements for African creatives at major global cultural platforms, reinforcing the continent’s rising presence in cinema and the arts.
With stories centred on identity, memory, womanhood, and colonial legacies, the selected projects showcase the diversity and depth of contemporary African storytelling.
