Open Doors FAQs

The program will happen onsite during the Locarno Film Festival, between 7 and 14 August 2024 (arrival and departing dates included), and it will preceded by an online preparatory program between 19 and 29 July 2024. 

If selected, active participation to both online and onsite program is mandatory.

The two initiatives have very different purposes: 
 

• The Projects’ Hub is a workshop and project market: the goal is to introduce your project to potential coproducers and other international partners, to bring it to the next steps of the production process.
  

• The Producers’ Lab is a career development workshop for producers. The goal is to grow in your personal and professional profile, through plenary and group works, discussions. You will also be asked to bring one of your projects as a working basis (any stage of the project is accepted).  

For more details on the two programs, watch the Open Doors webinar on the ToolBox.  

The application for Open Doors Projects’ Hub and Producers’ Lab are closed.

Yes, for the director and main producer participating to the Projects’ Hub (max two persons per selected project) and producers selected in the Producers’ Lab, travelling and accommodation costs are covered for. 

For the Projects’ Hub, the director must be originally from or citizen of one of the eligible countries (see list) The producer can be of another nationality. 
 
For the Producers’ Lab, the participating producer must be originally from or citizen of one of the eligible countries (see list).

Yes, you can apply with the same project to both the Projects’ Hub and the Producers’ Lab. However, the two initiatives have very different goals (see point 1). Make sure you provide us the full documentation including two motivation notes clearly explaining why each program is relevant for you and your project at this stage.

No, we are open to all genres, topics and format.

The full list of requested documentation for the Projects’ Hub and the Producers’ Lab is available in the Open Doors regulations. Please include the documents in one single PDF and according to the indicated order. Incomplete dossier will not be taken into consideration.

• The financing plan is a table showing from which sources you intend to raise the budget to make your film (from development to final delivery and distribution). It should show how much percentage you can raise from your country, international coproducers and/or funds.  
   
  The financing strategy is a written explanation on which sources you plan to reach out to, complementing the financing plan. 

For more details, please see the dossier template on the ToolBox (please refer to it only in terms of content; the layout must be personalized).

We understand that depending on specific situations, it might not be possible to register a production company in a certain country. We are open to discuss case by case.

Yes, both feature and short films are accepted as previous works. Links must be accessible until the end of the upcoming Locarno Film Festival (17 August 2024). 

See the template available on the ToolBox. Please note, that the ToolBox template only shows what is requested in terms of content, while the layout should be personalized.

Yes, you are welcome to apply again. Please make sure to write in your intention notes what changes and updates have been made to the project and to the dossier during this year. 

All applicants will be notified via e-mail by the end of April. 

We don’t formally ask for the budget to be within a specific range, but we expect you to consider the impact of an international coproduction in your estimated budget.  

There is no obligations in terms of confirmed financing in order to apply. 

Yes, the director can also be the producer of the project.

Projects must be at a late development stage, ready to meet potential new partners and discuss possible collaborations on a concrete basis. 

In oder for the film to be considered, the director must be a citizen of one of the of 22 countries that are part of Open Doors’ focus region. See the full list.

The Open Doors Screenings section is curated and on invitation, therefore there is not an official call for submissions. However, you can send your film for consideration to the Open Doors programming team by emailing us with a screener link, a short synopsis and the main info (director, producer-s, production company, release year and ev. selection to other festivals).

Please send us your films by January 24th, 2024. 

No, we are open to all genres, topics and format.

No, the Open Doors Screenings is a non-competitive section therefore we don’t require any premiere. 

The selection will be communicated during May 2024. The participation must remain strictly confidential until the official Festival’s announcement, happening on July 10th, 2024.  

Your film will be screened during the Locarno Film Festival. The presence of the director of the film in Locarno (between 7 and 14 August 2024, ravel dates included) and during the online program (between 19 and 29 July 2024) is mandatory. 

During the Locarno Film Festival, beside the screening of the film, the director participates in the Directors’ Club program (plenary/group sessions, screenings, talks, meetings with industry and other directors).