Following a vibrant 2022 edition in a three-year cycle dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean which she oversaw in an interim capacity, Zsuzsi Bánkuti has been appointed the new head of Locarno’s Open Doors.
She succeeds Sophie Bourdon (long-standing Open Doors chief), who left earlier in the year.
The key to this year’s Open Doors was its inspired choice of a focus on smaller territories in Latin America which are often home to first-class directors – one director this year, Dominican Yanillys Pérez scooped a Discovery Award at the Toronto Festival with her doc-feature “Jeffrey,” for example – but, apart from the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica, lack robust state subsidy systems enabling producers to produce movies easily out of their own countries.
International co-production is the obvious answer. Open Doors, which is tailored to promote this, offers producers and directors the opportunity to network and receive targeted training. It also provides a platform for filmmakers to showcase their films to an international audience.
This year’s edition served to highlight projects which suddenly leapt into the limelight, such as winners “Moa,” an eco-drama from Cuba’s Marcel Beltrán, “Kids Swimming in the Lake,” a fresh take on emigration from Cannes Cinéfondation laureate Michael Labarca and Yashira Jordan’s “Diamond.”
Open Doors promoted co-production deals. For instance, Bubbles Projects Brazil in Brazil was a result of Open Doors. “Kids Swimming” and Argentina’s Maravilla Cine confirming its production partnership on “Diamond.”
Open Doors confirmed, too, that the struggle for Latin America’s emancipation has expanded to address frontally LGBTQ concerns, especially in Andean queer films such as “Diamond”Or “Ñusta,” brought to the Open Doors Producers Lab by Ecuador’s Daniela Fuentes Moncada.
This made it a compelling Open Doors edition. “Working in Locarno is one of the most exciting professional experiences of my whole life,” said Bánkuti. “I am looking forward to discovering and developing new talents from this amazing and vibrant region and even more to do so in a festival that feels like home,”She added.
Bankuti brings a lot of experience to her new position. She was head of acquisitions at Cirko Film Budapest in 2000, and then for eight years at The Match Factory where she managed most of the film productions, festivals, and international sales activities.
She joined Open Doors team in 2020, working as a talent development manager and leading its year-round-activities.
“Zsuzsi Bánkuti was able to immediately inject innovative energy into Open Doors, which has been for 20 years a crucial element of the Locarno Film Festival,”Giona A. Nazaro, artistic director at the Locarno Film Festival, commented. “Her professional experience in the film industry and her innovative vision – as well as her ability to creatively manage a motivated and talented team – lays the best foundation for the new three-year cycle dedicated to Latin America and the Caribbean countries.”
“Zsuzsi’s appointment as head of Open Doors is wonderful news for Locarno Pro! Having known her for over a decade, I strongly believe that she will be key to the further development of this initiative!” concluded Markus Duffner, dead of Locarno Pro, the Swiss festival’s industry arm.