08/08/2023 - The Dominican-Spanish project, which revolves around the brutal murder of Lucrecia Pérez in 1992, has snagged three prizes

Today, 8 August, Open Doors, Locarno Pro’s talent development programme for artists from under-represented communities around the world, has finally announced the winners of its 2023 edition.

For the second of its three-year cycle, Open Doors focused on the region of Latin America and the Caribbean. A total of eight projects in development were selected for its co-production platform, the Projects’ Hub, along with eight creative producers who took part in the programme’s talent incubator, the Producers’ Lab. Together with the directors of films of the Open Doors Screenings, who form the Directors’ Club, they make up the full selection of the programme.

The Projects’ Hub jury was made up of Madeline Robert, Thierry Jobin, Michel Plazanet, Eva Pons and Lasse Skagen.

On this occasion, Three Bullets, directed by Génesis Valenzuela and produced by Wendy P Espinal with Spanish partners, emerged as the big winner, snagging an Open Doors Grant (worth CHF 20,000), the Prix Artekino International (worth €6,000) and the Open Doors – World Cinema Fund Audience Strategy Award. The picture revolves around Dominican immigrant Lucrecia Pérez, who was brutally murdered by four neo-Nazis.

The other Open Doors grants, sponsored by visions sud est (with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), the City of Bellinzona and the Open Doors initiative, were bestowed upon Gloria Carrión’s Pantasma (Nicaragua/Costa Rica/Honduras) and Leandro Grillo’s Desidia (Bolivia/Chile).

Next, the CNC Development Grant (worth €8,000) went to Venezuelan-Puerto Rican project LOA. Kill Your Masters, helmed and produced by Carlos Zerpa.

The Sørfond Award, which grants a free participation for the project to the Sørfond pitching event in November, went to Leslie Ortiz’s Libertines (El Salvador/Peru). Ivana Urízar of Paraguay’s Cine Mío received The Rotterdam Lab Award, which offers the opportunity to take part in the next Rotterdam Lab.

During Locarno’s Independent Juries Award Ceremony taking place on 12 August, the Junior Jury will present a special award worth CHF 2,000 for the Short Film in the Open Doors Screenings that best illustrates the concept “Environment is quality of life.” Meanwhile, the Open Doors Screenings will also continue until 12 August.

Here is the list of this year’s Open Doors award winners:

Open Doors Grants
Pantasma – Gloria Carrión (Nicaragua/Costa Rica/Honduras)
Producer: Leonor Zúniga

Three Bullets – Génesis Valenzuela (Dominican Republic/Spain)
Producer: Wendy Espinal

Desidia – Leandro Griillo (Bolivia/Chile)
Producer: Alejandra Antequera

CNC Development Grant
LOA. Kill Your Masters – Carlos Zerpa (Venezuela/Puerto Rico)
Producer: Carlos Zerpa

Prix ArteKino International
Three Bullets – Génesis Valenzuela

Sørfond Award
Libertines – Leslie Ortiz (El Salvador/Peru)
Producer: Adriana Morán

Rotterdam Lab Award
Ivana Urízar – Cine Mío (Paraguay)

Open Doors – BR Lab Award
Last of Kings – Victor Checa (Peru/Mexico/Germany)
Producer: Jimena Ospina

Open Doors – World Cinema Fund Audience Strategy Award
Three Bullets – Génesis Valenzuela

Open Doors – OIF – ACP – EU Award
Raised by Goats - Gibrey Allen (Jamaica)
Producer: Nadean Rawlins

Open Doors – LEXIA Insights Award
Milky Way – Paz Fábrega (Costa Rica/Uruguay)
Producer: Federico Moreira

Open Doors – Moulin d’Andé-CECI Award
Carlos Ormeño Palma – La Fiebre Films (Peru)