‘The Ones With the Tempered Flowers’ Takes Home Two Major Awards at Locarno Open Doors

Tanzanian filmmaker Neema Ngelime’s documentary  ‘The Ones With the Tempered Flowers’ has claimed two prestigious awards at this year’s Locarno Open Doors programme, marking a significant achievement for the Tanzania-Kenya co-production.

The film secured both the ARTEKino International Award and the Sørfond Award at the industry initiative, which champions filmmakers and projects from across Africa’s 42 nations. The project is being produced by Kenyan producer Ivy Kiru through AQ Pictures and LBx Africa, and was among just six titles selected for this year’s Open Doors Projects strand.

‘The Ones With the Tempered Flowers’ is an experimental documentary that delves into the deeply personal subjects of womanhood, motherhood, and fertility. Ngelime uses her own life and family history as the lens through which she examines the societal expectations and pressures placed on women’s bodies in Tanzania.

The filmmaker plans to employ a diverse range of techniques to tell her story, blending constructed archival material with observational footage, family performances, stop-motion animation, and visual effects. Currently in late development, the project is actively seeking additional international partners and financing to move forward.

The ARTEKino International Award comes with €6,000 in development funding, providing crucial financial backing as the project progresses. The Sørfond Award opens another door for Ngelime and Kiru, granting them access to the Sørfond Pitching Forum in Norway this November a platform that could prove invaluable for connecting with international co-producers and financiers.

The double recognition underscores Locarno Open Doors’ ongoing commitment to nurturing African cinema and building bridges between emerging filmmakers and the global industry.