There are plenty of surprises waiting for those brave enough to take a closer look at Locarno’s Alliance 4 Development initiative – including a “feminist take on ‘Kamasutra’,” as promised by directors Maria Kaur Bedi and Satindar Singh Bedi.
Their film “3rd Eye of Shiva” will be “bold, sensual and ironic,” they said, talking about the story of a student deciding to rewrite the famous manual from a whole different perspective. “We challenge taboos around female sexuality through a visually rich Bollywood-style dramedy. This film is a personal and political journey for us: a cinematic act of love, rebellion, and reimagination.”
Mysteries will have to be solved too, starting with Valentin Merz’s “Dark Chocolate” where a young worker in a chocolate factory faces a mysterious disease threatening the cacao supply – while his own identity also begins to mutate. Meanwhile, eerie creatures lurk in the city streets, waiting.
“It’s shaped by my personal experiences of otherness, queerness, and class tension in contemporary Switzerland,” noted Merz.
“The stylized cinematic language revisits elements of the mystery genre, exploring alienation and the cost of belonging. Through Sadek’s mysterious metamorphosis, I want to understand how desire and systemic power intertwine and explore the fragility of self in a world shaped by money and ambition.”
Sofía Ayala will also take on societal inequalities in “How to Walk on Water,” where a teenage girl finds out her wealthy classmates can, well, actually walk on water.
“As a child, I struggled to learn French. My father worked at a slaughterhouse. The film draws from my experience growing up in an interracial family in Mexico, where I discovered that colonial power dynamics remain deeply embedded in our present, seeping into even our most intimate relationships with those we love most,” noted the director, with producer Maritza Grass of Carousel Film adding: “The film explores the dynamics within a teenage girl’s family and her relationship with her father, portraying them as a microcosm of Mexican social structures, set against class, race and colonial legacies. Who wouldn’t want to walk on water? But at what cost?”
“Dark Chocolate”
Cinédokké & Andrea Film
“More than ever, this year’s A4D selection works as a litmus test for what feels like can no longer be postponed: Bold narratives and compelling characters address themes of identity, belonging, social challenges and environmental urgency,” summed up Francesca Palleschi, Alliance 4 Development Project Manager.
“As always, the program combines debut features, sophomore works and films from established voices, offering a vivid snapshot of contemporary storytelling.”
In “The Dress Behind the Wall,” Orkhan Aghazadeh will present multiple characters living in Baku, trying to deliver “one of those rare films from the region which embeds elements of dark humor and absurdism, while reflecting the harsh complexities of the personal struggles.”
His film will also tackle the taboos of masculinity, conservatism and female subjugation “that are always overlooked in the films from my country,” he said, promising a “stylized approach to the mise en scene fused with documentary elements, aiming to create a unique world narrowing the wall between plausible and implausible.”
Simon Maria Kubiena will explore themes of guilt and “an unusual path to healing and love” with “a light touch and a spark of poetry” in “The Flowering of a Chimera.” His character, Jakob, hides a dark secret. But he soon forms a connection with Marius, a factory colleague over thirty years older than him.
“Persian mystic Rumi writes: ‘Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there’s a field. I’ll meet you there.’ This movie is about this place. Violence is also human, and it prompts us to consider how we want to treat those who have done wrong,” stated Kubiena.
Difficult relationships will be at the center of “Love and Rebellion” directed by Sarah Miro Fischer, where a girl travels to Colombia to visit her mother, a former guerrilla fighter who sacrificed motherhood to change the world.
“It’s about the loss of innocence,” she stressed.
“Lila stands on the cusp of adulthood, not yet sure what her place in the world will be. I’m interested in watching the characters confront the roles they are given and struggle with the tension between independence and belonging.”
Inspired by three years she spent in Colombia, the film “is driven by the restless energy of youth.”
“It explores the emotional push and pull of its characters, caught between desire, fear and intimacy – all observed with a compassionate, often humorous eye.” The soundtrack serves as the film’s “heartbeat,” she noted. “A mix of salsa and punk gives it rhythm, counterbalancing the quiet, observational style of the images: a reflection of the tension between rebellion and tenderness at the film’s core.”
Lila won’t be the only complex female character this year, joined by troubled pianist Alma stuck in a hotel during Christmas in Jenna Hasse’s “Snow” and “In the Hidden” protagonist Eva also getting her moment to shine. As shown by Goran Rebić, she’s a social democratic activist in pre-fascist Vienna, secretly fighting for her ideals.
“It’s a project with great artistic ambition: a historical film using also original archive material in a way unseen in Austrian cinema. But above all, it’s a story with emotional ability and a main character with great complexity,” explained producer Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu.
“Eva is a woman who’s forced – by her times – to be a caring mother, an activist with unwavering ideals, a friend and a caretaker, risking her life by hiding persecuted people. She’s also a lover in the darkest times of human history.”
Based on a true story, the film – following Eva against the backdrop of the Austrian Civil War, Second World War and into present day – will deliver a “personal, unique, and yet universal story. We see great audience potential internationally,” he said.
In “Najma and Salomé” by Anne Zinn-Justin, a nurse in her forties will need to answer several challenging questions. Including this one: What kind of world are we leaving for our children?
“This question prompted me to develop this film, as the feeling of powerlessness is gaining ground and ecology has been sidelined from the political agenda. The thriller genre is best suited to convey the sense of urgency, anxiety and disarray associated with upheavals that are beyond our understanding,” noted the director, with producer Clémentine Mourão-Ferreira praising her skills: “This female-driven French thriller designed for A-cast will be the debut feature of a filmmaker who showed her skill in directing genre films with her last short. It deals with ecological issues, representing pesticides in an original way. The film organically articulates a visual approach with political statements, through an exciting narrative.”
Finally, Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman’s “Primo Viaggio” has already convinced Nanni Moretti and Benedetta Barroero with its story of twentysomething Carlo who accepts a free vacation in Malaga – in exchange for driving a car full of narcotics back to Italy.
“One of the particular talents of Cassigoli and Kauffman is their ability to seamlessly combine lived experience with narrative film. Their story is written down, but through street casting they are meeting people whose real life can be brought into the script, reshaping the story together with the main character,” said Barroero.
Despite their excitement, the teams also opened up about current struggles, as international theatrical distribution is getting more and more difficult.
“There are many films and not enough people who go to the cinema anymore,” said Esther van Messel, behind “3rd Eye of Shiva.” Which is why many turn to platforms as well.
“We’re open and interested to work with both regional and international platforms. There are more films and series than ever, and less people going to the cinemas. Auteur cinema is certainly in a challenging situation, but we still believe there is an audience for films of innovative nature that engage in the research of new narrative and formal compositions,” observed “Dark Chocolate” producer Marie Lanne-Chesnot.
Jules Grange, now behind “The Dress Behind the Wall,” agrees: “We’ve worked with platforms in the past and several of our features in development are being read by them right now. We expect collaboration at different levels. The international market seems to shrink but the specificities of the films we produce and the directors we work with have enabled a growing international theatrical distribution of our films.”
“Our project – and our entire approach – aims to serve as a bridge between different cultures, drawing on collaborations and energies from all over the world. This is why we believe it can be suited to various kinds of platforms, reaching audiences of different sizes and interests,” said Ivan Casagrande Conti, producer of “Solastalgia,” where one shepherd’s ritual journey from the Alps to the moon-like mountains of southern Tunisia “weaves symbolic and geological ties between the two shores of the Mediterranean.”
The film is directed by Yosr Gasmi and Mauro Mazzocchi.
“I believe Yosr and Mauro’s project is truly unique within the Italian landscape. Their sensitivity, combined with the richness of their backgrounds and experiences, comes together in a story that is both simple and deeply symbolic. From the very beginning, we shared a strong agreement on the urgency of addressing climate issues through a rigorous artistic approach,” explained Casagrande Conti.
“Theatrical distribution is challenging for our films, and a certain kind of cinema has been undergoing a process of ‘musealization’ for some time now. However, we believe the key lies in addressing timely topics and clearly identifying a specific audience from the very early stages of production. Today, the roles of production and distribution have never been as interconnected as they are now.”
“Primo Viaggio” will be “shot for the cinema,” assured Barroero.
“This was important for the directors and is completely in line with Sacher Film. We believe that watching movies at the cinema enhances the story and in the shared experience between people.”
Still, working with platforms is important as finding the right one, “both in Italy and internationally,” allows the film to reach a wider audience.
“Cassigoli and Kauffman’s method is based on creating stories together with real people. The cast is made up of non-professional actors and the absence of big names, apart from the foreign language factor, make it hard to sell to some countries. That being said, at Sacher we believe that good cinema will stand out and persist and we don’t need to run to the highest bidder. Our model is based on producing new voices in Italian cinema. We can stay the course for now, but ask audiences everywhere to demand good, challenging work, and to recognize it by getting off the sofa and going out to the movies.”
“Snow”
Langfilm
Below, the list of selected projects:
“3rd Eye of Shiva”
Directed by: Maria Kaur Bedi and Satindar Singh Bedi
Written by Maria Kaur Bedi and Satindar Singh Bedi, who also direct, it’s produced by Esther van Messel for First Hand Films (Switzerland). Now in early development and eyeing a 2027 premiere, it sees a rebellious Indian student who, protesting the patriarchal mindset, embarks on the life-threatening journey of rewriting the holy love manual “Kamasutra” – this time, entirely from the female perspective. “Inspired by real stories and rooted in cultural critique, our protagonist Nanu reclaims desire and agency,” said the directors.
“Dark Chocolate” (“Chocolat amer”)
Directed by: Valentin Merz
This drama is produced by Marie Lanne-Chesnot for Andrea Film in Switzerland, a company looking for “films of innovative nature and to engage in the research of new narrative and formal compositions.” Its first feature “At Night All the Cats Are Black” world-premiered at Locarno to acclaim. Merz and Maria Buzhor are behind the script, while Michela Pini co-produces for Cinédokké. Sadek Kaffel and Jean-Charles de Quillacq have been cast, with the first taking on a role of a young Tunisian who works at the chocolate factory in Zurich, becoming entangled in the secrets of its enigmatic owners.
“The Dress Behind the Wall”
Directed by Orkhan Aghazadeh
Described as a “multi-portrait of lonely souls trapped in Baku,” it sees Rasim coerced into dancing disguised as a woman for the local mob. His neighbor Nargis, a young single mother, is trying to make ends meet while burning with revenge for the man who ruined her life, and teenage Murad organizes rooster fights with Rasim. Produced by Jules Grange (Kidam, France), it has Matthieu Taponier on board as a script consultant. Orkhan’s previous film, “The Return of the Projectionist,” will be released in France in Jan. 2026 by Survivance Distribution.
“The Flowering of a Chimera” (“Das Blühen einer Chimäre”)
Directed by Simon Maria Kubiena
Produced by Elli Leeb and Fabian Leonhardt for Chimera Film in Austria, the project will be heading to Sarajevo’s CineLink Co-Production Market. After a dark event, Jakob, who recently turned 18, drops out of school and starts to work in a factory for pesticides close to Vienna. His family grows increasingly distant from him. Unable to face what happened, isolating Jakob allows them to maintain fake harmony. Things start to change when he forms an unusual connection with Marius, a factory colleague who’s over thirty years older than him. But as the two of them draw closer, Jakob’s past rises to the surface.
“How To Walk on Water” (“Cómo caminar sobre el agua”)
Directed by: Sofía Ayala
When Mexican teenager Ilse discovers her new wealthy classmates can walk on water, she becomes obsessed with mastering it herself – in secret, during a family vacation they can barely afford. Unaware that her new magical ability comes at a cost to those she loves the most, she must choose between power and family. It’s produced by Maritza Grass and Vincent Edusei (Carousel Film, Germany) and, as revealed by Grass, the project will be further developed and packaged at EAVE Puentes to be able to start financing by the end of the year.
“In the Hidden” (“Im Verborgenen”)
Directed by: Goran Rebić
1934, 1944, 1956. A woman – a mother, friend and a lover – between times, systems and identities. The life of Eva, a social democratic activist, gets off the rails, when civil war disrupts pre-fascist Vienna: Her young sons in foreign exile, her husband on the run, Eva keeps secretly fighting for her ideals and hiding people in threat of National Socialist persecution. Against all repression and odds, a love affair begins to blossom while the Red Army finally approaches Austria. This “century’s fate, based on a true story,” is produced by Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu and Bady Minck (Amour Fou Vienna and Amour Fou Luxembourg), with PubRes from Slovakia also on board.
“Love and Rebellion” (“Amor y Rebeldía”)
Directed by: Sarah Miro Fischer
Produced by Titus Kreyenberg and Nina Sophie Bayer-Seel for unafilm (Germany) and written by director Sarah Miro Fischer, it’s a story of 18-year-old Lila, traveling with her boyfriend to Colombia to visit her estranged mother, Dina: a former guerrilla fighter she hasn’t seen in over a decade. Lila arrives expecting a revolutionary hero. Instead, she finds an ordinary woman living quietly on a remote farm, preparing for her wedding. Described as “a coming-of-age story with comedic undertones,” it’s a film “about expectations, the tension between privilege and responsibility, and who we become in the face of disappointment.”
“Najma and Salomé” (“Najma et Salomé”)
Directed by Anne Zinn-Justin
Produced by Clémentine Mourão-Ferreira for France’s so-cle, also behind “The Flame of a Candle,” it follows Salomé, a nurse in her forties. She lives with her eight-year-old daughter. One of her patients, a winegrower suffering from Parkinson’s disease, dies accidentally during a burglary. The authorities conclude that her fall was due to her illness, but her daughter Najma refuses to accept her mother’s death. In search of answers, she drags a reluctant Salomé along on a quest which leads them to uncover the pollution that local economic players are trying to hide.
“Primo Viaggio”
Directed by Alessandro Cassigoli and Casey Kauffman
Nanni Moretti himself – and Benedetta Barroero – produce for Italy’s Sacher Film, also behind films by Carlo Mazzacurati, Daniele Luchetti and Mimmo Calopresti. Currently casting, it follows Carlo, a 22-year-old from Naples raised in a narrow, provincial world. He accepts a free vacation in Malaga in exchange for driving a car full of narcotics back to Italy. But the people he meets in Spain – and the unexpected, eye-opening experiences he shares with them – make him question his sense of self and lead him on a detour that could change his life forever.
“Snow” (“Neige”)
Directed by Jenna Hasse
Alma, a pianist in a personal crisis, gets stuck in a luxury hotel in Zermatt during Christmas. The lack of snow wears down the wealthy guests, while the hotel tries to give them the illusion of a perfect festive season. Alma slowly finds her way back to herself – and to music. Produced by Olivier Zobrist for Switzerland’s Langfilm. “Snow’ is set in a luxury hotel in the Alps, where there is no snow. This absence is also a metaphor for the crisis of the protagonist as a woman and artist in her thirties,” said the director. “It questions loneliness, social expectations and inequalities, while reflecting a world trying to preserve values increasingly detached from reality.”
“Solastalgia”
Directed by Yosr Gasmi and Mauro Mazzocchi
Produced by Ivan Casagrande Conti and Tommaso Santambrogio for Chiotto Film (Italy) – “deeply rooted in the tradition of Italian auteur cinema, but always looking outward to the world” – and Utopia Films (Tunisia). Their new drama sees Aurora-Héla: young Italian-Tunisian shepherd with androgynous features. She lives in a mountain pasture at the foot of a glacier that is irreversibly melting. While the construction of a dam threatens her community of shepherds and artists, Aurora is forced to return to her native village to bury her father’s amputated foot.
