I Live in V.I., directed by Nigerian filmmaker Ugochukwu Azuya and produced by Olubunmi Ogunsola through his production company Ensemble, has won the Tabakalera-San Sebastian Film Festival Residency Award at Locarno Open Doors 2026.
The prize includes a residency at Tabakalera and participation in industry activities at the San Sebastian Film Festival, awarded in collaboration with International Culture Center Tabakalera and the San Sebastian Film Festival.
According to Azuya, I Live in V.I. is a social-class satire rooted in Lagos realities. He describes the film as a psychedelic exploration of Nigeria’s deeply classist society and the “fake life” mentality that emerges from that inequality, set against the backdrop of the affluent Victoria Island.
Ghanaian filmmaker Aseye Fiagbe’s Too Much Music, produced through Aseye Fiagbe Creative Studio, also received the Tabakalera-San Sebastian Film Festival Residency Award.
The music documentary examines the rehabilitation and legacy of Kiki Gyan, the Ghanaian keyboard prodigy, and also received CHF 10,000 ($12,400) as part of the Open Doors prizes.
The prizes were announced on August 10 at Locarno Pro, the industry hub of the Locarno Film Festival. All six projects in this year’s Open Doors selection received an award.
Separately, the AFP Critics Prize, presented by African Film Press (AFP), went to Submergido, directed by Ariel Añez and produced by Joseph Mata, with Añez also serving as co-producer through Maochas Filmes, representing Mozambique.
The AFP Critics Prize includes a $500 cash award, a certificate, and ongoing editorial coverage of the filmmaker’s future work across AFP’s founding publications, including Akoroko, Sinema Focus, and What Kept Me Up.
This year’s AFP jury comprised Kenyan film critic Kelvin Kariuki, Nigerian critics Vivian Nwajiaku and Jeffrey Ini-Abasi, alongside AFP’s founding team.
Locarno’s Open Doors is the Locarno Film Festival’s co-production and talent development platform, supporting filmmakers from regions with limited access to international financing and production networks.
