Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou

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The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) is the largest African film festival. The festival is the biggest regular cultural event on the African continent and it mostly focuses on the African film and African filmmakers. It is known in French as “Le Festival Pan-Africain du Cinema et de la Television de Ouagadougou”, Ouagadougou being the capital of Burkina Faso.

The festival is for film industry professionals offering them the chance to establish working relationships, exchange of ideas and to promote their work. FESPACO’s stated aim is to “contribute to the expansion and development of African cinema as means of expression, education and awareness-raising”. For one week every two years, FESPACO starts two weeks after the last Saturday of February with the opening night in the “Stade du 4Aout”, which is the national stadium.[1]

Contents

[edit] Creation

Created in 1969, the Pan-African film and television festival of Ouagadougou has evolved into an internationally recognized and respected event in not only the African continent but in the world at large.[1]

Alimata Salambere, the cultural minister of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1991 was one of the founders of FESPACO. The beginning of FESPACO was not easy but due to the help of foreign people and organizations, the press, and the government of Burkina Faso, FESPACO became an international event and has become a place where important intellectual discussions are being held. Such discussions include the evolution of African cinema. One of FESPACO’s programmes was MICA (the international market of cinema and African television), which is the first African international film and television market, organized in 1983 at the premises of “Hotel Silmande”.[1]

[edit] Historical background

[edit] FESPACO changing

Born in 1969, FESPACO has a great historical background. The festival started in 1969 through the efforts of few serious film enthusiasts in Ouagadougou (Alimata Salambere 2001). It inspired ordinary citizens and filmmakers alike and FESPACO became an institution by governmental decree on January 7th, 1972. In that year, the first official winner of the best film award was “Le Wazzou Polygame” by Oumarou Ganda of Niger. Since then, the best film award has been won by directors from Cameroon, Morocco, Mali, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over the past 34 years, the citizens of Burkina Faso have welcomed visitors from across the continent and beyond. From 1985 onward the festival adopted different themes for the event, starting with “the cinema, people, and liberation”. The theme for 2007’s festival is “the actor in the creation and promotion of African films”.[2]

[edit] Evolution from 1969 to 2006

At its creation in 1969, only five African countries; Senegal, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Ivory Coast, Niger and Cameroon were represented, and also France and the Netherlands, and only 23 films were shown. At its second edition, the participant countries rose from five to nine, Algeria, Tunisia, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Niger, Senegal, Mali, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso) and Ghana and 40 films were shown this time (FESPACO 2003). At its third edition in 1972, the name of the festival became FESPACO (Festival Pan-Africain du Cinema et de la Television de Ouagadougou). In 1983 the festival included MICA (le Marche International du Cinema et de la television Africaine), which is a market for African film stock and video footage.

The four general secretaries of FESPACO since 1972 are: Mr. Louis Tombiano from 1972 to 1982, Mrs. Alimata Salembere from 1982 to 1984, Mr. Filippe Sawadogo from 1984 to 1996 and Mr. Baba Hama from 1996 to now.

As the festival became important, its budget and sponsors increased and now the donor countries are Burkina Faso, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Republic of China, and the donor organizations are: AIF(ACCT), PNUD, UNESCO, UNICEF, European Union and AFRICALIA. The growth of FESPACO is also remarkable in the participating countries, which grew from five countries in 1969 to nine countries in 1970, and almost all the African countries nowadays. By its international recognition today, the FESPACO permits African filmmakers to show their talents and sell their products in the international market.[3][4]

[edit] Main activities

[edit] African international film and television market

FESPACO is a festival which promotes African filmmakers and facilitates the screening of all African films. This unique festival in Africa enables contacts and exchange between film and audiovisual professionals of Africa and also contributes to the expansion and development of African cinema as a means of expression, education and awareness rising.[1]

[edit] Publication of African cinema and culture

The publication of African cinema is done through catalogues, FESPACO news, FESPACO newsletter and an African film library where you can find film archives and data bank and a travelling cinema.Its competition of exclusively African films permits the increase of quality in African films and the performance of filmmakers.”[2]

[edit] Non profit screenings in rural areas

FESPACO also promotes non-profit screenings in rural areas, in collaboration wit non-governmental organizations or associations in schools and other public or private institutions.”[5]

[edit] Promotion of African cinema in other international festivals

FESPACO organizes various film events such as the film week and the film premieres, and it promotes African cinema in other international festivals.[3]

[edit] Awards

The most prestigious award given out at the festival is the "Étalon de Yennenga" (Standard of Yennenga), named in reference to the mythical founder of the Mossi empire. The "Étalon de Yennenga" is awarded to the African film that best shows "Africa's realities".

[edit] 3rd FESPACO (1972)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga) : Le Wazzou polygame of Oumarou Ganda (Niger).
  • Second prize (Prix spécial d'authenticité) : Hydre Dyama of Moussa Kemoko Diakité (Guinea).
  • Third prize : L'Opium et le bâton of Mohamed Rachedi (Algeria).
  • Consolation prize : Pour ceux qui savent of Tidiane Aw (Senegal).
  • First prize of the best short film : Moseka of Kouami Mambu Zinga (Zaïre).
  • Second prize of the best short film : Sur le sentier du requiem of Pierre-Marie Dong (Gabon).

[edit] 4th FESPACO (1973)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga): Les Mille et Une Nuits of Souheil Ben Barka (Morocco).
  • Prize of the most authentic African film (Prix de l'authenticité africaine) : Identité of Pierre-Marie Dong (Gabon).
  • Prize of the 7th art : Décembre of Mohamed Lakdar Hamina (Algeria).
  • Consolation prize : Le Sang des parias of Mamadou Djim Kola (Upper Volta).
  • Prize of the best short film : Accident of Benoit-Maurice Ramampy (Madagascar).
  • Congratulations of the jury : Oumarou Ganda (Niger).

[edit] 5th FESPACO (1976)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga): Muna Moto of Dikongue Pipa (Cameroon)
  • First Consolation prize : ex aequo Vent du Sud of Mohamed Slim Riadh (Algeria) and Ndiangane of Mahama Johnson Traoré (Senegal).
  • Second Consolation prize : Sur le chemin de la réconciliation of René-Bernard Yonli (Upper Volta).
  • Prize of the 7th art : L'Héritage of Mohamed Bouhamari (Algeria).
  • Special prize of the jury : ex aequo Sejnane of Abdellatif Ben Ammar (Tunesia) and Nationalité immigrée of Sydney Sokhona (Mauritania).
  • Special mention : Kaddhu Beykat (Lettre paysanne) of Safi Faye (Senegal) and Saïtane of Oumarou Ganda (Niger).
  • Another special mention : first participation of Ghana.

[edit] 6th FESPACO (1979)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga): Baara of Souleymane Cissé (Mali).
  • Prize of the most authentic African film : Soleil des hyènes of Ridha Behi (Tunisia).
  • Prize of the 7th art : Alyam Alyam of Ahmed El Mahanouni (Morocco).
  • Prize of the best short film : La Boîte dans le désert of Brahim Tsaki (Tunisia).
  • Special Consolation prize : Yik-Yan of Hamidou-Benoit Ouedraogo (Upper Volta).

[edit] 7th FESPACO (1981)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga): Djeli of Fadika Kramo Lanciné (Côte d'Ivoire).
  • Prize of the most authentic African film : La Chapelle of Jean-Michel Tchissoukou (Congo).
  • Prize of the 7th art : West Indies of Med Hondo (Mauritania).
  • Prix Oumarou Ganda : Love Brewed in African Pot de Kwan Ansah (Ghana).
  • Prize of the best short film : Poko of Idrissa Ouedraogo (Upper Volta).

[edit] 8th FESPACO (1983)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga): Finyè of Souleymane Cissé (Mali).
  • Prix Oumarou Ganda : Pawéogo (L'Émigrant) of Kollo Sanou (Upper Volta).
  • Prize of the best short film : Certificat d'indigence of Moussa Bathyli (Senegal).
  • Prize of female interpretation : Rosine Yanogo with Wend Kuuni (Upper Volta).
  • Prize of male interpretation : Le Coiffeur du quartier des pauvres of Mohamed Abachi (Morocco).
  • Prize of the best scenario : L'Ombre de la terre of Taëb Louhichi Tunisia).
  • Prize of the best image : Zo Kwe Zo of Joseph Akouissonne (Central Africa).
  • Golden Camera : Issaka Thiombiano and Sékou Ouedraogo with Wend Kuuni (Upper Volta).
  • Prize of the best operator : L'Ombre de la terre of Taëb Louhichi Tunisia).

[edit] 9th FESPACO (1985)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga) : Histoire d'une rencontre of Brahim Tsaki (Algeria).
  • Prize of the 7th art : Nelisita of Ruy Duarte (Angola).
  • Prix Oumarou Ganda : Jours de tourmente of Paul Zoumbara (Burkina Faso).
  • Prize of the best short film : Mariaamu's Wedding of Nangaoma Ngoge (Tanzania).
  • Prize of the best music : Pierre Akendengue for Les Coopérants (Cameroon).
  • Prize of the public : Rue Cases-nègres of Euzhan Palcy (France).

[edit] 10th FESPACO (1987)

[edit] 11th FESPACO (1989)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga) : Héritage... Africa of Kwah Ansah (Ghana).
  • Prix Oumarou Ganda : Mortu Nega of Flora Gomes (Guinea-Bissau).
  • Prize of the best short film : La Geste de Segou (Segu janjo) of Mambaye Coulibaly (Mali).
  • Paul Robeson prize of the diaspora : Ori of Raquel Gerber (Brazil).
  • Prize of female interpretation : Bia Gomes with Mortu Nega (Guinea-Bissau).
  • Prize of male interpretation : Kofi Bucknor with Héritage... Africa (Ghana).
  • Prize of the best scenario : Zan Boko of Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso).
  • Prize of the best image : La Citadelle of Mohamed Chouikh (Algeria).
  • Prize of the best music : Francis Bebey for Yaaba (Burkina Faso).
  • Special mention for the sound recording : Testament of John Akomfrah (Ghana).
  • Prize of the public : Yaaba of Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso).

[edit] 12th FESPACO (1991)

  • First prize (Étalon de Yennenga) : Tilaï of Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso).
  • Prix Oumarou Ganda : Ta Dona of Adama Drabo (Mali).
  • Prize of the best short film : La Transe (El Hadhra) of Moncef Dhouib (Tunisia).
  • Prize of the best documentary film : Yiri Kan of Issiaka Konaté (Burkina Faso).
  • Paul Robeson prize of the diaspora : Almacita Di Desolato of Felix de Rooy (The Netherlands).
  • Special mention (Paul Robeson prize) : Twilight City of Auguste Reece (United Kingdom).
  • Another special mention : Sango Malo of Bassek Ba Kobhio (Cameroon).
  • Prize of female interpretation : Mariatou Kouyaté with Bamunan (Mali).
  • Prize of male interpretation : Balla Moussa Keita with Sere (Guinea).
  • Prize of the best scenario : Louss of Rachid Benhadj (Algeria).
  • Prize of the best image : Jit of Michael Raeburn (Zimbabwe).
  • Prize of the best music : Abdallah Ibrahim for Tilaï (Burkina Faso).
  • Prize of the best sound recording : Leila, ma raison of Taëb Louhichi (Tunisia).

[edit] General idea

The Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou is an important and unique African film festival which permits the filmmakers to show their talent and their knowledge every two years. This important festival grew from the national recognition to the international recognition since its creation in 1969 in Ouagadougou. The activities of FESPACO help a lot of African filmmakers to have some sponsors and to promote their products.[1]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Fiche Technique du FESPACO. (2003).FESPACO : FICHE TECHNIQUE. Retrieved 03/26/2006 from http://www.fespaco.bf/fiche_technique2003.htm
  2. ^ a b ARTE>Fespaco>Bala Hama. FESTIVAL DE FESPACO. Interview Baba Hama. Retrieved 03/24/2006 from http://archives.arte-tv.com/fr/archive_221960.html
  3. ^ a b ARTE >Fespaco> introduction. FESTIVAL DE FESPACO. Introduction sur le FESPACO. Retrieved 03/20/2006 from http://archives.arte-tv.com/fr/archive_221464.html
  4. ^ ARTE>Fespaco>Palmares et bilan. (2003). FESTIVAL DE FESPACO. BILAN DU FESTIVAL-FESPACO 2003. Retrieved 03/25/2006 from http://archives-arte-tv.com/fr/archive_221476.html
  5. ^ Elovution du Fespaco depuis sa naissace: Interview de Alimata Salambere. (04/03/2005). Elovution du Fespaco depuis sa naissance. Retrieved 03/25/2006 from http://www.afrik.com/article8175.html
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