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Fespaco 2009 - what's new
by Aidan O'Donnell
Article published on the 2009-02-25 Latest update 2009-02-26 11:17 TU
Fespaco's Etalon Yennenga Prize
(Photo: Fespaco)
The festival has reached its 40th birthday so, along with a certain maturity, we can expect a healthy dose of introspection and the occasional look back at what’s happened so far. The new Délégué Général, Michel Ouedraogo, is placing Cinema and PanAfricanism right at the heart of the festival.
This year sees more forums and debates with filmmakers as well as more meetings for industry professionals while the transfer of the Mica (Film and Television Fair) to a more appropriate setting — the Siao (the Site of the International Craftsmanship Fair) is a welcome development.
The Mica, in line with the industry as a whole around the world, is becoming more professional and the 14th Mica Fair reflects this.
The cinemas
No less than eleven cinemas, from the centre of Ouagadougou to the outskirts, will welcome an expected 500,000 – 600,000 viewers over the course of Fespaco.
They’ll be watching an interesting selection of films which suggests that various announcements of the demise of African cinema are greatly exaggerated.
The theme this year
A common theme outside the movie theatres this year will no doubt be the fact that the means of production and distribution — not to mention financing — are being seriously rethought in the cinema business.
This is related to the festival's theme this year: “African cinema, tourism and cultural heritage.” Although it brings together somewhat disparate strands, the theme may finally encourage private investors to get involved in the industry.
Who's coming
Women filmmakers are well represented in this year’s programme: Kalthoum Bornaz and Teresa Prata, Jihan El Tahri, Nadia El Fani, Katy Ndiaye and Monique Phoba.
Watch out as well for Leila Kilani, Christine Touggourt N’Namdine, Irène Tassembedo, Oswalde Lewat and Maimouna Ndiaye.
There are established names, some of whom hadn’t made a film for quite some time, like Daniel Kamwa, Hailé Gérima, Michael Raeburn, Mansour Sora Wade, Jean-Marie Teno, Latif Lahlou, Adama Drabo, David Pierre Fila. And there are films from the directors of the 2000 vintage: Nabil Ayouch, Léandre Alain Baker, Ahmed Atef, Mama Keita, John Kani, Boubacar Diallo.
A new generation is also clamouring for attention in the form of Ziman Ralph, Missa Hébié, Lyes Salem, Mohamed Ismaïl, Abdoul Aziz Cissé, Jann Turner, Kal Touré and Malek Bensmail.
Not to mention the directors bringing short movies, many of whom are still unknown to us.
Gaston Kaboré – President of this year's jury
The Burkinabé filmmaker Gaston Kaboré is President of the Fespaco jury this year, having won a Golden Stallion of Yennenga himself for his last full-length feature film, Buud Yam in 1997.
He has five films to his name, including his début film Wend Kuuni from 1983, and spent time as the Director of the National Film Centre of Burkina Faso, which he established as a coproducer for the region.
He then took up the position of General Secretary of Fepaci (Panafrican Federation of Filmmakers), travelling the world to defend the interests of African film.
He now runs Imagine, a cinema training space for African professionals which welcomes students from all over the continent every year.
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