Did you know that Burkina Faso hosts Africa’s most important film festival, the Fespaco (Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou) which translates to Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.
An African Film Festival started in 1969.
The biennial(taking place every two years) festival took place for the first time in February 1969 and only accepts competition films by African filmmakers and chiefly produced in Africa.
The festival offers African film professionals the chance to establish working relationships, exchange ideas and promote their work, which has grown exponentially. At its inception, only five African countries(Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Niger and Senegal) were represented, and 23 films were screened.
At the second edition, nine African countries participated, with a total of 40 films shown. As time passed, more countries joined, and the number increased significantly, with the last edition held in 2019 having more than 100 films competing.
For one week, cinema becomes a part of the daily life of Ouagadougou, providing a time to celebrate the cultural richness of Africa's many people and stories. Thousands of locals and visitors mingle together, braving the hot temperatures of the city that go up to about 40 °C.
The festival's most prestigious award is the "Étalon de Yennenga" (Stallion of Yennenga/Golden stallion), named after the legendary founder of the Mossi Empire. The award goes to the African film that best shows Africa's realities. Other awards include the Oumarou Ganda Prize, given for the best first film and the Paul Robeson Prize for the best film by a director of the African diaspora, among others.
The latest edition, held in 2019, marked the 50th anniversary of the celebration, and it explored the theme of memory and the future of African cinemas. Twenty movies, including Kenyan film Rafiki, Rwandan The Mercy of the Jungle and Burkina Faso's Hakilitan shortlisted for the Golden stallion.
Joël Karekezi took it home with the film The Mercy of the Jungle, which follows the wanderings of two soldiers separated from their battalion in the mountains at the beginning of the Second Congo War in 1998. Here is a list of other winners of the 26th edition.
The current covid-19 pandemic has led to the postponement of the 27th edition, which was to take place this year. Fespaco has helped showcase the fuller and richer picture of African film and culture.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Aveh, M. (2020). FESPACO—Promoting African Film Development and Scholarship. Journal of Film and Video, 72(1-2), 58-66. doi:10.5406/jfilmvideo.72.1-2.0058
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