Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou
Encyclopedia
The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (Festival panafricain du cinéma et de la télévision de Ouagadougou or FESPACO) is the largest Africa
n film festival, held biennially in Ouagadougou
, Burkina Faso
. The festival is the biggest regular cultural event on the African continent and it mostly focuses on the African film and African filmmakers. FESPACO starts two weeks after the last Saturday of February with the opening night in the Stade du 4-Août
, which is the national stadium. It is hugely successful.
The festival is for African film industry professionals offering them the chance to establish working relationships, exchange 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". Since FESPACO's founding, the festival has attracted visitors from across the continent and beyond.
has evolved into an internationally recognized and respected event in not only the African continent but in the world at large. Alimata Salambere, the cultural minister of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1991 was one of the founders of FESPACO. At its third edition in 1972, the name of the festival became FESPACO (Festival Pan-Africain du Cinema et de la Television de Ouagadougou). FESPACO became an institution by governmental decree on January 7, 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
.
, 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
(Now Burkina Faso) and Ghana
—with 40 films shown. 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.
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". As the festival became more prominent, its budget and sponsors increased; the donor countries now include Burkina Faso
, Denmark
, Finland
, France
, Germany
, Netherlands
, Sweden
, Republic of China
, and the donor organizations include AIF(ACCT), PNUD, UNESCO
, UNICEF, European Union
and AFRICALIA. Due to its international recognition today, FESPACO permits African filmmakers to show their talents and sell their products in the international market.
The four general secretaries of FESPACO since 1972 have been Louis Tombiano, from 1972 to 1982, Alimata Salembere, from 1982 to 1984, Filippe Sawadogo, from 1984 to 1996 and Baba Hama, from 1996 to the present.
), named in reference to the legendary founder of the Mossi
empire. The "Étalon de Yennenga" is awarded to the African film that best shows "Africa's realities".
Other special 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
.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n film festival, held biennially in Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
. The festival is the biggest regular cultural event on the African continent and it mostly focuses on the African film and African filmmakers. FESPACO starts two weeks after the last Saturday of February with the opening night in the Stade du 4-Août
Stade du 4-Août
Stade du 4-Août is a multi-purpose stadium in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has an athletics track. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people. Etoile Filante Ouagadougou play their homes games at the stadium.-External links:* at * at * at...
, which is the national stadium. It is hugely successful.
The festival is for African film industry professionals offering them the chance to establish working relationships, exchange ideas and to promote their work. FESPACO's stated aim is to "contribute to the expansion and development of African cinema
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
as means of expression, education and awareness-raising". Since FESPACO's founding, the festival has attracted visitors from across the continent and beyond.
Creation
Created in 1969, the Pan-African film and television festival of OuagadougouOuagadougou
Ouagadougou is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 . The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais...
has evolved into an internationally recognized and respected event in not only the African continent but in the world at large. Alimata Salambere, the cultural minister of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 1991 was one of the founders of FESPACO. At its third edition in 1972, the name of the festival became FESPACO (Festival Pan-Africain du Cinema et de la Television de Ouagadougou). FESPACO became an institution by governmental decree on January 7, 1972. In that year, the first official winner of the best film award was Le Wazzou Polygame
Le Wazzou polygame
Le Wazzou polygame is a 1971 Nigerien/French film about polygamy directed by and starring Oumarou Ganda. It was produced by Argos Films in France...
by Oumarou Ganda
Oumarou Ganda
Oumarou Ganda was a Nigerien director and actor who brought African cinema to international attention in the 1960s and 1970s.- Life :...
of Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
. Since then, the best film award has been won by directors from Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, Ivory Coast, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
.
Evolution from 1969 to 2006
At its creation in 1969, only five African countries—SenegalSenegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Upper Volta
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
(Burkina Faso), Ivory Coast, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
—were represented, and also France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and only 23 films were shown. At its second edition, the participant countries rose from five to nine—Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, Ivory Coast, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, Upper Volta
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
(Now Burkina Faso) and Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
—with 40 films shown. 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.
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". As the festival became more prominent, its budget and sponsors increased; the donor countries now include Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
, and the donor organizations include AIF(ACCT), PNUD, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, UNICEF, European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and AFRICALIA. Due to its international recognition today, FESPACO permits African filmmakers to show their talents and sell their products in the international market.
The four general secretaries of FESPACO since 1972 have been Louis Tombiano, from 1972 to 1982, Alimata Salembere, from 1982 to 1984, Filippe Sawadogo, from 1984 to 1996 and Baba Hama, from 1996 to the present.
Main initiatives
- 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.
- 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.
- Non profit screenings in rural areas: FESPACO also promotes non-profit screenings in rural areas, in collaboration with non-governmental organizations or associations in schools and other public or private institutions.
- 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.
Awards
The most prestigious award given out at the festival is the "Étalon de Yennenga" (Stallion of YennengaYennenga
Yennenga, also known as Yennenga the Svelte, was a legendary African princess, considered the mother of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso. She was a famous warrior whose son Ouedraogo founded the Mossi Kingdoms.-Biography:...
), named in reference to the legendary founder of the Mossi
Mossi Kingdoms
The Mossi Kingdoms, sometimes mistakenly referred to as the Mossi Empire, were a trio of powerful states in modern-day Burkina Faso. Each state possessed similar customs and government, but were ruled independently of each other...
empire. The "Étalon de Yennenga" is awarded to the African film that best shows "Africa's realities".
Other special awards include the Oumarou Ganda Prize, given for the best first film, and the Paul Robeson
Paul Robeson
Paul Leroy Robeson was an American concert singer , recording artist, actor, athlete, scholar who was an advocate for the Civil Rights Movement in the first half of the twentieth century...
Prize for the best film by a director of the African diaspora
African diaspora
The African diaspora was the movement of Africans and their descendants to places throughout the world—predominantly to the Americas also to Europe, the Middle East and other places around the globe...
.
External links
- The official Fespaco site
- Fespaco 2009 coverage on RFI English site
- Fespaco at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
- FESPACO Collection at Indiana University Bloomington Black Film Center/Archive
- BBC Coverage of FESPACO 2007 (with interviews and audio)
- BBC Coverage of 2005 FESPACO
- The Unlikely Home of Africa's Oscars by Katrina Manson, GlobalPost, March 12, 2009