Practically all of Africa
and its Black diaspora
participated, ISO films
were screened with
30,000 spectators.
through famous characters such as Charlie
Chaplin. His Excellency Blaise Compaore,
President of Burkina Faso gave the opening
clap and released the balloons just after the
opening speech delivered by Prime
Minister Rock Marc Christian Kabore.
Kabore saluted African filmmakers for
their efforts to forge new and' positive
images of Africa that those on the continent
live and feel. After the opening ceremony
many festival attendees proceeded to Cine
Neerwaya, Ouagadougou's most impressive
theatre, to view the inaugural films
"Jemima and Johnny" by Lionel Ngakane
of South African and Henri Duparc of Cote
d'lvoire's "Rue Princesse."
The next morning cineasts met at the
"Place des Cineastcs Africains" Monument
to pour libation to African filmmakers who
have joined the ancestors.
Films ranging from dramas about
AIDS, the quest for democracy, the preser
vation of African history and culture, wom
en's issues (especially excision), terrorism,
political corruption, urban life, polygamy,
traditional beliefs and practices to cultural
and historical documentaries. Special trib
ute was paid to South African cinema.
Participating officially for the first time in
this great cinema rendcz-vous, about 75
filmmakers as well as men and women of
eulture from South Africa came as standard
bearers of their country. The delegation was
led by special guest Mrs. Winnie Mandela,
South African Vice Minister for Arts and
Culture. Mrs. Mandela declared that South
Africa will strengthen its cooperation with
FESPACO.
in the foreground of the photo are South African filmmaker Lionet Ngakane , and Elizabeth Diop, Directress of Presence
Africaine Publishing House . In the background Winnie Mandela and South African officials attended the opening ceremonies at
4th of August stadium. *
Among the renowned cineasts in atten
dance were South Africa's celebrated
Lionel Ngakane ("Jemima and Johnny"),
Henri DuParc ("Rue Princesse") and
Bassori Timitc ("La Femme au Couteau")
of Cote d'lvoire, Djibril Mambety Diop
("Hyenes") of Senegal, Mel Hondo
("Sarraounia") of Mauritania, Gaston
Kabore ("Rabi") and Idrissa Ouedraogo
("Samba Traore") of Burkina Faso and
Cheick Oumar Sissoko ("Finzaan") of
Mali. Sembcne Ousmane, Africa's oldest
and most prolific filmmaker, served as
president of the 1995 Jury. Sembencs "La
Noire de" ("Black Girl"), which made its
debut in 1966, was the first feature film to
be written, directed, and produced by an
African.
Henry Lopes, Congolese writer.
C htick Onmnr Siaoko
Oddly, this time around none of Black
American's famous film personalities were
in attendance. However, severahup and
coming African- American cincasts were on
the scene and some had films in competi
tion: Kathc Sandler ("A Question of
Color"); Patricia Khayyam ("Henry Box
Brown"); Charles Dumas ("The Garden");
Freeman Koina ("Little Black Panther");
Windell Williams ("Murder Magic");
Michelle Parkcrson ("A Litany for
Survival: the Life and Work of Audrc
Lorde") Amic Williams ("Uncommon
Ground"); Lawrence Williams ("Perfect
B"); Louis Massiah ("W.E.B, DuBois: A
Biography in Four Voices"); Bcnimo
McCrea ("Retribution"); and Lisannc
Skyler ("No Loans Today"). In "A
Question of Color" Kathc Sadler confronts
the issue of color consciousness in the
black community by exploring the devas
tating effects of a caste system based on
how closely skin color, hair texture and
facial features conform to a European ideal.
Patricia Khayyam captures the true story .
about an African American sl^c hero
"Henry Box Brown' who, in I X49. escaped
to freedom by ingeniously encasing himself
in a wcxxlcn box and having himself mailed
to freedom in the North. Also screened was
the controversial "Warrior Marks", by
Pratigha Parmar of Great Britain. This visu
al text that confronts female circumcision,
was written and co-produced by Pulit/er
pri^.e-winner Alice a; - ci.
I rc | NoK," ; i ?' ] /{* Vv ? ?
professor Wole- Soy ink.,, v o. > :vL\?.
C !'.%*.;? jVV'O- ?' ! * ?K2i *i tU'
'l"hc IntcrprctcVs '!!?*? l'i 5 K'njlic
Death ami Kings Horsemen and countless
other famous works was finally able to real
ize his long-time dream of attending the
festival. Soyinka is actively leading a cam
paign denouncing the obstruction of the
democratization process in Nigeria.
Soyinka criticized African hanks ami entre
preneurs tor failing to invest in and support
African films and filmmakers.
In commemoration of KM) years of
Cinema. f;ESPACO initiated a series of
exhibits entitled "Images of Africa." This
research was designed that Africans might
review the pictorial elements that have
forged depreciatory ami pejorative images
of Africans in jx>stcrs ami film for the pur
pose of domination and exploitation by
European colonizers. FESPACO was also
enriched by the "Niger Valleys" exhibition,
a testimony to the rich African civilizations
that existed along the River Niger Valley.
Another exciting FESPACO trend is
the parade of fashions. ITiis year's festival
focused on "cinema and costume". It was
organized by Mrx. Naye Diallo under the
high patronage of First Lady of Burkina
Faso. Mrs. C'hantal C'onmaore. Naye
Diallo, an African -American w^o is mar
ried to a Burkinahe. is special assistant to
Mrs. Compaore. Breath-taking fashions by
five of West Africa's most noted di ess
makers, Alphady. tjhe Prince of Niger; I \
Dumas of France; Ali Ouedraugo ami Ok
Burkina Faso: and Belle Dame from
Senegal attracted iarue ctowds
rrisu'.er (Ynnpaore reci-vc < ^ - '?!
Wi t1. '0 I I i,SPAC I J at hvs ? .. ?