(Re)Discover: Naky Sy Savane

(Re)Discover:

Naky Sy Savane, actress, producer, organizer, cultural activist

 

For Naky Sy Savane, being an actress is also being a feminist activist in the context of cinema as a form of engagement. She helms the festival FESTILAG which brought together actresses throughout the continent, inaugurating ACAI (l'Association des Comédiennes Africaines de l'Image (Association of African Actress of the Moving Image). The historic general assembly of African actresses took place from 12-16 November 2019 at the Festival international du film des lacs et des lagunes (International Lakes and Lagoons Film Festival) in Côte d'Ivoire.

 

On this post I will take the opportunity to present excerpts from our interview in 1997 published in my book Sisters of the Screen: Women of Africa on Film, Video and Television, 2000. The contents of the original November 3, 2013 post, "Cinema is a vehicle for unity and social cohesion", published in French, is now included in the original English translation of the same date--Beti Ellerson

 

African women's place in society:

I learned very young that as an African woman I had to defend myself, no one would fight for me. We had to fight, each of us in her own way. At an early age, I handled things on my own. I decided to fight in the best way I could so that the African woman may have the place that she deserves.

The role of African women as actress (recall the interview was held in 1997):
 

Now the African woman is beginning to have a positive role in the cinema. It has started to happen.  Because in the past she was always seen as a secondary character, the great roles were played by men.  We have learned that we must work hard and work a great deal. We are chosen because we have talent.  We have also learned that we must push harder to have roles created for us, scripts that are written with women in mind. We must even go as far as to suggest roles for ourselves.  At the present we do not hesitate to tell a director to create a certain role or that we want to be a certain kind of character.  At least I do not hesitate to do so.

Naky's activism as an actress and her views regarding Female Genital Cutting:

The...film in which I acted La jumelle [The Twin] was by the young director Diabi Lanciné, who really values the African woman and supports the struggles of African women, such as the fight against forced marriage and excision, and the fight for the African woman to have the right to choose her own future.  All these issues were touched upon in his film.

Believe me it was a great pleasure for me to play such a role because there are certain things that we cannot say in Africa.  For instance, the fight against excision, we cannot talk about it, we must each fight in our own way, and as best we can.  For many years, I have been fighting against this practice for my daughter, because she risks being excised...We did not know where to go.  Moreover, I think there is one obligation that I have which is to protect my child and prevent her from being subjected to the practice of excision.

The role that Naky sees for herself as an actress in the struggle against excision:

I am already in the struggle against it.  The fact is that I fight each year for my daughter because it is a continuous battle. You are vulnerable to this practice right up until marriage. However, most people are not ready to listen to this opposition, it is still part of our tradition.  I think the best solution is that each woman in her own work, in her own society, fight to protect her daughter.

 

 

Articles from the African Women in Cinema Blog

Naky Sy Savane: Cinema is a vehicle for unity and social cohesion
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2013/11/naky-sy-savane-cinema-is-vehicle-for.html

African Women in Cinema Confront FGM
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/african-women-in-cinema-confront-fgm.html

First general assembly of African actresses
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/12/first-general-assembly-african-actresses.html