Djia Mambu, journalist and film critic | journaliste et critique de cinéma (Cannes 2019)

Djia Mambu, journalist and film critic

journaliste et critique de cinéma

(Cannes 2019)

Source: Le film français: le premier magazine web des professionals de l'audiovisuel. 19 mai 2019. Excerpts translated from French of an interview by Kevin Bertrand

Image: Semaine de la Critique - Cannes © Photo : Élise Ortiou Campion

EN FRANÇAIS: Les déjeuners du Film français à la Plage des Palmes avec Djia Mambu par Kevin Bertrand  http://www.lefilmfrancais.com/document/cannes2019/quotidien/FF5/index.html#p=10

Djia Mambu comes to Cannes in two capacities: at the invitation of the We Build Change programme and as jury member of the Semaine de la critique.

[To be a member] is a real privilege, especially as I am the first black African woman to be a part of this jury. For me it is very important, it is a wonderful message. Since only the first and second oeuvres are selected at the Semaine de la critique, we as a jury may, perhaps, launch a future "great" filmmaker. That is also important.

[VisuElles], I have always wanted to do something related to cinema. The idea was launched at the end of 2017 with the crisis around the Weinstein affair, of #metoo ... A window opened, and I took the opportunity to concretise this idea in the bilingual capital of Canada, Ottawa. There are already women's film festivals, but VisuElles is the only bilingual festival. We organised the first edition over three days, with only women-directed films… My next challenge is distribution. Contrary to 10 or 15 years ago, African content is no longer lacking. On the other hand, there is a problem of spaces for screening films. Outside of festivals, it is very difficult to see these films.