Falila Gbadamassi: The Woman King, an African perspective (“The Woman King": the epic of the Amazons of Benin revisited by Hollywood) francetvinfo.fr

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African women's reflections on The Woman King

Falila Gbadamassi:

The Woman King, an African perspective

"The Woman King": the epic of the Amazons of Benin revisited by Hollywood

"The Woman King" : l'épopée des Amazones du Bénin revisitée par Hollywood 

Source: https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/societe-africaine/the-woman-king-l-epopee-des-amazones-du-benin-revisitee-par-hollywood_5283124.html.

Translation from French by Beti Ellerson

Falila Gbadamassi gave me her impressions after the press screening:  "This is your magnum opus indeed Viola Davis. From an Oyo and Dahomey descendant, bravo!" 14 Oct, 2022

The blockbuster about this exceptional all-woman regiment arrives in American and French cinemas in September. In Benin, their country of origin, the first images of the film were not unanimously accepted.

The Woman King fiction feature about the famous Beninese Amazons, directed by the American Gina Prince-Bythewood and embodied by her Oscar-winning compatriot Viola Davis, will be released in theaters on September 16 and 28, respectively in the United States and France. Set in 1823 in Dahomey, present-day Benin, in West Africa.

The young Nawi, played by actress Thuso Mbedu, is an orphan raised by a greedy uncle. She later decides to join the regiment of the Agodjiés ("Agoodjiés") or "Minons”, helmed by General Nanisca (Viola Davis). Trained to protect King Guezo (John Boyega) and defend the kingdom, especially against the Portuguese slave traders, the soldiers endure harsh training at the same time are marginalized by society.

Screened as a world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), in Canada, The Woman King has already been praised by critics: on Rotten Tomatoes it was rated over 90%. Which is not very reassuring to some Beninese, who on discovering the first images of the film, have expressed reservations. The trailer for The Woman King, released in early July, immediately fueled controversy in the native country of the famous fighters.

“The trailer evoked mixed reactions, Beninese journalist Maurice Thantan said to franceinfo Afrique: “Some expressed pride in the fact that a distinctively Beninese story, about the Agodjiés, was brought to the screen”. As affirmed by the Beninese government on its official website: "an all-woman military regiment which existed until the end of the 19th century in the kingdom of Danxomè (or Dahomey)”. This pathbreaking army is the oeuvre of an equally exceptional woman, Tassi Hangbé, who reigned from 1708 to 1711, posing as her twin brother, King Akaba, killed at war. "Others denounce 'cultural appropriation', Maurice Thantan continues, “fearing that the story will be distorted in the cinematic narrative.” A young Beninese filmmaker, Sèdo Tossou, regrets that “there were no Beninese actors in the cast". On social media [Facebook], he implores "authenticity”, denouncing a film "which uses our history but includes no Beninese in the production… and yet African-Americans themselves complain about cultural appropriation". Sèdo Tossou is also annoyed by the accent of the actors, saying he is "tired of seeing films where the actors imitate a grotesque Nigerian accent (regardless of) the African country where the action is (supposed to) take place". However, this debate which will elude the cinephiles who will see the version of the film dubbed in French, since these issues in the original version, as in the film Black Panther (2018) by Ryan Coogler, are not evident.

The Beninese writer Florent Couao-Zotti reacted in a post on Facebook by describing as "heresy" a controversy surrounding the trailer which, generally, "shows everything (and) at the same time almost nothing". As for the question of "cultural appropriation", the author notes that Americans have always drawn on the cultures of the world "to nourish their inspirations". Especially since, according to the technical adviser for culture at the Beninese Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, The Woman King “represents a film that is the most rooted in the era and history of Africa ever produced by Hollywood, while “black Africa (has not) created much in (this) industry". For its actors and its director, all black women, The Woman King has a symbolic dimension. "It's a film lead by dark-skinned black women," insisted Viola Davis, the co-producer of the film, on the set of Good Morning America [Youtube] where she was invited on September 13, 2022. "When did you see this? Never!", says Viola Davis. Women who have often been told that they are "invisible". "This is my gift to the 6-year-old Viola who was always called black and ugly" in order to tell her "that she matters”.

Throughout the promotion of the film across the Atlantic, The Woman King team pours out, evoking an almost mystical experience with this feature film, which was shot in South Africa. During a touching roundtable discussion composed 100% of women, organized by the American magazine Essence [Twitter], the artists confided that they found strength in the idea of telling "the story of (their) ancestors". This is why Prince-Bythewood wanted to bring together "the diaspora": in addition to the South African Thuso Mbedu and the American Viola Davis, we find on the poster of the feature film Lashana Lynch, who is British (the new 007 in the James Bond franchise) and Ugandan-British Sheila Atim. In the most difficult moments, Lashana Lynch explains that she was motivated by the fact that the Agodjiés could be "proud" of her interpretation.

Moreover, The Woman King, a portrait of warriors, is also a physical feat for the actresses whom the director asked to perform their own stunts and combat scenes. Viola Davis says, in a great burst of laughter, that she did not miss the opportunity to remind Gina Prince-Bythewood that she was 56 years old and that all this exertion could cause her "a heart attack" and kill her, unlike her thirty-something colleagues. "My body has been through hell", just like her colleagues, Viola Davis reiterated in a video clip for the film.

(The best action movie is story and character driven. For #TheWomanKing, which meant that our actors did their own fights and stunts. They gave EVERYTHING to fully embody these warriors)

All of these efforts to bring The Woman King to life will need to be validated by the public and therefore to be a success at the box office. According to Viola Davis, this is essential to demonstrate to Hollywood that a film whose faces on the billboard are black women, is profitable. "This film has to make money, otherwise this conversation (about diversity in cinema) is null and void", Viola Davis insisted in Toronto.

The Woman King cost $50 million (over a million euros), The Hollywood Reporter notes. And the production called on the Beninese, as was the scouting, which took place in Benin, Maurice Thantan confirms. Moreover, the American actress and producer Maria Bello, who pitched the idea for this film to Viola Davis in 2015, discovered the Agodjiés when traveling to the country.

"We are having heated debates whereas all of this is very commercial", Maurice Thantan points out. What is certain is that this controversy reflects the growing interest of Beninese themselves for their illustrious compatriots. “Most (among us), theoretically, those who have finished primary school, have heard of the Amazons at least once, notes the journalist. However, on the continent, we were not aware of their grandeur and their singularity. The fact that Hollywood is interested in the subject gives the Beninese even more reason to appropriate this history which is already part of our identity".

An approach which also comes from "a collective political commitment”: “The government is making large investments in the field of culture and tourism,” Maurice Thantan reiterates. Inaugurated on July 31, on the eve of the celebration of Benin's independence, a giant 30-meter Amazon was put on display in Cotonou, the economic capital. The monument attracts "a huge crowd", according to the Beninese journalist. A museum will soon be dedicated to the Agodjiés.

Since the success of Black Panther and its Dora Milaje, which are inspired by the Amazons, Hollywood seems to have become fascinated by Beninese warriors. Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, who played a Dora Milaje in Ryan Coogler's film and was tipped for the role of Nawi in The Woman King, directed a documentary on female soldiers, Warrior Women, broadcast in March 2022 in the United States.

Moreover, the planned sequel to Black Panther should further highlight this all-woman regiment that protects the throne of the imaginary African kingdom of Wakanda. For the most impatient, The Woman King promises action and emotion. Will it be enough to convince the most skeptical Beninese? The response will come in a few months when the film arrives in the rare movie theaters of the country. And perhaps, it will be dubbed in Fon, the language of the Amazons, and one of the most widely spoken in Benin.

The Woman King by Gina Prince-Bythewood with Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and John Boyega

French release: September 28 

“We want to tell our stories” - Beti Ellerson on African women in cinema

“We want to tell our stories”

Beti Ellerson on African women in cinema

Complete interview (22-09-2022) with the defunct YAZA Africa (yaza.co.za) republished on the African Women in Cinema Blog.*

Give us a brief introduction of who you are and your career - how did you get here?

I am currently an independent researcher as well as activist, who operates outside of the framework of academia. However, from the mid-1990s until the mid-2010s, I taught on the faculty at several universities, notably Howard University in Washington DC, where I received a PhD in African Studies as well as completed post-doctoral research. It is during the post-doctoral fellowship that I began my journey on the study and research of African women in cinema. It is also at Howard University that I engaged in film studies—film history, film analysis, film criticism—during which I focused on African Cinema—a course in which I also enrolled, and the catalyst for my journey. I am especially privileged to have studied and worked with some of the pioneers in the field of African Cinema Studies who were based at Howard University.

In addition, it is in Washington DC, that I developed my film activism by engaging with the local Public Access TV station, DCTV. My initial interest was to acquire skills in video technique to visually document my academic research. There I enrolled in courses in scriptwriting, TV production, editing—which allowed the participants to become familiar with the entire process of TV production—handling the camera, lighting, audio, etc. We participated mutually in each other’s production, which prepared me to produce my own show, Reels of Colour which I also hosted. The purpose of the series was to profile filmmakers, critics and scholars, as well as actors, cinematographers, producers, resource persons and organizers. I tapped into the wealth of people and knowledge in independent cinema in the Washington, DC area, having as guests, these locally-based film professionals, as well those who passed through while touring their film or participating in the various film festivals. We explored various perspectives, aspects and interests within independent cinema by people of color, including production, distribution and exhibition. On a few occasions I covered events that took place on location or outside of Washington DC.  During the production of this 27-episode program which aired locally from 1998-2000, I acquired the requisite skills to produce the documentary film, Sisters of the Screen, African Women in the Cinema, released in 2002—the companion book, Sisters of the Screen, Women of Africa on Film, Video and Television, was published by Africa World Press in 2000. And here I am continuing on this journey.

What appeals to you when it comes to film and particularly African women in film?

In fact, I am not a film buff, per se. It was through my interest in African cinema, both academically and through activism, that I developed a keener interest in the world of cinema as a site of critical inquiry. And my interest at the intersection of African cinema, women’s studies and womanism as a conceptual framework drew me to my very specific focus on African women in cinema.

You run the Centre for Study and Research of African Women in Cinema, why did you start it?

In 2008, the Centre for the Study and Research of African Women in Cinema was launched, enlarging and deepening the original initiative, the African Women in Cinema Project, created in 2004. While the African Women in Cinema Project was an academic-based website funded by a Howard University Faculty Research Grant, the Centre is a not-for-profit organization with both a scholarly and general-public focus. One of the objectives is to reach a broader audience beyond academia—where much of the discourse on African women in film has been focused. The Internet-based Centre has the potential to access a wider range of people in the way that scholarly journals have not. Moreover, the fact that scholarship on the subject is often confined to classrooms, seminars and conferences, especially in the United States, means that other sectors of the population are not readily exposed to the rich experiences of African women in cinema. And while the name of the Centre invokes a location of serious study, its diverse features, notably the African Women in Cinema Blog, make information accessible to people who are seeking information for various reasons and on many different levels. I am excited about the immense possibilities of new media technologies that allow me to continue this journey.

In your research on African women in film, what are the major themes that emerge and how are they being addressed?

Perhaps I could expand the question to also include: who determines these themes? who decides the importance of the questions that are asked? And in so doing, it would empower women themselves to determine their own place in film history and the role they will play in the production of knowledge. To address your specific question with this in mind, I would say that African women asserting their own agency, claiming their voice, telling their own history have been recurrent “themes” in the sense of issues, matters of concern/importance that are fundamental to their cinematic vision and filmmaking practice. It is interesting to note that since the early cinematic experiences of African women makers to the present, in terms of the subjects that they address or on which they focus, there has been an amazing level of consistency: the environment, the effects of colonization, resistance, reconciliation, African cultural heritage, identity, rural sustainability, migration, literacy and girls’ education, women’s health and bodily integrity, women’s empowerment, and autobiographical stories that relate family and very personal lived experiences.

Definitely contemporary stories and how they are told reflect the realities of the time: such as mental health, including issues around PTSD, gender-based violence in the time of #metoo, coping with COVID. Regarding other developments reflective of current phenomenon: African women are increasingly visible in animation cinema, they are taking full advantage of web-based and transmedia storytelling and actually include these themes in their work—intrigues around social media, blogging and texting; a documentary about influencers; a visual/audio website about Ghana diasporans returning to Ghana.

One element that has also been consistent is the transnational nature of African women’s cinematic practice, the local/global experience of navigating multiple spaces in order to study, live, work. And for the current generation, many have inherited their parents’ exilic, diasporic identity and they tell stories of their dual homelands, which involve belonging and the search for ancestral identities, and, for the generation of the elders and those who have joined the ancestors, having passed the torch, safeguarding their legacy becomes increasingly relevant. There are so many intersectional themes which make for fascinating stories!


You’ve worked (in what capacity was this and for how many years?) with the International Images Film Festival for Women, what are your reflections on it?

I was invited to serve on the jury at the 2011 edition of IIFF, but what I did not know, was that I had been selected to receive The Distinguished Woman of African Cinema Award—I was amazed that it was kept a big secret until the IIFF closing day, imagine! Inaugurated by Women Filmmakers of Zimbabwe (WFOZ), it is presented to a woman of African descent anywhere in the world who has made and continues to make a significant contribution to the African film industry within any of its areas. It was quite an honor, and I continue to be humbled by this recognition of my work. I regularly feature the activities and events of IIFF, WFOZ and ICAPA on the African Women in Cinema Blog and other Centre-related social media as well as staying in touch with Tsitsi Dangarembga, as she has been an important artistic and intellectual sister of cinema to me.

My reflections of IIFF? Well, I have only attended one edition but I have continued to follow it from afar. As a participant of the 2011 edition, I was truly impressed with the quality of the film selection and the level of professionalism and organization throughout the festival. As an afro-descendant woman, I felt truly welcomed and appreciated as a cohort of African women in cinema. I was also inspired by the inclusion of so many stakeholders who were integral to the promotion of culture and women’s empowerment in Zimbabwe. I was privy to the behind the scenes activities and I continue to give kudos to these amazing women in their capacity to pull off such a feat—with so little means. Which shows what African women can do as a result of perseverance, determination and firmness of purpose, bravo!


Are you in a position to assess the impact of such festivals on women in the African film industry?

Well, I have been to many festivals in Africa and beyond. In addition, in 2019, I wrote an article entitled, ‘African Women on the Cinematic Landscape’. So I will use those findings as a basis to address your question. I noted that a vital role of the film festival is the potential to showcase and promote the works of African women, to provide an environment for networking, as well to facilitate the professionalization their experiences as film practitioners. As is evident with the IIFF, African women are leading the way in this regard.

There’s also a discussion about who is African when you talk about African Women in film. How do you distinguish that and is it necessary to do that?

Good question that I am grappling with in my own work. In an increasingly trans-diasporic world among “African” women in cinema, which include “African” women who are born outside of the continent from African immigrant/transnational parents, this may be a relevant question. I say “may” because with it comes issues around identity and who is doing the naming. There are women who are born and raised in their parents’ diasporic “hostland”, whose films focus on identities within that space rather than those of their ancestral homeland. Others focus on both environments, while still others embrace whatever subject matter may interest them. The question of subject matter, what themes African women address, has already been part of the discussion. If it is not “African” in the sense of location and people, is it considered an “African” film, for instance. I tried to address this in an article I wrote called, ‘Traveling gazes: Glocal imaginaries in the transcontinental, transnational, exilic, migration and diaspora cinematic experiences of African women’. That’s a mouthful, but the purpose of the article was to attempt to engage all these questions around identity, geography and one’s position within these spaces.

As a participant and researcher of the African women in film, how has it evolved over the years?

Well definitely we are seeing more women makers in the area of the moving image, when the VHS became mainstream and presently in the era of digital technology—since in both cases these technologies have been more accessible. The global focus on gender parity in the media has also contributed to empowering women to advance into filmmaking as directors and the technical areas that have long been the purview of men.

In terms of studying African women in film, I would say that by naming the field of study: African women in cinema studies, which is what I have done, gives it a legitimate place as a site of inquiry. Whether others follow suit or take on this work is perhaps not the real point, but that it is has a name, that there are efforts in establishing a historiography, methodology and theoretical framework within which to study and research is an essential part of the process. Hence, as more African women enter the area of filmmaking and make more films,  providing content to be critiqued and studied, and as more African women take an interest in film criticism and research, African women in cinema studies will grow exponentially.

Is film the ultimate game-changer for African women?

African women change makers, have long engaged with the media as a clarion call for change, whether through the moving image, print, or radio. These media have been the vehicle for awareness building, women’s empowerment and literacy and health education, to name a few. I am not sure that I would say that it is film, specifically. However, I would venture to say that since the past two decades, the ubiquity of new technologies and social media has been the ultimate game-changer for African women who, of course have access to these technologies—to get their message across to an audience beyond the gatekeepers of information and knowledge production.  


Thank You for your time.

Thank you for your questions and your interest in including my voice on this important topic!

*Revised from the announcement of interview on Yaza website.

African Diasporas. Germany. The Door of Return. Anna Zhukovets, Kokutekeleza Musebeni

African Diasporas. Germany

The Door of Return

by Anna Zhukovets, Kokutekeleza Musebeni

Germany - Experimental - 30min - 2021

"Do I really have to travel to 2020? Or can I still switch to another year?" Two black women in a hologramm context. The year 2440. Place of residence: Saturn. Racism, sexism and capitalism have been overcome. The destination: Earth. The history of our past echoes into our future. Afro-German, that has been made invisible. The N-word that continues to be uttered in Germany, Germanness and Blackness as a contradiction, an error in the system. “The Door of Return” is an Afro-futuristic documentary. A thought experiment.

***

« Dois-je vraiment voyager jusqu’en 2020? Où puis-je passer à une autre année? » Deux femmes noires dans un contexte d’hologramme. L’année est 2440. Le lieu est Saturne. Le racisme, le sexisme et le capitalisme ont été vaincus. La destination : la Terre. L’histoire de notre passé résonne dans notre avenir. L’afro-allemand, qui a été rendu invisible. Le mot en N qui continue à être prononcé en Allemagne, la germanité et la négritude comme une contradiction, une erreur dans le système. The Door of Return est un documentaire afro-futuriste. Une expérience de pensée.

Source:
https://montrealblackfilm.com/movie/the-door-of-return/
https://watch.eventive.org/bronzelens/play/60e478f8765e600029e3bb48?m=1

The Door Of Return Trailer from Louis Dickhaut on Vimeo.

Twiggy Matiwana: Family Portrait in the Heartlines Fathers Matter film series (South Africa)

Twiggy Matiwana

Family Portrait

in the Heartlines Fathers Matter film series (South Africa)

“I know how it feels not to have a father. My contribution is to allow the narrative to transform to each cast member to apply honesty to all those emotions in a visual form.”

Source: heartlines.org.za

Twiggy Matiwana is the director of Family Portrait, one of the films in the Heartlines Fathers Matter film series. She has won international awards for her work and is adept at both long and short film direction. She believes that this film series has an important message for South Africa. 

The six Heartlines Fathers Matter films will be aired weekly on SABC 2 at 8:30pm every Saturday, starting from 17 September 2022.

Read interview @ https://www.heartlines.org.za/fathers-matter/stories/a-story-with-a-heart-is-worth-seeing 

Twiggy Matiwana on directing Family Portrait | Fathers Matter | Heartlines

Recent films. Mélyou Akré-Loba: Soirée de WOW

Soirée de WOW

by Mélyou Akré-Loba 

YouTube description of the official release of Soirée de WOW:

You're probably wondering why you should watch this movie?
Well here are 3 reasons to do so:

1- This film is chic and fun

2- It talks about us, young people, about the things we experience

3- To support Ivorian cinema and encourage young actors

Don't forget to get your ticket and don't come alone

Synopsis

When a guy wants something so much, how far is he willing to go? Malick is good looking, popular, but has a character that is rebellious and domineering. Hiding his loneliness in party life, he invites his entire class to a private party at his house. This evening, Malick’s goal is to win over Sandra, a prudish girl from his campus who has come clandestinely with her cousin Laura. The atmosphere will not be without unexpected twists. Chill, crush, fight, intrigue... Here is the cocktail that will be served at this evening not so Wow!

***

Sortie officielle du film “Soirée de WOW” sur YouTube

Tu te demandes probablement pourquoi voir ce film ? Et bien voici 3 raisons pour le voir :

1- Ce film est chic et fun

2- Il parle de nous , les jeunes , des choses que nous vivons

3- Pour soutenir le Cinéma Ivoirien et encourager les jeunes acteurs

N’oublie pas de prendre ton ticket et ne viens surtout pas seul(e)

Synopsis
Quand un mec veut quelque chose à tout prix , jusqu’où est-il prêt à aller ? Malick est beau gosse, populaire mais a un caractère rebelle et dominateur. Cachant sa solitude dans la vie de fête, il invite toute sa classe à une soirée privée chez lui. Lors de cette soirée, Malick s’est donné pour objectif de conquérir Sandra, une jeune fille prude de son campus venu clandestinement avec sa cousine Laura. L’ambiance ne sera pas sans rebondissement. Chill, crush, bagarre, intrigue...Voici le cocktail qui sera servi à cette soirée pas si Wow que ça! 

African Diasporas. Switzerland. Je Suis Noires | Becoming A Black Woman. Un/a film de/by Rachel M'Bon & Juliana Fanjul

 

Je Suis Noires | Becoming A Black Woman

un/a film de/by Rachel M'Bon & Juliana Fanjul

- Au cinéma | In theaters: 12 octobre 2022

- Production year: 2022

- Country: Switzerland

- Length: 50mn

Source: Dossier de presse AKKA Films: https://www.akkafilms.ch/je-suis-noires/

June 2020. Thousands of Swiss citizens, white and black, take to the streets of Geneva, Zurich and Lausanne to denounce racial discrimination. Switzerland, the cradle of humanitarian law and a country with no colonies, discovers its dark side and its blacks. In this context, Rachel, a Swiss-Congolese journalist, goes in search of her black identity by interviewing her peers. They are women citizens, standing at the intersection of oppressions, fighting to free themselves from the weight of their skin color. All of them struggle to break free from confining stereotypes and try to love themselves by making their dual Swiss and black identities coexist. As an allegory the film intertwines the transformation of a country, and the trajectory of the narrator and her sisters. It leads each one to look at oneself in the reflection of the other, to heal both the individual and collective narratives.

Juin 2020. Des citoyens suisses, des blancs et des noirs, envahissent par milliers les rues de Genève, Zurich et Lausanne pour y dénoncer les discriminations raciales. C’est la première fois que les récits des minorités visibles émergent. Les femmes noires occupent les premiers rangs, elles dénoncent le racisme systémique et contrarient l’image d’Épinal de la Suisse humanitaire perçue comme un îlot de paix et de prospérité.

Difficile dans un pays qui a fait de l’irréprochabilité son dogme, de s’attaquer à sa part d’ombre, de révéler ses liens avec le colonialisme. Compliqué de faire entendre que l’héritage de ce passé colonial alimente encore aujourd’hui les relents racistes profondément ancrés dans l’inconscient collectif.

Avec la cinéaste Juliana Fanjul, la narratrice et protagoniste Rachel M’Bon questionne son pays, des femmes dans la rue, un historien, une alliée politicienne, un collectif, et elle « ouvre » une porte sur six protagonistes. Chacune d’entre elles a un parcours qui fait écho à son propre cheminement vers l’affranchissement.

Je suis noire - Bande-annonce

 

 Also see: Être noir.e en Suisse - Dans la tête d’un noir

Fatou Cissé: Hommage à son père, Souleymane Cissé | A daughter's homage to her father, Souleymane Cissé

Fatou Cissé:

Hommage à son père Souleymane Cissé

A daughter's homage to her father Souleymane Cissé

The filmmaker’s story, as told by his daughter, relates the testimonies of his friends, family, and his close associates. The film traces the childhood, youth and work of filmmaker Souleymane Cissé, his relationship with his family, colleagues and friends.

Ce film retrace l'enfance, la jeunesse et le travail du réalisateur malien Souleymane Cissé. Son rapport avec sa famille, ses collègues et ses amis.

L'histoire d'un cinéaste racontée par sa fille. À travers le témoignage de ses amis, de sa famille et de ses proches collaborateurs, ce film retrace la vie de Souleymane Cissé de son enfance à aujourd'hui.

Excerpt of the interview by Falila Gbadamassi (Franceinfo) with the filmmaker duo of the Cissé family, Fatou and Souleymanne Cissé - Translation from French by Beti Ellerson

Franceinfo: What inspired you to make this documentary about your father? Did you think that he had not been given enough recognition?

Fatou Cissé: No, I just wanted to pay tribute to him now, during his lifetime. After that one thing led to another. I didn't imagine that the film would come to Cannes, for example. Which is a very good thing!

Franceinfo: The documentary is in Bambara. It is therefore aimed first of all at Malians. What did you want to tell them about your father?

Fatou Cissé: I find it natural for us to speak in Bambara. It is the mother tongue. I wanted the Malian population, then everyone else, to really understand who he is. I touch on his childhood, his relationships with his family, his connections with his colleagues. I wanted people to know the man behind the celebrity. Furthermore, I work with him, so I know the difficulties he encountered in the exercise of his profession.

Franceinfo: Souleymane Cissé, it was your big brother who introduced you to cinema...

Souleymane Cissé: When I was 5, I would cry so that he would take me to the cinema house, which he did. And something clicked. Growing up, I was moved by a curiosity that established itself within me. I wanted to see and understand, an obsession that cinema allowed me to satisfy.

Franceinfo: For your father, cinema is a family affair, because his brother financed his films and he discussed his film projects with his family. But this profession has at the same time separated him from his children. How did you cope with this situation?

Fatou Cissé: It's true that cinema has always been his passion, which goes hand in hand with sacrifices. He was sometime away from his family but he always had his heart with us. We're not going to blame him for that. And then, we must not forget that when they were younger, they were pioneers who fought, in their own way, for their country. His objective never changed and we accepted it.

Souleymane Cissé: as I say, it's a crazy job. When we are in it, it is all that we think about. I have no regrets except having been a dad who was never there, and for that, I apologize to my children.

Franceinfo: Your film is a tribute to your father, but it is also about your mother, Dounamba Dany Coulibaly, who is now deceased...

Fatou Cissé: She died while I was shooting the film. Also, speaking of Den Muso (The Young Girl, 1975) which was my father's first feature film, it was perfectly normal to put the spotlight on the main actress, my mother.

Souleymane Cissé: when Den Muso came out, I was imprisoned and her mother gave birth to Fatou. It was after that that I got back my freedom and did all that I could do. When she was a kid, every time I left, there were problems. There was an incredible attachment that we share and that she won't dare tell you about. When Fatou says that she pays homage to me, I feel, however, that it is to the whole Cissé family that she pays homage. In this film, she talks about her mother, my mother, everyone.

Extrait d’entretien de Falila Gbadamassi (Franceinfo) avec le duo de réalisateurs de la famille Cissé, Fatou et Souleymane Cissé) 

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/monde/afrique/mali/hommage-d-une-fille-a-son-pere-fatou-cisse-signe-le-portrait-de-souleymane-cisse-et-d-une-famille-dediee-au-cinema_5171683.html

Franceinfo : qu'est-ce qui vous a poussée à faire ce documentaire sur votre père ? Vous trouviez qu'on ne lui rendait pas assez hommage ?

Fatou Cissé : non, je voulais tout simplement lui rendre hommage maintenant, de son vivant. Après, les choses se sont enchaînées. Je ne savais pas que le film viendrait à Cannes, par exemple. Ce qui est une très bonne chose.

Fatou Cissé : Le documentaire est en bambara. Il s'adresse donc d'abord aux Maliens. Que vouliez-vous leur dire à propos de votre père ?

Fatou Cissé : je trouve naturel que l’on parle en bambara. C’est la langue maternelle. Je voulais que la population malienne, puis les autres, comprennent réellement qui il est. J’effleure son enfance, ses relations avec sa famille, ses liens avec ses collègues… Je voulais qu'on sache qui est l’homme derrière la célébrité. En plus de cela, je travaille avec lui, donc je connais les difficultés qu'il a rencontrées dans l'exercice de son métier. 

Souleymane Cissé, c'est votre grand-frère qui vous fait découvrir le cinéma...

Souleymane Cissé : quand j’avais 5 ans, je pleurais pour qu’il m’emmène au cinéma. Ce qu’il a fait. Cela a été un déclic. En grandissant, j’étais mu par une curiosité qui s’est installée en moi. Je voulais voir et comprendre, une obsession que le cinéma m’a permis de satisfaire. 

Pour votre père, le cinéma est une histoire de famille, parce que son frère a financé ses films et qu'il discutait de ses projets cinématographiques avec sa famille. Mais ce métier l'a en même temps éloigné de ses enfants. Comment avez-vous géré cette situation ?  

Fatou Cissé : c’est vrai que le cinéma a toujours été sa passion. Ce qui rime avec sacrifices. Il était parfois loin de sa famille mais toujours de cœur avec nous. Nous n’allons pas le blâmer pour cela. Et puis, il faut dire que plus jeunes, ils étaient des pionniers qui se battaient, à leur manière, pour leur pays. Son objectif n'a jamais changé et nous l'avons accepté. 

Souleymane Cissé : comme je le dis, c'est un métier de fou. Quand on y est, on ne pense qu'à ça. Je n'ai pas de regrets sinon celui d'avoir été un papa qui n'était jamais là et pour cela, je présente des excuses à mes enfants. 

Fatou Cissé : Votre film est un hommage à votre père mais il concerne aussi votre mère, Dounamba Dany Coulibaly, aujourd'hui disparue...

Fatou Cissé : elle est décédée pendant que je tournais le film. Par ailleurs, en parlant de Den Muso (La Jeune fille, 1975) qui est le premier long métrage de mon père, c'était tout à fait normal de mettre en avant son actrice principale, ma mère. 

Souleymane Cissé : quand Den Muso est sorti, j'ai été emprisonné et sa mère a donné naissance à Fatou. C'est après cela que j'ai recouvré la liberté et que j'ai fait tout ce que j'ai pu faire. Quand elle était gosse, chaque fois que je partais, c'était des problèmes. Il y avait un incroyable attachement que nous partageons et dont elle n'osera pas vous parler. Quand Fatou dit qu'elle me rend hommage, je crois plutôt que c'est à toute la famille Cissé qu'elle rend hommage. Dans ce film, elle parle de sa maman, de ma maman, de tout le monde. 

International Images Film Festival (IIFF) 2022 presents "Women at Crossroads" in partnership with Internationales Frauen Film Fest Dortmund+Cologne (IFFF)

International Images Film Festival (IIFF) 2022 presents "Women at Crossroads" in partnership with Internationales Frauen Film Fest Dortmund+Cologne (IFFF)

IFFF - IIFF Partnership PRESS RELEASE

2022 12 Sept

Source: http://icapatrust.org/news/ifff-iiff-partnership-press-release/

ICAPA Trust's African Women Filmmaker's Hub is excited to announce the 19th edition of the International Images Film Festival for Women (IIFF). For this event, IIFF has partnered with the German women's film festival, IFFF, held annually in Dortmund and Cologne. IFFF is interested to cultivate contacts on the African continent and to activate these contacts through concrete projects. IIFF in Zimbabwe and IFFF in Germany recognize the many artistic, content-related, and political intersections between the two festivals.

Founded in 2002, IIFF is an annual festival held in Harare that exhibits films that portray a woman in at least one major role, thus providing the opportunity for African women to observe female characters being active, displaying agency, and impacting positively on their own lives and communities. The festival is hosted each year by the Institute of Creative Arts for Progress in Africa (ICAPA) Trust.

IFFF was founded in the 1980s and is one of the largest and most important women's film festivals worldwide. It aims to showcase the work of women directors in their richness of narrative styles as well as aesthetic and political attitudes. Alternating annually between Cologne and Dortmund, it presents a program of 100 films from 30 countries, with an average of 65 events at up to 7 venues.

IIFF 2022's theme "Women at Crossroads" exhibits films that examine the difficult decisions that women must make in the modern world and how they might do it in the most effective way for both themselves and society, especially in a post-Covid era marked by growing patriarchal authoritarianism in many parts of the world.

ICAPA director, Tsitsi Dangaremmbga said IIFF, is eager to use the occasion to increase public awareness of these challenges. Regarding this new media collaboration, she stated:

" IIFF is intentional about providing a platform for African women to tell their stories. This is crucial because they are faced with difficult choices and it's important to talk about these issues and. bring that into the public consciousness. That’s why we are excited to work with partners like IFFF who share in this vision and will help us bring our message and our festival to audiences across Africa and the world.”

Dr. Maxa Zoller, Director of the Internationales Frauen Film Fest Dortmund and Cologne said:

“Solidarity between women globally is more important than ever! I am thrilled to be collaborating with this wonderful festival, which - like ours - is especially concerned with providing role models for girls and women on and off the screen."

For more information contact Icapa Trust at awfh@icapatrust.org or call +263 77 4717 190 and IFFF Dortmund+Köln at zoler@frauenfilmfest.com

Doumbia Amadou Halimatou lauréate : Grand Prix clap Ivoire 2022 - ''Weyboro''

Doumbia Amadou Halimatou lauréate

Grand Prix clap Ivoire 2022 - ''Weyboro''

Doumbia Amadou Halimatou
Niger
Weyboro
Fiction - Niger - Short

Doumbia Amadou Halimatou of Niger, director of the film ''Weyboro'', is laureate of the Grand Prix Kodjo Ebouclé 2022, prize for the best film of the festival Clap Ivoire, which is dedicated to short films.

Doumbia Amadou Halimatou du Niger, réalisatrice du film ''Weyboro'', est laureate du Grand Prix Kodjo Ebouclé 2022, le prix du meilleur film du Clap Ivoire.

Description

Weyboro" relates the dangers of female excision. The rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood, according to tradition, is practiced in catastrophic hygienic conditions, without medical assistance, at the risk and peril of the attendantss and the families who are aware of the dangers.

« Weyboro » évoque les dangers de l’excision. Le rituel du passage de la jeune fille à la femme, selon la tradition, se fait dans des conditions hygiéniques catastrophiques, sans assistances médicales, au risque et péril des matrones et des familles qui sont conscientes des dangers.
(Source: https://www.farafinaculture.com/2022/09/12/clap-ivoire-2022-le-niger-soffre-son-premier-kodjo-eboucle/)

Alice Diop: “we will no longer be silent”. Lion d’Argent, Grand Prix du Jury de la Mostra de Venise - In the footsteps of Euzhan Palcy

Alice Diop

La Biennale di Venezia - 79

Leone d'argento

Gran premio della giuria

In the footsteps of Euzhan Palcy

Acceptance speech

This is a history of transmission, of sorority, of passing on the torch, with this very women-centered film, and I am very touched by it…When I was filming Saint-Omer, there is a book that I kept at my bedside by the poet Audre Lorde called Sister Outsider that I read every evening, which gave me strength. She says in speaking about Black women, ‘our silence will not protect us’, and I would like to say tonight, that we will no longer be silent.

Saint-Omer Synopsis

Rama, a novelist in her thirties, attends the trial of Laurence Coly at the court of Saint-Omer. The defendant is accused of killing her 15 month-old daughter, abandoning her on a beach in northern France at the rising tide. From this story Rama would like to write a contemporary adaptation of the ancient myth of Medea. But during the course of the trial, nothing goes as planned. About to become a mother herself, ultimately, this closed-session proceeding brings into relief her own relationship to motherhood.