Fan Sissoko: On the Surface (World Festival of Animated Film)

Fan Sissoko: On the Surface

(World Festival of Animated Film)
6-11 June 2022

 

Source: http://www.animafest.hr/en/2022/film/read_all/on_the_surface

Animation - 2021 - Iceland/U.S./Mali - 4min

 

 

 

Synopsis
A young Black woman goes swimming in the Icelandic sea and reflects on her experience of raising a child in a country that feels nothing like home. As she enters the freezing water, she relives her traumatic pregnancy. Being in the wild and facing her fears is helping her heal.

Bio
Fan Sissoko is a French-Malian artist and filmmaker based in Reykjavik, with a background in design for social change. Her work explores themes of migration, motherhood, otherhood and neurodiversity. Her animated short film On the Surface was awarded a grant from Art With Impact, and screened at festivals around the world, including Clermont-Ferrand ISFF (France), Encounters (UK), Ottawa International Animation Festival (CA), Margate Film Festival (UK), Rex Animation Festival (SWE). It won the Heartwired Award at Our Heritage, Our Planet Film Festival (US).

Café court / Short Talk - Fan Sissoko from ClermontFd Short Film Festival on Vimeo.

Films Femmes Afrique 2022 - Djelika Mama Traoré: Ma passion

Films Femmes Afrique
Djelika Mama Traoré
Ma passion
Mali - 2021 - 12min - doc

 Courts-métrages en compétition
Short films in competition
(fiction and documentary)
Image: Screen Capture

 

 

 

Synopsis

Women artists encounter many difficulties in their career. These obstacles push many of them to give up. Subjected to prejudices, repeated discrimination, not all of them can deal with it. Fatima Maiga, musician and actor artist, talk about these issues in the film, which focuses on the importance of women's place within the artistic sector.

Les femmes artistes rencontrent beaucoup de difficultés dans leur carrière. Ces obstacles poussent nombre d’entre elles à jeter l’éponge. Subir les préjugés, les discriminations répétées : toutes ne peuvent pas le supporter. Fatima Maiga, musicienne et artiste comédienne nous l’exprime à travers ce film qui parle de l’intégration des femmes dans le milieu artistique.


Bio
Djelika Mama Traoré, who has a professional license in public law, studied at the Balla Fasséké Kouyaté Conservatory of Multimedia Arts and Professions in Bamako. She directed three short films: Ca suffice, Nimsey (regret), Ma passion. She is laureate of the grand prize at the Clap Ivoire festival in 2021. She fights for the empowerment and development of women in general and that of Mali in particular.

Djelika Mama Traoré a une licence professionnelle en droit public, et a étudié au Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers multimédia Balla Fasséké Kouyaté de Bamako.Auteure de trois courts métra- ges : Ca suffit - Nimsey (le regret) - Ma passion ; elle est lauréate du grand prix au festival Clap Ivoire 2021. Elle lutte pour l’autonomisation et l’épa- nouissement de la femme en général et celle du Mali en particulier.
 

Homage to Maïmouna Hélène Diarra (1955 - 2021)

Homage to Maïmouna Hélène Diarra

(1955 - 2021)

The African Women in Cinema Blog has learned belatedly, of the passing of veteran Malian actress Maïmouna Hélène Diarra in June. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

 

In homage to her is a presentation of a few of her words. I had the pleasure to talk with her on two occasions, at FESPACO in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in February 1997, and in May 1998, about her evolution as an actor. I am republishing excerpts of the interview, translated from French, as it appeared in my book, Sisters of the Screen: Women of Africa on Film, Video and Television, 2000--Beti Ellerson

Image: Screen capture from film, Sisters of the Screen: African Women in Cinema.

Maïmouna, could you talk about yourself and your background?

My name is Maïmouna Hélène Diarra.  I was born in Segou, Mali.  I have a DEF (Diplôme d'Etudes Fondamentales) and a Diplome d'Etudes Theatrales after four years of study at the Institut National des Arts, in the dramatic art section.  I am an actor by profession and I am host and producer at the ORTM, Office de Radio et Télé-diffusion du Mali.

You have an impressive background in the theater.  How did you become interested?

I do not know quite how to explain how this all came about.  I remember I was still in primary school when one day I was fascinated by the theatrical representations of the Groupe Dramatique National du Mali that was touring throughout the various regions of Mali.

You stated that you did formal studies in theater.  Did you first study theater and then join the group?

Yes, after receiving a diploma in theater at the Institut National d'Art of Mali I spent ten years on stage with the National Drama Group commonly called the "Koteba of Mali."

How did you come to join the drama group?

After I completed my DEF exams I indicated that I wanted to study at the INA in the Dramatic Arts section.  It was during my studies at the INA that this same group, the Groupe Dramatique National du Mali, discovered me while working on our play "Gouverneur de la Rosée by Armand Dreyfus, my professor of theater at the time.  I was in my second year when the group requested that I come to work with them after I completed my studies.

Unfortunately, I was not able to complete my studies at the scheduled time because of a strike followed by the suspension of the students. The entire establishment was closed until further notice.  However, the group was very anxious to have me and requested that I sign a contract, so I worked with them for two years.  After the student suspension period was over I received my diploma and officially became part of the drama group.

The Koteba theater is a well-known theatrical genre in Mali. Could you talk about it a bit?

Koteba is a traditional form of theatrical expression in Mali.  It is adapted to all kinds of stages but most particularly to the "round stage."  In Koteba theater, everybody can be simultaneously spectator and actor.

In fact, it is a way to expose the defects and various conduct of the leaders.  This theatrical form has worked so well for the drama group that the public has dubbed the group, "Koteba".
As I said earlier, I played in the "Gouverneur de la Rosée" in the role of the old Délira Délivrance when I was a student.  However, I also realized that there were other problems and demands arose.

I suppose your evolution from the theater to the cinema was a natural process.  How did it come about?

My entry into cinema was quite by chance. I played my first role as an extra in 1981, in Souleymane Cisse's Finye. My second step into this world of film as actor came about when I played in Nyamanton, by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, followed by Finzan, also by Sissoko.  It was at that time that I got a taste of this "thing" and I decided to give my all. Thus far, I have played in six feature films, in both principal and secondary roles.  I have also played in five short films and one téléfilm.

You have acted in films by the most important filmmakers in Mali. You have also played important roles in the theater.  What connections do you make between the theater and the cinema?

I do realize that my performance is much appreciated by filmmakers and that I am, in all modesty, one of the most sought after actors in Mali today.  At the same time, I also recognize that my first profession, the theater, assisted me a great deal.  If the theater taught me how to move with ease in front of an audience that was in communion with me, the cinema, in turn, forced me to concentrate all the intensity of my actions at the same time that I am totally aware of the camera and the demands of the director.  This work is as demanding as it is passionate, because it is here that the actor, shot by shot, scene by scene, must embody a character.

In the films in which you have acted, could you talk about the roles that you have played?

I have often played the role of mama or the grandmother in the films in which I have acted.  I have also played the role of wife.

Do you feel a certain affinity with your character in these roles?

I feel that I have a certain gift.  The personality of the character comes naturally to me.  When I am asked to play a certain character, I look in my environment and I reflect on what could resemble this character.  It often comes spontaneously.  I do not have any difficulty in embodying the character.

As an actor, what are your general impressions of the image of African women in the cinema?

At the beginning of African cinema, people did not understand the role of women, nor did they accept them, but people are now beginning to understand their importance. They now see that, in the roles in which we are playing, we are actually communicating something, and they now understand. At one time people thought that actresses were women of loose morals, but now they realize that we are not that at all.  They see that we are showing and exposing problems that actually exist. They are beginning to realize the true value of African women in the cinema.

As a veteran actor, what do you say to other actors who follow you?

If I have advice to give from my modest experience, I would say that an actor must never take herself or himself for a star.  To the contrary, she or he must be open to criticism and let the public judge as they see fit.

I would not want to finish without putting a particular accent on the importance of discipline in the actor's work; it is essential and paramount.

 

 

Accountability Lab: YALI Women's Responsible Leadership Film Fellowship (Mali)

 

Accountability Lab: YALI Women's Responsible Leadership Film Fellowship (Mali)

 

In July 2021 the women filmmakers of Accountability Lab Mali’s YALI Women's Responsible Leadership Film Fellowship travelled across the country to discuss the feminist stories that inspired their films.
 
Zeinabou W. Mohamed Ali helmed the Yali Film School Fellowship project at the Accountability Lab Mali.

She had this to say about the project, which is funded by the U.S. Department of State:

The YALI Film School Fellowship is a 100% female project which aims to train women in Mali and Niger in the techniques of producing and directing short flms with themes that reflect the realities faced by Malian communities on a daily basis.

In Mali we have 10 young women from several regions of the country who have beneted from this apprenticeship grant.

The objective of the project is that the short flms serve as advocacy and awareness tools among the population of leaders to encourage them to adopt a positive behavior change.

 

New York African Film Festival 2021: Invisible Husband / Un invisible mari by Hawa Aliou N'Diaye

New York African Film Festival 2021

Hawa Aliou N'Diaye

Invisible Husband / Un invisible mari

Mali

2020 - Documentary - 68mins

Malian filmmaker Hawa Aliou N’Diaye believes that she is possessed by a jinn. In this documentary, she interviews other women in her community who also believe that they are controlled by jinn, which in some cases claim to be their husbands. Delving into Malian traditions and myths, N’Diaye explores the ethereal dimensions of the world around her.

Source (Text and Image):

New York African Film Festival: https://africanfilmny.org/event/invisible-husband-un-invisible-mari/

 

Film at Lincoln Center : https://virtual.filmlinc.org/film/invisible-husband/

 

Q&A with Hawa Aliou N'Diaye

Recent films. Soussaba Cissé : Bogo Ja - Mali

Soussaba Cissé
Bogo Ja
2020 - 52 min - Mali

 "Bogo Ja" follows five women, Rokia, Sali, Aminata, Mariama and Djénébou for five months, in their daily life in the village of Siby in Mali. Why these women? Why this village? They are the living heritage of an ancestral tradition: the decoration of houses.

Every year, for a month, they become exceptional artists. Several hundred women participate in the Bogo Ja art and architecture competition for decorated houses by painting more than 400 houses.

But beyond the competition, what are their realities? Their dreams? What do all these works mean? Why are these paintings only done by women? Where did their inspiration come from? What do their families think? What is the impact on the community? Can we talk about art?

An exploration of these exceptional women and their know-how that has endured for millennia. The film "Bogo Ja" is an immersion journey with these five women.

***

Bogo Ja" suit pendant plusieurs mois cinq femmes, Rokia, Sali, Aminata, Mariama et Djénébou, dans leur quotidien au village de Siby au Mali. Pourquoi ces femmes ? Pourquoi ce village ? Elles sont l’héritage vivant d’une tradition ancestrale : la décoration de maisons.

Chaque année, pendant un mois, elles deviennent des artistes d’exception. Plusieurs centaines de femmes participent au concours d’art et d’architecture des maisons décorées Bogo Ja en peignant plus de 400 maisons.

Mais au-delà du concours, quelles sont leurs réalités ? Leurs rêves ? Que veulent dire toutes ces œuvres ? Pourquoi ces peintures sont-elles uniquement réalisées par des femmes ? D'où vient leur inspiration ? Que pensent leurs familles ? Quel impact sur la communauté ? Pouvons-nous parler d'art ?

Explorons ces femmes d'exception et leur savoir-faire qui perdure depuis des millénaires. Le film "Bogo Ja" est un voyage en immersion avec ces cinq femmes.

Source: http://www.lussasdoc.org/film-bogo_ja-1,53926.html

BIO: SOUSSABA CISSÉ

Réalisatrice et Scénariste malienne.
Née en 1988 à Bamako, Mali. Elle est la fille de Souleymane Cissé. Soussaba Cissé a étudié au Conservatoire Libre du Cinéma Français, à Paris et a réalisé plusieurs courts métrages. Elle a réalisé N'gunu N'gunu Kann (115 min) en 2013.

Malian director and screenwriter.
Born in 1988 in Bamako, Mali. She is the daughter of Souleymane Cissé. Soussaba Cissé studied at the Conservatoire Libre du Cinéma Français in Paris during which she directed several short films. She directed N'gunu N'gunu Kann (115 min) in 2013.

Extraits "Bogo Ja" - De Soussaba Cissé, Banko Production from Bougou Saba on Vimeo.

Reconnaissance de la maison des cinéastes du Mali à Kadiatou Konaté réalisatrice

Reconnaissance de la maison des cinéastes du Mali à Kadiatou Konaté réalisatrice

Source: Facebook 01 mai 2020

Kadiatou Konaté from Mali came to cinema by chance, rather than studying filmmaking. After viewing the film Amok by Ben Barka she fell in love with cinema. He suggested that she work with her compatriot Souleymane Cissé who brought her into his crew as a production assistant; it was in 1985. After the completion of Cissé's Yeleen, she received a grant to work at the film production organization Atria in Paris, continuing at Atria, she learned editing, participating in the film editing of Gaston Kaboré's Zan Boko. With these two experiences she worked at assistant director for Mambaye Coulibay's La geste de Ségou. It was from there that she developed the interest in animation--animated folk tales specifically. Her 5-episode animated film L'enfant terrible was inspired by the legends recounted by her grandmother when she was a child, which for her is way of continuing tradition. (Adapted from the text by Jadot Sezirahiga. Ecrans d'Afrique, no. 8 1994).

Image: Screen capture

Watch Kadiatou Konaté réalisatrice parle de son parcours dans parole de cinéma

Watch L'enfant terrible on Youtube

Festival Films Femmes Afrique 2020 - Fatoumata Coulibaly, Erica Pomerance : L'après coup, la voix des maliennes (After the coup, Malian women speak)

Films Femmes Afrique

Fatoumata Coulibaly, Erica Pomerance

L'après coup, la voix des maliennes

(After the coup, Malian women speak)

Mali | Canada - 2019 - 99 min - Documentary

Longs-métrages en compétition |

Feature films in competition

Synopsis

Suite au coup d’état du 22 mars 2012 au Mali, le Nord du pays bascule sous le contrôle des factions rebelles islamistes qui, jusqu’à aujourd’hui, continuent à menacer la stabilité du pays entier. Les Maliennes de diverses régions, professions, groupes ethniques et couches sociales élèvent leurs voix pour s’exprimer sur les circonstances, la perspective et le rôle des femmes dans la recherche de solutions à cette crise politico-militaire qui secoue leur pays. 

Leur lutte est également celle pour la réconciliation nationale et l’avancement de leurs droits, menacés par une islamisation en douce de la société laïque.

Following the coup d'etat in Mali on March 22, 2012, Northern Mali falls under the control of Islamist rebel factions that continue to threaten the stability of the entire country. Malian women from different regions and social classes speak about the situation, the perspective and the role of women in finding solutions to this politico-military crisis that is shaking their country. This struggle is also one of national reconciliation and the advancement of their rights, threatened by the surreptitious Islamization of secular society.

Biographie | Biography

Fatoumata Coulibaly est une actrice et réalisatrice malienne, notamment connue pour son rôle dans Mooladé d’Ousmane Sembène, prix Un Certain Regard au Festival de Cannes 2004. Également journaliste et militante des droits des femmes, en particulier contre les mutilations génitales féminines, elle est aujourd’hui employée permanente de l’Office nationale de radio-télévision du Mali.

Erica Pomerance est une réalisatrice, scénariste et productrice Québécoise avec plus d’une cinquantaine de productions documentaires et fictions à son actif. Elle est également auteure-compositeure-interprète et comédienne. Elle est la fondatrice d’Initiative Taling Dialo, une structure qui organise des stages d’initiation à la vidéo destinés aux jeunes de l’Afrique francophone et des communautés culturelles du Québec.

Fatoumata Coulibaly is a Malian actress and director, best known for her role in Ousmane Sembène's Mooladé, (Un Certain Regard award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival). She is also a journalist and activist for women’s rights, in particular against female genital mutilation, she is now a permanent employee of the National Radio and Television Office of Mali.

Erica Pomerance is a director, screenwriter and producer from Quebec with more than fifty documentary and fiction productions to her credit. She is also a singer-songwriter and actress. She is the founder of Initiative Taling Dialo, a structure that organizes introductory video courses for young people in Francophone Africa and the cultural communities of Quebec.

Festival Films Femmes Afrique 2020 - Hawa Aliou N'Diaye : Kuma!

Films Femmes Afrique

Hawa Aliou N'Diaye

Kuma !

Mali - 2019 - 13 min - Fiction

Courts-métrages en compétition |

Short films in competition

Synopsis

Anita est une jeune femme devenue muette. Emprisonnée, ses contacts avec le monde trahissent sa folie. Kuma, c’est son histoire. Une histoire racontée à travers une caméra subjective lors d’une visite dans une prison pas comme les autres. On y apprend le passé d’Anita, et l’on découvre ses traumatismes.

Anita is a young woman who has become mute. Imprisoned, her contact with the world betrays her madness. Kuma is her story. A story told through a subjective camera during a visit to a prison like no other. Through the film Anita's past and her trauma are revealed. 

 

Note d’intention - Kuma ! « Parle ! » | Note of Intention - Kuma! " Speak ! "
 

Quelle serait votre réaction si on vous racontait qu'un père couche avec sa propre fille ? Moi j'ai été très choquée le jour où j'ai entendu cette histoire bouleversante sur une fréquence radio, où un père couche avec sa fille de 12 ans. Puis une autre histoire avec une amie où le père couche avec toutes ses filles sous les yeux de la mère dans mon pays, le Mali. Évoluer, en tant qu’être humain, c’est grandir en conscience. En effet, l’être humain, au contraire de l’animal, n’a pas d’excuses de ne pas se rendre compte de ce qu’il fait, nous sommes conscients de notre apparence parce qu’en nous existe une conscience.Drame silencieux, l'inceste est non seulement un crime sexuel, mais également une agression psychique et émotionnelle grave. C'est la transgression d'une loi absolue, d'une interdiction fondamentale qui régit tout à la fois la cellule familiale, la vie dans la société, une règle intangible à la base de toute civilisation. Commise soit par le père, le frère, ou l'oncle, elle ne se limite pas qu'au viol génital, on a des attouchements, des caresses imposées ou exigées, une trop grande promiscuité à caractère sexuel, le non-respect de l'intimité de l'enfant. Tout cela génère des situations particulièrement destructrices pour l'enfant. Ce film raconte l'histoire d'Anita qui est victime de viol incestueux par son père depuis son bas âge sous les yeux de sa mère. A partir de ce moment où sa vie est bouleversée et devient un enfer, Anita est plongée dans un monde très sombre jusqu'à devenir muette. Elle ne parle plus, elle ne fait qu'obéir et est devenue un objet sexuel de son père. Mais le jour où le père commence avec sa petite sœur qui n'a que 7 ans, Anita décide de prendre ces responsabilités sans pitié. Cet acte pour elle est une libération pour elle et pour sa sœur.Ce film est sans dialogue car l'image est elle même un dialogue.  Il est sans dialogue car le monde à ces victimes est silencieux.  Dans le film j'accentue plus ce côté sombre des femmes victimes de toutes sortent de violences, que ce soit conjugal ou autre dans nos sociétés.

What would be your reaction if you were told that a father slept with his own daughter? I was very shocked the day I heard this shocking story on the radio, where a father sleeps with his 12-year old-daughter. Then another story while with a friend where the father sleeps with all his daughters before the eyes of the mother; this in my country, Mali. To evolve, as a human being, is to grow in consciousness. Indeed, the human being, contrary to the animal, has no excuse to not realize what he is doing, we are aware of our appearance because within us there is a consciousness. A silent drama, incest is not only a sexual crime, but also a serious psychological and emotional assault. It is the transgression of an absolute law, of a fundamental prohibition which governs at the same time the family unit, societal life--an intangible rule at the foundation of any civilization. Committed either by the father, the brother, or the uncle, it is not limited to genital rape, there is touching, fondling that is imposed or demanded, an immense promiscuity of a sexual nature, that breaches the privacy of the child. All of this generates particularly destructive situations for the child. This film tells the story of Anita who is the victim of incestuous rape by her father from an early age as her mother watches. From this moment, her life shattered and becomes hell, Anita is plunged into a very dark world rendering her mute. She no longer speaks, she only obeys and becomes a sex object of her father. But the day the father turns to her little sister who is only 7 years old, Anita decides to take charge, and without mercy. For her, this is an act of a liberation for her and for her sister. This film is without dialogue because the image is itself a dialogue. There is no dialogue because the world of these victims is silent. In the film I accentuate more this dark side of the women who are victims of kinds of violence, whether it is domestic or other, in our societies.

Biographie | Biography

Hawa Aliou N’Diaye est née et a grandi au Mali. Elle est diplômée en droit des affaires de L’Université des Sciences Juridique et Politique de Bamako. Elle réalise son premier court métrage en 2015, Les mains d’or de Samba, sélectionné au Fespaco 2017. Dans la foulée elle suit une formation à l’Université Gaston Berger de Saint-Louis du Sénégal. En 2016, elle réalise le court métrage L’absence et participe au long métrage documentaire L’école des otages. Elle est également directrice du festival Fêrê Demsenw, manifestation culturelle à destination des enfants.

Hawa Aliou N’Diaye was born and raised in Mali. She graduated in business law from L’Université des Sciences Juridique et Politique de Bamako (the University of Legal and Political Sciences of Bamako). She made her first short film in 2015, Les mains d'or de Samba, selected at Fespaco 2017. At the same time, she trained at the Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal, and in 2016, directed the short film L’absence and participated in the documentary feature L’école des otages. She is also director of the Fêrê Demsenw festival, a cultural event for children.

FESPACO 2019: L’aprés coup-la voix des Maliennes (After the coup-Malian women speak by/de Fatoumata Coulibaly & Erica Pomerance (Mali | Canada)

FESPACO 2019

L’aprés coup-la voix des Maliennes 

After the coup-Malian women speak

(2018) 98 min

by/de Fatoumata Coulibaly & Erica Pomerance (Mali| Canada)

Official Selection | Sélection officielle

Hors | Out of Competition

Discoveries| Decouvertes

Women at the 26nd Edition

Les femmes à la 26è édition

Synopsis

Following the coup d'etat in Mali on March 22, 2012, Northern Mali falls under the control of Islamist rebel factions that continue to threaten the stability of the entire country. Malian women from different regions and social classes speak about the situation, the perspective and the role of women in finding solutions to this politico-military crisis that is shaking their country. This struggle is also one of national reconciliation and the advancement of their rights, threatened by the surreptitious Islamization of secular society.

Suite au coup d’état au Mali le 22 mars 2012, le Nord Mali bascule sous le contrôle des factions rebelles islamistes qui continuent à menacer la stabilité du pays entier. Les Maliennes de diverses régions et couches sociales s’expriment sur la situation, la perspective et le rôle des femmes dans la recherche de solutions à cette crise politico-militaire qui secoue leur pays. Cette lutte est également celle pour la réconciliation nationale et l’avancement de leurs droits, menacés par une islamisation en douce de la société laïque.

FESPACO 2017: Heritage by/de Fatoumata Tioye Coulibaly – Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia/Balla Fasseke Kouyate (Mali)

FESPACO 2017: Heritage

by/de Fatoumata Tioye Coulibaly Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia/Balla Fasseke Kouyate (Mali)

Women at the 25th Edition |

Les femmes à la 25e édition

OFFICIAL COMPETITION |

COMPETITION OFFICIELLE

FILMS FROM AFRICAN FILM SCHOOLS

FILMS DES ÉCOLES AFRICAINES DE CINEMA

Prix spécial des écoles africaines de cinéma | Special prize for films from African film schools

Synopsis

[English]

Ma is a widow and mother of eleven children. After the death of her husband, she and her children inherit the land of the deceased. Unfortunately for Ma, when one of the children claims his part, this inheritance becomes a source of trouble and grief.

After unsuccessful attempts by the other children to convince him to give up the idea of demanding his part, he persists in his claim. Hence family conflicts multiply. Confronted with rifts and disruption in the family, Ma is powerless.

[Français]

Mâ est une veuve et mère de onze enfants. Après la mort de son époux, elle et ses enfants héritent du champ du défunt.

Malheureusement, cet héritage devient pour Mâ une source de peine et de douleur parce qu’un des enfants réclament sa part de lopin.

Après de vaines tentatives des autres enfants pour le convaincre de renoncer à la partition, il persiste dans son dessein. Des conflits se multiplient dans la famille. Mâ, impuissante face à la division et dislocation de la famille.

FESPACO 2017: Les mains d’or de Samba (The golden hands of Samba) by/de Hawa Aliou N’Diaye (Mali)

Les mains d’or de Samba (The golden hands of Samba) by/de Hawa Aliou N’Diaye (Mali)

Women at the 25th Edition |

Les femmes à la 25e édition

OFFICIAL COMPETITION |

COMPETITION OFFICIELLE

FICTION: SHORT FILM | COURT MÉTRAGE

Source: Facebook - Hawa Aliou N'Diaye

Synopsis

[English]

Samba, who has a supernatural gift of healing, is a young beggar mistreated by his Koranic master. Noury, a young girl suffering from sickle cell anemia, rescues him from his master’s grip. She is in return rewarded by Samba.

[Français]

Samba détenteur d’un don surnaturel de guérisseur, est un mendiant maltraité par son maître Coranique. Noury, une jeune fille atteinte de drépanocytose le sauve des griffes de ce maître. En retour elle est récompensée par Samba. 

CNA AFRIQUE: Kadidia Sidibé, President! | Présidente !

CNA AFRIQUE: Kadidia Sidibé, President! | Présidente !

SOURCE : CNA - http://www.cna-afrique.org 

Photo : CNA

[English] Français ci-après

CNA AFRIQUE: KADIDIA, PRESIDENT!

Since September 2015, Malian Kadidia Sidibé has been the president of Cinema Numérique Ambulant (CNA) Afrique (Mobile digital cinema, Africa). Headquartered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, it is the coordinating structure of all of the CNAs based on the continent. Elected by her colleagues, she takes over from the Beninese Rosalie N'Dah, who led CNA Afrique since its creation in 2008.

Kadidia Sidibé, previously vice president of CNA Afrique, places her two-year term under the emblem of reconciliation, at a time when the CNA network is going through a crisis of confidence, shaped by national economic and security challenges which force many organizations to operate at a reduced level. "My priorities are to give a new dynamic to the CNA, at the same time to work for peace and cohesion. I call on the leaders of CNA and of countries, to come together in solidarity. We need to consult each other and collaborate to find sustainable solutions in a peaceful environment," she says. The message is clearly that of reconciliation and joining forces.

Kadidia Sidibé also intends to infuse vitality in CNA Afrique strong enough to move the other CNAs forward. "Although the CNA has gone through difficult periods, I expect a better tomorrow. But this would only be possible if trust is restored" she continues.

She intends to apply the managerial strategy that she was able to successfully implement in Mali to the CNA Afrique: "A good leader is always listening to others. While a shepherd manages the herd with a single stick, a manager must manage each with a particular stick. "

MAMA KADI

Kadidia Sidibe, who is 50 years old, came to the Cinéma Numérique Ambulant in 2004 when the CNA was introduced in Mali after the creation of units in Benin and Niger. Her talents as field facilitator were quickly noticed. Her straightforward and frank manner, her voluntarism and the care she gives to the most needy, make her one of the most popular leaders of the CNA. The CNA Mali board trusted her and hence entrusted her with the presidency of the association. This trust has since been renewed several times.

She has led the CNA Mali, which until the crisis in Mali was the most successful, with four mobile projection units organizing daily outdoor sessions. Mama Kadi, as she is known with great affection in the CNA family, does not give up when confronted with the crisis. She fights with courage to bring cinema and hope to people in northern Mali affected by war.

Hence, a woman with proven courage and a firm desire for unity now presides over CNA Afrique. The structure has eight member associations, which includes the CNAs of Benin, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Togo, Cameroon and Chad. CNA Afrique aims to strengthen and develop the CNA network.

Its main tasks are to provide technical and financial support to the CNA associations according to their capacities, and to regulate employee training policy, to harmonise financial practices, manage film copyright, etc. The CNA Afrique is supported by Africalia Belgium and UEMOA.

See related link: Rosalie Ndah, president of CNA Afrique talks about the CNA tribute to women at Fespaco 2013 

[Français]

CNA AFRIQUE: KADIDIA, PRESIDENTE!

Depuis septembre 2015, la Malienne Kadidia Sidibé est la présidente du Cinéma Numérique Ambulant (CNA) Afrique, la structure de coordination de l’ensemble des CNA installés sur le continent et dont le siège se trouve à Ouagadougou, au Burkina Faso. Elue par ses pairs, elle remplace à ce poste la Béninoise Rosalie N’Dah, qui a conduit le CNA Afrique depuis sa création en 2008.

Kadidia Sidibé, qui était précédemment vice-présidente du CNA Afrique, place son mandat de deux ans sous le signe de la réconciliation, au moment où le réseau des CNA traverse une crise de confiance, qui vient s’ajouter aux défis économiques et sécuritaires nationales qui contraignent bien des associations à fonctionner au ralenti. « Mes priorités sont de donner une nouvelle dynamique au CNA, mais également d’instaurer la paix et la cohésion. J’appelle les responsables des CNA/pays à la solidarité. Concertons nous et unissons-nous pour trouver des solutions durables dans un climat apaisé», lance-t-elle. Le message est clairement celui de la réconciliation et du rassemblement.

Kadidia Sidibé entend aussi travailler au dynamisme du CNA Afrique qui doit être assez fort pour tirer les autres CNA vers le haut. « Bien que le CNA traverse des périodes difficiles, je prévois des lendemains meilleurs. Mais cela ne serait possible que si la confiance règne de nouveau », poursuit-elle.

Elle compte ainsi appliquer au CNA Afrique, une stratégie managériale qu’elle a eu l’occasion d’expérimenter avec succès au Mali : « Un bon responsable est toujours à l'écoute des autres. Alors qu’un berger gère le troupeau avec un seul bâton, un responsable doit gérer chacun avec un bâton individuel ».

MAMA KADI

Agée de 50 ans, Kadidia Sidibé arrive au Cinéma Numérique Ambulant en 2004, au moment où le CNA se met en place au Mali, après avoir créé des unités au Bénin et au Niger. Ses talents d’animatrice de terrain se font rapidement remarquer. Son parler direct et franc, son volontarisme et la sollicitude qu’elle porte aux plus démunies font d’elles l’une des animatrices les plus appréciées du CNA. Le conseil d’administration du CNA Mali lui fait confiance et lui confie ainsi la présidence de l’association. Cette confiance a, depuis, été plusieurs fois renouvelée.

Elle conduit le CNA Mali qui, jusqu’à la crise malienne, était le CNA le plus prospère avec quatre unités mobiles de projection organisant des séances en plein air au quotidien. Mama Kadi, comme on l’appelle volontiers dans la famille CNA avec beaucoup d’affection, ne baisse pour autant pas les bras face à la crise. Elle se bat avec courage pour apporter le cinéma et l’espoir même aux populations du Nord Mali lésées par la guerre.

C’est donc une femme au courage éprouvé et au désir certain d’unité qui préside désormais aux destinées du CNA Afrique. La structure compte huit associations membres. Notamment les CNA du Bénin, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sénégal, Togo, Cameroun et Tchad. Le CNA Afrique a pour objectif de renforcer et de développer le réseau CNA. 

Ses principales missions sont d’appuyer techniquement et financièrement les associations CNA selon ses capacités, de piloter la politique de formation des salariés, d’harmoniser les pratiques financières, de gérer les droits des films, etc. Le CNA Afrique est soutenu par Africalia Belgium et l’UEMOA.

À lire aussi : Le CNA célèbre les femmes du Fespaco 2013 : Rosalie Ndah, présidente du CNA Afrique nous en parle

Cannes 2015 : Rokia Traore, la voix africaine du jury | the African voix of the jury

Rokia Traore sur les marches à Cannes  | on the steps at Cannes
© BERTRAND LANGLOIS / AFP

Cannes 2015 : Rokia Traore, la voix africaine du jury | the African voix of the jury

Source: culturebox.francetvinfo.fr. 18-05-2015

Photo: Rokia Traore sur les marches à Cannes  | on the steps at Cannes © BERTRAND LANGLOIS / AFP

Reportage à Cannes | Report from Cannes: N.Hayter, N.Berthier, C.Beauvalet

À LIRE AUSSI : RENCONTRE - Rokia Traoré « Un silence peut dire beaucoup dans un film» - Festival de Cannes 2015 (Festival International du Film)

READ ALSO: INTERVIEW - Rokia Traoré "In a film, silence can convey many things" Festival de Cannes 2015 (Festival International du Film)

[English]

Composed of professionals of cinema, the Cannes jury is rarely comprised of singers. With Rokia Traoré, the 68th edition is an interesting exception. The brilliant Malian musician is elated to be part of this rich experience, treating herself to a delightful digression.

Under the American presidency of the Coen brothers, Rokia joins Xavier Dolan, Sienna Miller, Guillermo del Toro, Sophie Marceau, Rossy de Palma et Jake Gyllenhaal, ascending the world famous stairs almost everyday right up until the awarding of the Palm d’Or. But the extravagance and beautiful gowns do not go to her head. “To ascend the red carpet, it’s a great experience, but I also need to have a very simple life,” she stated to France3.

LIRE L’ARTICLE EN FRANCAIS: http://m.culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/festival-de-cannes/cannes-2015-rokia-traore-la-voix-africaine-du-jury-219619

TEXT OF TRANSLATION FROM OF REPORTAGE À CANNES BELOW

[Translation of narration: Reportage à Cannes | Report from Cannes - https://fresques.ina.fr/festival-de-cannes-fr/fiche-media/Cannes00707/rokia-traore-membre-du-jury.html]

Narrator: A few weeks ago Rokia Traore would never have thought she would be in Cannes in the month of May. The Cote d’Azur she knows well, but this time she is not touring. When she was invited by the Cannes Festival to be part of its prestigious jury she said yes, with much delight.

Rokia Traoré: In general I like artistic expressions, whether through sound, movement, image, they tell us a story. Going to the movie theatre is like going to see an exhibition.

Narrator: And beyond the cinema-- there are the festivities. As a jury member Rokia Traoré ascends the prestigious red-carpeted stairs almost daily and attends as many gatherings. Hence, gowns are indispensable. One for each day, different forms and colours, to try them on is a great pleasure.

Rokia Traoré: This has the form of the boubou, I like this side of it.

Wardrobe coordinator: As soon as I saw Rokia Touré I knew it would be pastel and light colours, I stay away from beige and greige.

Narrator: Caution, this extravagance will not go to Rokia Touré’s head.

Rokia Traoré: To ascend the red carpet, it’s a great experience, but I also need to have a very simple life.

Narrator voice off with image of Rokia Traoré): For instance, to stroll along the shore of the Niger, a few kilometres from Bamako. She will return there after this enchanting pause, of twelve days immersed in the universe of the 7th art.

Influential Women – Aïssa Maïga, Actress: "Read. Think. Create." An interview by Pamela Pianezza

Aïssa Maïga, Actress, featured in the series Influential Women, Tess Magazine an interview by Pamela Pianezza.

Source: Tess Magazine* 14 July 2013. Translated from French by Beti Ellerson

Photo: Aïssa Maïga in the film Les Insoumis (2008)  © SND

She has acted in films by Haneke, Berri, Klapish, Lioret, Sissako, Gondry… By her choice of intelligent and demanding roles,  Aïssa Maïga is at ease with and asserts her womanhood and her black womanhood. She is one of our rare actresses capable of playing both the role of a woman of French origin and a woman 100% African. Moreover, one of the only women to inspire filmmakers with such a range of roles. An encounter with a passionate artist, at the occasion of the release of Aya of Yopougon, a feminist comedy animation film (Aïssa does the voice-over of Aya) inspired by the fantastic graphic novel by Marguerite Abouet and Clément Oubrerie.

TESS MAGAZINE : Who is Aïssa Maïga?

AÏSSA MAÏGA : A hybrid being, born of the fusion of two cultures, having grown up in a third one. Up until now, all is well...

What do you do in life?

I am an actress.

I have also become producer.

I enjoy myself while working.

Besides, I don't imagine a job any other way.

What brought you to where you are now?

In high school, a professor of French. Her name: Daisie Faye: Distinctive characteristics: sensitivity and edgy humour. Her approach: to teach with fantasy. She had me go on stage in a musical comedy that she wrote. The first time was at the Folie Bergère. I was 14 years old. I immediately felt that my life would be played out in this manner: embodying characters, telling stories, creating another reality. It is this world, recreated, reinvented, that was going to help me tolerate real life.

When you were 20 years old, what were you doing, what were your dreams?

I was a waitress and I furiously dreamed of not remaining so.

In what ways have issues regarding female and male representation in cinema, literature, and art in general been of concern to you?

Artists exist in order to propose, in total freedom, their vision, their interpretation of the world: through denunciation, lyricism, humour... In this reinterpreted world, what place will they (male or female) make for women? Subject or object? It is impossible, in my opinion, to avoid thinking about it when reading a script for example, there is always the issue of its impact on attitudes, the mind, the imagination. And so for the artist, it is about responsibility. Even though I am a woman with certain advantages--I am financially independent, my children are free from want, I enjoy considerable social recognition, I can speak and be listened to--how could I not be concerned when inequalities between the sexes, violence done to women, are still firmly entrenched in every continent?

Does this concern translate in your work? If so, how?

It is a choice that is made continuously: this film, this play, does it perpetuate clichés, or by the angle that it proposes, the interactions between characters, are negative stereotypes deconstructed? The question, that I ask myself the most often intuitively, or in any case systematically, regards gender, but also ethno-cultural identity. For me these two themes are linked by the fact that they are both related to the issue of the domination of "minorities" in society. What interests me even more is the way that awareness and empowerment can be articulated.

Could you name a book or film that intelligently examines these issues?

Camille redouble by Noémie Lvovsky is a beautiful example. The film is forceful from an artistic perspective and also the manner in which it puts the viewer into the woman's skin. It allows us to live, feel, her subjectivity, which is rarely the case in cinema.

A book or film which, on the other hand, left you deeply annoyed?

It is exactly because I was annoyed that I don't want to think about it.

A writer who reflects your vision of relationships between men and women?

Toni Morrison. Perhaps because she is part of two minorities (black and woman in the United States) and above all because she is a great novelist. She knows how to pay homage to this extremely painful history of black people in the United States and to create women characters who are subjects and not objects--complex, emblematic and always embodied. Her work is universal because in it she talks about oppression and the conquest of freedom.

Is there a notable figure in the construction of your ideas?

Albert Memmi. Frantz Fanon. Rainer Maria Rilke. Frederick Douglass. Ouch, I am only naming men...

Advice to the young generation that are (or not) examining these issues?

Read. Think. Create.

Advice to editors for women's publishing?

Never forget that women have brains (laughter).

With an unlimited budget, you may choose to be the minister of Culture or the minister of Women's Rights. Which would you choose and what would be your first step at this post? 

To replace the "Day of the Woman" with "The Woman's Decade". Ten years of forceful and continuous action, could change a generation.

*Tess Magazine: [http://www.tessmag.com/2013/07/14/femmes-d-influence-3-aissa-maiga-actrice/] NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Femmes d’influence – Aïssa Maïga, Actrice par Pamela Pianezza. Source : Tess Magazine, 14 juillet 2013

Photo: Aïssa Maïga in Les Insoumis (2008)  © SND

Une série de portraits-interviews de celles qui font la pluie et le beau temps sur la planète Culture, qui nous surprennent, nous passionnent et surtout, nous inspirent. Rencontre avec une artiste au parcours original et exigeant.

Elle a joué chez Haneke, Berri, Klapish, Lioret, Sissako, Gondry… Par ses choix de rôles intelligents et exigeants, Aïssa Maïga assume et revendique le fait d’être une femme et d’être une femme noire. Elle est l’une de nos rares actrices capables de passer d’un rôle de Française pure souche à celui d’une Africaine pur jus. Et surtout l’une des seules à inspirer aux réalisateurs des performances aussi variées. Rencontre avec une artiste passionnante, à l’occasion de la sortie de  Aya de Yopougon, comédie féministe animée (Aïssa prête sa voix à Aya) inspirée des géniales bandes dessinées de Marguerite Abouet et Clément Oubrerie (En salles le 17 juillet). TESS MAGAZINE Tess Magazine: [http://www.tessmag.com/2013/07/14/femmes-d-influence-3-aissa-maiga-actrice/] N'EST PLUS DISPONIBLE

MALIBALA, women sing in solidarity with Mali, an initiative of Fatou Kandé Senghor

MALIBALA, MALI LA GRANDE, THE GREAT... Published in Agendakar, 23 January 2013

My name is Fatou Kandé Senghor,

I am an artist. I grew up everywhere in the world and the place that I prefer is where there is harmony. This Eden only exists perhaps in our hearts, but during the time that we are here, and our time is limited, let us do our best to build it. My contribution to the world is my creativity, my activism, my spirit.

For ten years Waru Studio has operated as a platform for dialogue around art and culture.

Ten years after, we have evaluated everything that was said and done, and No, Waru Studio is not this so-called independent space, but rather it is a spirit which has given the drive to some, an affirmation to others, opening direct paths for collaboration with the regions of the country, as well as the world.

Warustudio was born, indeed, of the passion of the 42 year old artist fatou kandé senghor, but it lives in all corners of the world.

To Mali, beloved neighbour with whom there is much friendship, though we cannot be there, we wanted to contribute with all our strength and precisely in this spirit: an ode, a song, a cry, whatever you may want to call it, Mali Bala, Mali la grande, Mali the great. It was a moment of happiness, performed with such ease, reminding me that we are so strong together, so strong.

MALIBALA, MALI LA GRANDE our message, our cry, is the sum of the generosity of all the sons and daughters here and elsewhere, who have given their advice, their support, their time, their energy, faced with a situation for which we were not prepared, even more shocking and frustrating that we are not able to foresee immediate solutions to lessen the population's suffering.  What a tragedy!

Thus, we are sending our letter to any and all who may receive it to remind them of the populations in danger, of the women, the children...This is the motivation behind our initiative. And of course it is not by chance that the voices that bring these words are those of women. Women are a large percentage of the population, a majority consisting of young people between 15 and 35. They represent a crucial sector of the social and economic demographic of developing countries. A sector that urgently needs our attention.

The artists

Fatou KANDE SENGHOR (Sénégal),

Moona YANNI (Sénébénin),

Claire MBENG (Sénégabon)

Gnima SARR (Sénéfrance),

Sista DABA (Sénéfrance,

Rockaya LOUM (Sénégal),

I SATOU (Sénéguinee bissau),

Mamie KANOUTE (Sénémali),

Coura (Sénégal),

Partners associated with the production

BOIS SAKRE – Daara J Family

LA FACTORY

COUMBA TOURE - activist feminist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bktQxUwPJDY#t=27

Women Solidarity Mali

Translation of YouTube text in French

Considering music as one the best forms of communication, Fatou Kandé Senghor, multidisciplinary artist (video, photography, installation), in collaboration with Bois SaKré Studio, la Factory et the feminist activist Coumba Touré, invited 9 African women singers to sing for peace in Mali. These divas, very committed in their art, are:  Moona YANNI (Sénébénin), Claire MBENG (Sénégabon), NGnima SARR (Sénéfrance), Sista DABA (Sénéfrance), Rockaya LOUM (Sénégal), ISATOU (Sénéguinee bissau), Mamie KANOUTE (Sénémali), Coura (Sénégal). The video will be released soon.

Translation from French by Beti Ellerson

MALIBALA, les chanteuses africaines fredonnent la paix au Mali, une initiative de Fatou Kandé Senghor

MALIBALA, MALI LA GRANDE... Publié dans Agendakar le 23 janvier 2013 

Je m’appelle Fatou Kandé Senghor,

Je suis artiste. J’ai grandi partout dans le monde et l’endroit que je préfère est là où se trouve l’harmonie. Cet eden existe peut-être que dans nos coeurs, mais pendant que l’on est là et puisque notre temps est compté, faisons au mieux pour le construire . Ma part de contribution au monde est ma créativité, mon activisme, mon esprit.

Pendant dix ans Waru Studio a fontionné comme une plateforme de dialogue autour d’histoires de l’art et de culture. (…)

Après dix ans, on évalue tout ce qui a été dit et fait et Non, Waru Studio n’est pas un espace dit indépendant, c’est un esprit, qui a donné une pulsion à certains, confirmé d’autres, ouvert des voies sures de collaborations avec les régions du pays et le reste du monde.

Warustudio est certes né de la passion de l’ artiste fatou kandé senghor aujourd’hui agée de 42 ans mais il vit dans tous les coins de ce globe.

Au Mali, pays voisin si aimé où nous avons tant d’amitiés, à defaut d’y être, nous avons voulu contribuer de toutes nos forces avec cet esprit là justement. Une ode, un chant, un cri, appelez le comme bon vous semble, en tout cas voici MALI BALA, MALI la grande. Ca a été un moment de bonheur d’une simplicité à executer qui m’a rappelé que nous sommes si forts ensemble, si fort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bktQxUwPJDY#t=27

IN ENGLISH