It’s over for the 28th edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou. Whose doors were closed this Saturday, March 4 with the coronation of Tunisian Youssef Chebbi. After so The Gravedigger’s Wife of the Somalian Khadar Ayderus Ahmed, L’Etalon de Yennenga preferred to migrate, despite everything, to Tunisia with Ashkal. This made an observer say that Fespaco is one of the greatest forums for professionalism and transparency from which many countries, institutions and even governments can draw inspiration. Apolline Traoré, whom many observers (probably not very professional in the field of cinema) were expecting in first place, will settle for second place with L’Etalon d’Argent. Which certainly brings her closer to L’Etalon de Yennenga, which she aims to win.
“African cinema and culture of peace”, it is under this topical theme that this edition was held with Mali as guest of honor. And who, therefore, contributed enormously to the organization and success of the edition. The presence of friendly countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and Chad confirmed the Pan-African role of the Festival. This also consisted in strengthening the theme in the search for cohesion and peace on the continent. To say therefore that the bet is won and the challenge taken up.
But, as a participant in this Festival said so well, Fespaco should not stop at the organization of an edition. In other words, African filmmakers whose role is crucial in raising people’s awareness and changing behavior must now fully play their part of the contribution. Because, the renewal to which the African peoples aspire must be understood by them and staged and disseminated both in Africa and throughout the world. The great nations of the world (the United States, China, France, etc.) have had their cinema which has contributed enormously to the realization of their dreams. If Africa had a dream, it is up to the filmmakers, in their role, to work to bring that dream to fruition.
In addition to the peace and security of which they dream, the African peoples dream above all of development, of prosperity in an environment specific to them, free from all external influence. Because the reality on the ground shows that it is because Africa has not always been able to value its own values of endogenous development, solidarity and fraternity that it is lagging behind. It is because the African peoples have always been under the influence of external cultures that they have lost their own values. This is the case, for example, of Western democracies which have contributed to disorganizing African societies which had, before them, very solid types of organizations and which contributed to cultivating and consolidating peace and living together. The Fespaco has come to remind us that all of this is possible, on the sole condition of wanting it and really working for it.
Dabaoué Audrianne KANI
