Film in Africa – Ousman Sembene

African film makers highlighted in the July’07 “Africa issue” of Vanity Fair Magazine, pg 184, can be said to be the sons and daughters of  the “Father of African Cinema” Mr. Ousman Sembene. The 84 year old recently passed away in his native city, Dakar, Senegal.

These artists – writers, directors, producers – from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Burkina Faso are a timely testament to his influences across the continent.
“Black Girl” (1965), Sembene’s first, is commonly referred to as the first African film. He wanted to tell stories from his African point of view , which was a controversial position at the time, however, his work was appreciated over the years and  he won prizes at the Venice Film Festival in 1968 (for “Mandabi”) and 1988 (for “Camp de Thiaroye”), and at Cannes in 2004 (for “Moolaadé”).

He was a founder, in 1969, of FESPACO, the biennial festival of film and television held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. According to the 2 page spread in Vanity Fair, FESPAC is now considered the Cannes of Africa, the most important film festival on the continent.
His vision continues.

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