By Lamine Traoré
Stories define who we are, and storytelling in African cinema is both a mirror and a window to the world.
At the recent 29th Pan-African Film and Television Festival (Fespaco) in Burkina Faso's Ouagadougou, the theme "African cinema and cultural identities" struck a chord with its focus on self-assertion, independence and freedom as the cornerstones of a continent coming into its own.
The event ended on March 1 with Burkinabé auteur Dani Kouyaté winning the prestigious Etalon d'Or de Yennenga for Katanga – La Danse des scorpions, described as a tale of political intrigue inspired by Shakespeare's Macbeth.
The festival curated 235 films from a pool of over 1,500 entries spanning 48 countries, with screenings attracting over 20,000 eager spectators throughout the week.
"Such a large number of films competing shows the continent's ability to produce works that speak to Africa and the world. These creations are aligned with the emerging dynamics of Africa," Fespaco's delegate general, Alex Moussa Sawadogo, tells TRT Afrika.
This year, Chad, often hailed as the cradle of humanity, took centre stage as the guest country at the event.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby inaugurated the festival alongside his Burkina Faso counterpart, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, to set the tone for an exposition of what Sawadogo calls "a shared identity".
"Historically, even without sharing borders, Burkina Faso and Chad have had many commonalities," explains Fespaco's delegate general.
As Africa navigates transformational shifts — from the Arab Spring to the creation of new geopolitical landscapes, the retreat of French troops everywhere to the creation of the parallel Alliance of Sahel States – cinema's role as a medium of artistic and societal expression is becoming increasingly significant.
Several films screened at this edition of Fespaco reflect this thirst for freedom and individuality, and the affirmation of identities, values, and cultures.
Weapon for emancipation
Serge Bayala, aka Lianhoué Imhotep, a doctoral student in African cultural studies, sees cinema as an erstwhile "colonial weapon" that has only recently been freed as a tool of expression.
"The western cinema of old decimated our cults, spiritualities, identities, and languages. We were stripped of our linguistic imagination, which was replaced by the cultural hegemony of those funding our cinema," Bayala tells TRT Afrika.
Fespaco aims to redefine this narrative. It showcases Africa as envisioned by Africans, breaking free from the shadows of Western narratives.
"We are now unveiling the Africa that western cinema never allowed us to see," says Bayala.
A testament to this vision is Michel Zongo's L'homme qui plante les baobabs, a film that tells the inspiring story of El Hadj Salifou Ouédraogo, an elderly man combating desertification in his village in western Burkina Faso by planting rows of baobab trees as far as the eye can see.
"This story reflects our progress and initiatives, resonating globally. It can inspire anyone, anywhere," Bayala points out.
Festival with a purpose
Since its inception in 1969, Fespaco has become a beacon for African expression, shaping the continent's imagination and realities.
As Chad's minister of culture, Abakar Rozzi Teguil, said at the opening ceremony, "Our countries are resolutely committed to taking their destiny into their own hands and representing the uniqueness of our cultures authentically."
The introduction of the Thomas Sankara Prize at the festival's latest edition was a fitting tribute to the former President of Burkina Faso, honouring films and filmmakers committed to pan-Africanism and envisioning Africa's future.
