This course aims to open a wide window on the French-speaking cinemas of West and Central Africa, from their origins to the present day.
Born in the wake of decolonization and independence, the cinemas of West and Central Africa experienced a long and difficult gestation during the 1960s, with key milestones emerging in the 1970s and 1980s. Although still relatively unknown to the general public, it is now recognized with awards at major festivals, from Cannes to Locarno, passing through Fribourg and Geneva. Politically engaged, it confronts not only former colonial powers but also post-colonial dictatorships. It demonstrates a strong aesthetic sensibility and develops its own language, drawing on oral traditions, folktales, and myths, as well as contemporary cinema. Today, migration is at the heart of its concerns. Modernity and tradition shape it in a dynamic tension. Realism and fantasy coexist, bringing great pleasure to viewers.
Throughout the semester, we will examine one filmmaker per session, from the founding figure, Senegalese filmmaker and writer Ousmane Sembène, to the Franco-Senegalese director Mati Diop, passing through Mel Hondo (Mauritania), Souleymane Cissé (Mali), Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), and Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon).
Each film screened after class will be presented by one or two students during the following session.