INTO AFRICA
To present
the latest and finest in recent cinema from Africa, I will be traveling to
Burkina Faso to attend the celebrated FESPACO (Pan African Film and Television
Festival of Ouagadougou), the largest and longest running African film
festival. Begun in 1969, FESPACO has an impressive history of supporting,
bringing together and showcasing the work of filmmakers from all over the
continent.
This year,
we are thrilled to be presenting our Spotlight Africa Program, showcasing the
diverse filmmaking traditions and talents ranging from Algeria, Tunisia, and
Morocco in the north to South Africa, including the vibrant Nollywood scene
from Nigeria and the dynamic and rich filmmaking history of French-speaking
West Africa. The filmmaking cultures are as varied and impressive as the
continent is grand. As the third year of our World Cinema Spotlight, supported
by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Program will feature
innovative works and exciting new voices from African cinema, demonstrating
both the connections between and the distinctions separating the many film
industries and independent movements represented. Audiences will be exposed to an
extraordinary mix of genres and styles, of independent and mainstream
productions and, most importantly, to stories that are both uniquely African
and also universal.
In October, join us on our journey through and conversations about contemporary African cinema and its place in international film culture.
Mimi Plauche
Director of Programming
