Category: Screening
Gaston Kaboré’s limpid fable represents one of the earliest attempts by an African filmmaker to adapt the form and rhythms of traditional storytelling to a cinematic narration—here centered on an orphaned boy adopted by the Mossi tribe in pre-colonial times. Digitally restored by the Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique.
Gaston Kaboré was born in 1951 in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. He trained as a cinematographer in Paris at the École Supérieure d’Études Cinématographiques (ESEC) and completed a degree in history at the Sorbonne. He served as the Secretary General of the Federation of Pan African Filmmakers (FEPACI) from 1985-1997. In addition to numerous documentaries, his films include the features Wend Kuuni (God’s Gift – 1982) winner of the César Award for Best French Language Film in 1985; Zan Boko (1988), winner of the Silver Tanit, Carthage Film Festival 1988; and Rabi (1991), winner the Bronze Award, Carthage Film Festival 1992. Rabi was shown at the first New York African Film Festival in 1993. His 1997 film Buud Yam was in competition at Cannes and went on to win the Grand Prize at FESPACO. Gaston Kaboré is also the founder of IMAGINE, a cultural center in Ouagadougou that offers residencies and workshops for African artists.
In the 1800s, somewhere in West Africa between Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Guinea, French General Borgnis-Desbordes waged his umpteenth battle against the troops of Samory Touré. Feeling on the verge of failure, he withdraws into his camp. But Djeliba, the faithful griot of Samory gives himself up to the General for the sole purpose of telling him a story: that of the Almami. His tumultuous past as a trader, the kidnapping of his mother and several other ordeals which forged the character of the young man and which made Samory the formidable warrior who defeated the powerful Western troops. The General, forced to listen to the griot, will not soon forget this story.
Abel Kouamé aka Kan Souffle has been associate director of Afrika Toon since 2006 and president of AIFA (Ivorian Animation Film Association). For Afrika Toon he participates in the production of several commercials and several short films . He is the author of animated feature films including “Pokou Princess Ashanti” and “Soundiata Kéïta, le reveil du lion”. He is also the author of two comic book albums published in Abidjan “Gbassman” and “Les Sorcières”. Kan Souffle was president and/or member of the Jury of Festivals and professional markets such as: the French-speaking Cinema Trophies 2015, the Meknes Morocco animation festival 2014, the DISCOP Abidjan (Pitch animation competition) 2016.
