Shirley Frimpong Manso's Love or Something Like that as a headline film of Nollywodweek 2015

Shirley Frimpong Manso's Love or Something Like that as a headline film of Nollywodweek 2015
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Tuesday 5 March 2013

A near miss for Nigeria as FESPACO ends

Winner of FESPACO Golden Prize for Best film Gomis


Newton Aduaka

Nigeria was not so lucky at this year’s edition of the Festival of Pan African Cinema in Ouagadougou dubbed FESPACO. Two of its entries--One Man Show by French based Nigerian born filmmaker Newton Aduaka Ifeanyi and Heroes and Zeroes by Niji Akannu failed to clinch any of the FESPACO top prizes. Aduaka whose film featured in the main category missed the top prize—Etalon D’or while Akanni’s Heroes and Zeroes missed the prize in the video category. It was the Senegalese director Alain Gomis who clinched the Golden Stallion prize for best film at the ten day long festival, which closed on March 3. Gomis film titled Tey (Today) starring Saul Williams and Aissa Maiga which examined the relationship between the living and the dead was adjudged the best film of the biennial festival out of over 20 other films including Nigeria's Newton Aduaka's One Man Show. It will be the first time that a Senegalese film will receive the FESPACO top prize.  The FESPACO jury described the film by Gomis as one  “cinematic grace”. In accepting the top prize, Gomis dedicated the prize to his home country Senegalese and its citizens. He said he felt proud to win the top prize. Gomis paid glowing tributes to his colleagues in Senegal who battle to make films under very difficult conditions. ''This is for all Senegalese especially those that have over the last few years struggled, toiled and persevered to make films in difficult conditions." Gomis said.

Nigeria however got a consolatory prize. The side jury of the Federation of African Critics (FACC) named Aduaka’s film as their pick for the best film of the festival. The FACC jury also listed the Algerian film Yema by Djamila Sahraoti and Children of Troumaron a film by the Mauritian for special mention. Nigerian movie practitioners have not been lucky to have their films accepted in official competition of FESPACO. The organizers of FESPACO have always insisted that to be eligible for the main category, films must be shot on celluloid. The issue of format of production has remained one reason why no movie produced by a core Nollywood practitioner has been able to make it beyond the video stage in the last 20 years. All the mention Nigeria has had at the main category of Fespaco in recent years has been films made by Europe based Nigerian filmmakers. At the last edition in 2011, two Nigerian films on the shortlist--Champion of Our Times (which got second place prize in the video category) and Figurine featured in the video category. Even when Tunde Kelani had his film Arugba shortlisted in 2009, it was in the video category. But Andrew Dosumu, a United States based Nigerian born filmmaker had his film Restless City in main competition in 2011 likewise Newton Aduaka whose film Ezra won the top prize--Etalon D'or de Yennenga in 2007. Both films were shot on celluloid. In fact Aduaka’s feat in 2007 marked the third time a film from 'Anglophone' Africa grabbed the festival's most prestigious award after Ghanaian Kwa Ansah's Heritage Africa and South African Zola Maseko's Drum in 2005. Adauka would have made it second for Nigeria and fourth winning for Anglophone Africa if he had picked the top prize this time. The other prize winners at FESPACO include Yema by Algerian Djamila Sahraoui, (Silver Stallion), and La Pirogue (The Dugout) by Senegalese Moussa Touré (Bronze Stallion). The award for Best First Feature Film went to Les Enfants De Toumaron by Harri Krisna and Sharvan Anenden from Mauritius. Nadia El Fani got the award for Best documentary for the film Meme Pas Mal while the award for Best Short Film went to Les Souliers de l'Aid by Anis Lasoued from Tunisia. Held under the theme “African Cinema and Public Policy in Africa” and promoted as a platform that allows filmmakers to network and catch up on the latest trends in African cinema, FESPACO berthed in 1969 to contribute to the expansion and development of African Cinema.