As we announced last April, the 28th edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) will take place from February 25, 2023, to March 4, 2023, in Ouagadougou, with the theme: "African Cinema and the Culture of Peace."
Confirming that FESPACO will be held on the scheduled dates, FESPACO's General Delegate, Moussa Alex Sawadogo, officially unveiled the visual for this 28th edition in the presence of the Chief of Staff of the Minister of Communication, Culture, and Tourism.
The visual, created by artist EL MARTO and presented to the public a few days ago, symbolizes Sarraouinia, an Amazonian warrior and political and religious leader of the village of Lougou in Niger.
In 1980, the Nigerien writer Mamani Abdoulaye dedicated a novel to her ("Sarraouinia: The Drama of the Magician Queen"), which made her a figure in the collective imagination of Niger and, more broadly, Africa. The novel was adapted into a film in 1986 by filmmaker Med Hondo, who won the Etalon du Yennenga award in 1987.
According to the poster's creator, "the idea was to show another Africa, a combative Africa, an Africa that fights…"
In addition, the call for films launched last April is now closed: 1,142 films were submitted, including 84 from Burkina Faso, and it has been announced that for the first time, the French Institute's theaters will not be open for this 28th edition of FESPACO.
The next date to remember is January 15, 2023, when the list of films competing for the Yennenga Golden Stallion will be announced.
