Africa’s largest film festival, FESPACO, will take place from February 25 to March 04, 2023, in Burkina Faso’s capital city, Ouagadougou. The event has never been canceled and serves as a symbol of endurance and hope for the Burkinabe people. Over 15,000 people, including cinema celebrities from Nigeria, Senegal, and Ivory Coast, are expected to attend the week-long event.
Selection of 100 Films
The film festival will showcase 100 films selected from 35 African countries and the diaspora. This year, nearly half of the fiction competition films are directed by women. Apolline Traore, a Burkinabe director and producer, is one of the women behind this year’s film selection. Traore’s film, “Sira,” is a story of a woman’s fight for survival after being kidnapped by jihadis in the Sahel. Her fiancé tries to find her in the midst of the chaos. Despite the film’s heavy subject matter, Traore remains hopeful about her country’s prospects and believes in the country’s future.
Hope for Domestic Unity and Stronger Ties
Many hope that FESPACO will not only provide entertainment but also boost domestic unity and strengthen ties with other countries. The European Union is the festival’s largest funder after the Burkinabe government, having contributed around 250,000 euros ($265,000) to the event. Wolfram Vetter, the European Union ambassador in Burkina Faso, called the film festival “an important contribution to peace and reconciliation in Burkina Faso and beyond.”
The festival provides an opportunity for Burkina Faso to showcase its film industry, which has been growing in recent years. It also highlights the region’s diverse stories and cultures. FESPACO’s resilience is a testament to the power of film in bringing people together and shining a light on important issues. It is an occasion for the global film community to celebrate and appreciate Africa’s vibrant and unique cinema.
