Malian Filmmaker, Souleymane Cisse, Dies At 84
Light has dimmed on the acclaimed father of African cinema Souleymane Cisse. The Malian-born filmmaker, who is considered one of the pillars of African cinema passed on at 84. A recipient of the jury prize at the 1987 edition of the Cannes Film Festival for his film, Yeelen (Brightness), a film that draws on legends from the Bambara people of West Africa, the trailblazer of African cinema reportedly died on Wednesday. His daughter Mariam Cisse announced his death on her social media handle thus: “Papa died today in Bamako. We are all in shock. He dedicated all his life to his country, to cinema and to art’’. A consistent and a committed filmmaker, Souleymane was honoured in 2023 by Cannes with the Carrosse d’Or, an award given to directors who have, according to Cannes, “marked the history of cinema with their boldness, their exacting standards and their intransigence in staging.” Condolence messages have continued to pour in for the iconic filmmaker who is one of two only filmmakers to have twice won the grand prize at Burkina Faso’s Panafrican Film and Television Festival (FESPACO), among the largest and most prestigious in Africa. In fact he was reportedly supposed to board a flight on Thursday to Burkina Faso for the 29th edition of FESPACO where he has been named as a member of the festival’s feature jury from February 22Nd. Definitely, there will be tribute sessions for the octogenarian filmmaker during the course of FESPACO.
Pitcher Festival Names Esteemed Jury Members
WEEKS after they announced jury heads for the various categories of the annual Pitcher Festival, the organizers have announced the jury members for the 2025 Pitcher Awards and the list include a first juror from Ethiopia, CEO and Chief Creative Director of Zeleman Communications Ethiopia, Zelalem Woldemariam. Woldemariam’s inclusion marks a significant step in our ongoing dedication to promoting collaboration across Africa and celebrating exceptional creativity. Chairman of Pitcher Festival, Dr. Nnamdi Ndu, said: “We are incredibly excited about the diverse and talented group of jurors for this year’s Pitcher Awards. Each member brings a wealth of experience and unique perspectives that will undoubtedly elevate the standard of creativity and innovation showcased at the festival. ‘’The Pitcher Awards continue to grow in prestige and impact each year, and the 2025 edition promises to be the most exciting yet. This celebration of creativity will shine a spotlight on the innovative work that is shaping the future of media, advertising, and communications in Africa. The jury members for the Channel Jury include Managing Director, Pulse Ghana, Colette Amaeshi; Managing Director, Dentsu Location Services, Chike Oputa, and Dentsu X Nigeria, Abibatou Gendry; Managing Director, Havas Africa, Dakar, Senegal, Peter Maina; Data & Insights Specialist, GroupM SSA, Nairobi, Kenya and Nadine Helal, Head of Spark Foundry, Egypt. The entertainment channel has Darey Art Alade, Chief Creative Director, Livespot360, Lagos, Nigeria, Luc Aboussou, Group Creative Director, Publicis Group Africa, Yaa Boateng, Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer, The Storytellers, Accra, Ghana, Selom Eric, Partner & Executive Creative Director, Baton Rouge Group, Cote D’Ivoire, Awo Somuah, Event Director, EchoHouse Africa, Accra Ghana, Kennedy Thiong’O, Associate Creative Director, The Quollective, Nairobi, Kenya and Yusuf Adejumo, Creative Director, TBWA\Concept, Lagos, Nigeria as members. The Pitcher Awards is still open for entries at www.pitcherfestival.com . The shortlist will be announced on 15 May, and the winners will be revealed on 17 May during the Pitcher Awards Show. The Pitcher Showcase, an exhibition of the winning entries, will take place during the Cannes Lions week in Cannes, France from 16 – 20 June 2025.
Abderrahmane Sisako’s ‘Black Tea’ Is Opening Film For FESPACO 2025
THE 29TH edition of the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) will begin on February 22 and run through March 1, 2025. The organisers have chosen Black Tea, a film directed by the renowned Abderrahmane Sissako, winner of the Yennenga Gold Stallion in 2003, who has left his mark on the global cinema scene with masterpieces like Timbuktu (2014). ‘Black Tea’ explores themes of identity, culture, and human connections in a deeply universal narrative. Featuring a talented international cast, Black Tea stars Nina Melo, Han Chang, and Ke-Xi Wu, who bring to life compelling characters searching for meaning and truth. Through unexpected encounters and intercultural dialogues, the film offers an emotional journey where borders fade, making way for shared humanity. Like other editions, this 29th edition promises to celebrate and promote African and diaspora cinema, showcasing outstanding talents from across the continent and beyond. This year, 235 films were selected from over 1,300 submissions. Countries like Burkina Faso, Morocco, Chad, Tunisia, and Cape Verde and Nigeria will be in the spotlight in the different categories of the festival including fiction and documentary films, African TV series, animation and kids films and short films competition. The festival’s official poster features a stylized female figure, symbolizing diversity and creativity. Two Nigerian films will screen at the festival. Babatunde Apalawo’s ‘All The Colours of The World Are Between Black and White’ will screen in the main selection section while Dr. Ola Balogun’s Ija Ominira (Fight for Freedom) will screen in the classic section. Ija Ominira is a cinematic adaptation of a novel by Adebayo Faleti.
