CINEMA
[CINÉ-ART] – Apolline Traoré awarded at the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt
The curtain fell on the 11th edition of the Luxor African Film Festival on March 10, 2022 in Egypt. We were far from the red carpet of Cannes with its limousine ballets with tinted windows, its costumed dandies, with a nonchalant look, and its midgets botoxed in pumps. 35 countries and 45 films in competition. I’ll admit it: we were far from the quota of previous editions. But, it was well worth the detour.
Under the beleaguered gaze of Hatshapsout, the only pharaoh in the history of Egypt – they must have been bloody machistas, our Egyptian ancestors! – dancers of another age move their prominent rumps. Guests, tap-dancing, smile wide. Three shots hit at a certain pace. Action. It’s spinning. A brilliantly lit room opens its doors; it is the Winter Palace with its pretentious scenery. Egyptians like to see big. Films. Names. Ovations. Then, a name. Hearty applause. A woman, still a woman! , sublime in death takes the podium. Behind her, a projection (of her) turns. But, it is she who pops the screen by her presence. Her name is Apolline Traoré.
Who’s that one again?
Let’s keep it simple and short. We’ll talk about Apolline Traoré, a Burkinabe filmmaker. We won’t talk about her age. It seems that women are not told how old they are, especially when they are in their thirties. Feminists might find a pig to swing. Personally, I don’t know her. We only have two friends in common on Facebook. Two virtual friends I’ve never “liked” and I don’t know Adam or Mariam. But, according to what I read on her wikipedia page, she grew up in Burkina Faso before finding herself, like most children of senior civil servants, in a prestigious Western school. As far as she is concerned, her father did not go into lace: he sent her to continue her studies at Emerson College, an excellent school of art and communication in Boston.
Everything really begins for her from 2000. She makes a series of short films, in order to make her hand before the big jump in the most serious, in the heavy, in the feature films. Serious productions with huge budgets that require breath and breath, and also a certain form of professionalism that is lacking in African cinema. In 2003, she produced and directed a superb short film called Konandi, la chanceuse, in bambara. She expects a lot from this film, which will be selected for the 2004 Toronto International Film Festival. A brief flash of lightning quickly smothered by the halo of silence. She misses the consecration. Expectations are disappointed. It’s bad luck. But as a struggling woman, she did not give up. That same year, she produced and directed her first feature film, “Under the Moonlight”. Camouflaged. The film does not meet the expected success. Distraught, she returned home to learn the workings of the African trade from Idrissa Ouedraogo, the director of the successful TV film Kadi Jolie. Winning choice. Upon his return home, his career explodes.
These films are successful, even though we are far from the Hollywood box offices. This Fespaco subscriber wins prizes and awards.
The latest is the distinction that the Luxor African Film Festival has just awarded him for his entire career.
CINEMA
BURKINA FASO – Culture and tourism: The 4th edition of Tunnel honors the builders of the shadow
Koudougou, May 31, 2025 (AIB) – The 4th edition of Tunnel, a ceremony for distinguishing cultural and tourist actors in the Central-West region, was held in Koudougou on Saturday, noted the AIB on site.
This annual event, initiated by Adama Badiel, aims to create, according to him, a platform of visibility and support for artists and tourism professionals to allow them to establish themselves on national and international scenes.
The promoter Adama Badiel stressed the importance of this edition, placed under the sign of collaboration, recognition and collective construction. He recalled the fundamental objective of the Tunnel: “to highlight the cultural and tourist talents of the Center-West, these women and men who, often without spotlight or support, nourish our region with their passion, creativity, and determination.”
This year, the event paid a special tribute to its partners, whose support is deemed indispensable. Among the officials present were Jean Noël Bonkoungou, representing the minister of culture, patron of the ceremony, El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, president of the Patronat du Centre-Ouest, Franck Alain Kaboré, CEO of Cinéma Neerwaya, and Ali Bonkoungou, CEO of Salsabil Bâtiment, testifying to the commitment of the private and public sectors.
Despite a slight reduction to five categories in competition this year, due to a limited number of album releases and works meeting the criteria, Adama Badiel ensured that the “Golden Tunnel” category will evolve from next year to expand opportunities while maintaining the quality requirement.
The promoter also launched a call for goodwill because, “we need you to build a true ecosystem where art, heritage, tourism and youth can express themselves, thrive and inspire.” This heartfelt plea highlights the major challenge of the lack of resources to fully support the laureates and optimize their visibility.
Several emblematic figures of Burkinabe cinema, such as Eugène Bayala (Oyou), Sawadogo Alidou (head of the Village of Kikideni), and Rasmané Ouédraogo (Razo), have already been honored in previous editions.
This year, the winners on the artistic side include Mr. Baraka, Tasha, Yololo Junior, and KSB 80.
In the cultural and tourist field, personalities like El Hadj Inoussa Bagué, Franck Alain Kaboré, Rasmané Ouédraogo, Boubacar Berewoudougou (Hôtel Pousga), Catherine Zoma (ISMK), and Salfo Dermé were distinguished, in addition to tributes paid to ancient glories of Burkinabe music such as Pasteur Moussa Josué.
Adama Badiel concluded by stating that “the Tunnel is not a one-time event. It is a movement, an ambition, a bridge between what we are and what we can become. A strong message for the future of culture and tourism in the Center-West.
The boss’s representative, Jean Noël Bonkoungou, reassured the promoter of Tunnel of the support of the ministry.
Source: Information Agency of Burkina
Photo credit: Information Agency of Burkina
We found you a nugget of music; a sunny lady, always cheerful, who embodies African music outside the continent. Three years after ‘‘Sama Soppé’, she is reborn with an EP of three tracks as if it were not the number that counts. This is the sulphurous Astou Seck who has just released an EP entitled: ‘‘AFRO Fusion’’ available on the platforms.
Born artist
Born in Dakar, Astou Seck began her career not as a songwriter but as a dancer and model. She looks like an actress from the film Wakanda. In 2008, she left Senegal and moved to Italy. She makes her little man way there. One night in Milan, at the end of a fashion show – she is still a model – she feels the call of music. She will play ‘‘Life in Pink’ by the Jamaican Grace Jones. This performance, spontaneous, delights the audience who is especially sublimated by this voice with a rare sensitivity. Grace Jones notes it. They meet. Astou Seck’s musical destiny is sealed. She now roams the scenes of the world. In 2014, Astou Seck released his first album, fusing R&B, world music, Afrobeat and house. This musical style blend imbued with the rhythms of the Senegalese tradition gives a musical cocktail bluffing. In 2018, she unveils ‘‘Sama Soppé’, an intimate musical statement, followed in 2021 by ‘‘Ndiakhass’, a work that marks her rise and artistic maturity. The single ‘Dance with Me’ completes this period, symbolizing his ease in forging links between musical genres.
“AFRO Fusion”, open door to another dimension
This EP was highly anticipated. It’s here. With an immense background that gives a certain tinge to his songs, Astou Seck is never without imagination and the main message that runs in the phrasing of texts like ‘‘Memories’’ and ‘‘My Story’’, is so edifying that it «takes us as a sea» – Baudelairian expression. Both titles are very successful on streaming platforms, and we’re expecting ‘Fenn’’ to be released in November. Astou Seck is an artist who, in addition to mastering various musical styles, incorporates in her texts, often in English, a very African rhythmic. In just a few years of career, Astou Seck, with her voice that reminds us of this blues gospel coming from the United States of America, she has managed to impose a new rhythmic and rhythmic genre in which the artist still dominates his art. Her voice! And what voice… Soul? Jazz? Blues? We get lost trying to fix it in a box so his talent is immense. With this voice a little hoarse, gaillarde and a little cuivrée is chopped of syncopes. At the first notes, we are a little out of place, but when the words gush out of our throat, the rhythms lead us towards an African-American music whose melancholy accents always remind us of Africa.
A course in the do range
Astou Seck glides out of the frame. In addition to possessing a majestic voice, she knows how to dance and is a model. This versatility makes these scenic performances captivating moments of a rare intensity. It was this trajectory, nourished by pride and audacity, that led her to found the group LOUMSA, a symbol of a fusion between ancestral sounds and modern rhythms. Astou Seck’s music has no boundaries. So you’d have to listen to his latest EP to realize it. It is a mixture of melodies that unites hearts and transcends cultures, with ‘’instruments of shock’ (…) that freak out and produce all the twists and turns of the flesh’ – to speak like André Gide.
Reggae has always been a music of struggle, a cry from the heart for justice and freedom. With Once Upon a Time in Africa, Daddy Maky & The Fighting Roots propose an EP deeply rooted in African history and realities. The mixture of languages gives this opus of five titles a unique and singular sonority.
A roots reggae from roots
In a very mixed register, Maky Makeba Sylla, alias Daddy Maky, true urban troubadour, is at the same time singer, filmmaker and activist. Born in Dakar, this artist of rare singularity, who distills poignant texts, is distinguished by his messages of revolt and hope. With a wealth of experience in the field of directing, notably with his documentaries on Laba Sosseh and Amath Dansokho, he combines music and political commitment to convey a strong and sincere word. With Once Upon a Time in Africa, Daddy Maky has teamed up with Fighting Roots to offer a dancehall reggae roots at the crossroads of Jamaican and African influences. This five-track EP – an explosive cocktail – is a true journey through the struggles and hopes of a continent too often relegated to the margins.
An EP that moves
Once Upon a Time in Africa draws heavily on African music. Through its traditional drums and its mix of languages (wolof, bambara, English and a touch of French), each title is adorned with a unique sonority. But it’s mainly through his soul grooves that Maky stands out. Never quiet, he always gets carried away. His powerful voice takes us deep into the roots of reggae. From the very first track, Time Fi Revolution (in English), the EP sets the tone. Driven by punchy rhythms and a determined voice, this song is a call to awakening African consciences. Then comes One and the same people (in dioula and in French), a hymn to African unity, recalling that despite the borders, Africa remains one and indivisible. With Ay Nan Ka Wûli (in Bambara and French), Daddy Maky delivers a powerful warning: “When Africa rises again, nothing will be the same.” A committed flame, sounding like a rallying cry. Then, Rudeboy inna Town (in English) immerses us in the world of reggae in its purest form, with an ode to Rasta culture and its rebellious values. Finally, Nitt Ku Ñul (in Wolof and English) offers a real history lesson on Africans while serving as an advocacy against injustice. Through these five songs, Daddy Maky does not just denounce: he proposes a vision based on the memory, commitment and solidarity of African peoples.
Daddy Maky, African Memory Singer
In addition to being an exceptional reggaeman, Daddy Maky is also a filmmaker with a passion for African history and culture. With El Maestro Laba Sosseh, he retraces the career of the pioneer of African salsa, highlighting the influence of this immense artist across the continent and beyond. His documentary Amath Dansokho looks back at the life of a tireless activist, committed to democracy in Senegal. His commitment is not limited to the screen. In 2022, during a concert in Mulhouse, he publicly called for the release of Ousmane Sonko, imprisoned under the presidency of Macky Sall. More than an artist, Daddy Maky is a fighter, a voice of social justice.
Once Upon a Time in Africa, in the bins on 14 February
With Once Upon a Time in Africa, Daddy Maky and The Fighting Roots deliver a true cry from the heart, a musical manifesto. Faithful to the roots of reggae, the artist conveys a message of awakening consciences and resilience, without forgetting to promote fundamental values such as love – especially that of others. Scheduled for release on February 14, this EP will be available on all platforms.
