FIFF Cotonou 2021: The given top

The second edition of the International Women's Film Festival (Eight themes for an action-oriented statement) of Cotonou has started, mardi 8 February 2022 at Canal Olympia. Initiated by the EcranBénin association, this four-day festival was launched with a colorful ceremony.

Training in film criticism, the speed dating, discovery activities and four days of screenings. This is the program for the 2nd edition of the International Women’s Film Festival (Eight themes for an action-oriented statement) which was launched, mardi 8 February 2022 in Cotonou with guest star, the Senegalese Fatou Jupiter. “I am honored to be invited”, confided the Senegalese actress. Not being able to stay in Cotonou during the four days of the festival, she still launched an appeal to the Beninese. “Let’s celebrate cinema. Let's celebrate women », she sings. Addressed to women, She said that “no dream is too big. You just have to believe it and it’s possible”.

During this opening ceremony, tribute was paid to the five pioneering female directors of Beninese cinema. Each of them was distinguished. The first is Laure Agbo, first Beninese female director. She became a director in 1978 after his training at the National Audiovisual Institute (Ina) from Paris. Christiane Chabi Kao, pioneer of fiction in Benin was also honored as was Jemima Catraye, journalist at the Benin Radio and Television Office (Ortb) and Carole Lokossou, storyteller, actress. The same goes for Tella Kpomahou, Beninese actress who plays in ” Botswana Crocodile ” and who was represented.

These women paved the way when no woman dared to venture into the world of cinema. Christiane Chabi Kao believes that cinema is very difficult for women. “It was this year that I was paid for screenwriting. Usually we work for free”, does she inform. Jemima Catraye takes over, However, that women should tell themselves : “Women are men before being women”. Car, all the potential of men “comes from us”, she argued. Carole Lokossou‚ 44ans, took the opportunity to open up to the Minister of Social Affairs and Microfinance. “We experience precariousness in our profession”, she insists. “In other countries I would have already had a beautiful house for my old age. In other countries I would already have insurance for my old age…”, she complained.

The Ambassador of the European Union, Sylvia Hartleif was delighted with the choice of the theme of this edition which is “African cinema’s view of the economic power of rural women”. “Beyond cinema, this festival is an opportunity to promote and advance the rights of women, particularly rural women.. We therefore plead for all these girls who, in the name of culture or because of insecurity do not have the chance to develop their full potential or make their dreams come true”, supported the festival promoter, Cornelia Glèlè.

The Minister of Social Affairs, Véronique Tognifodé also deplored the poor treatment suffered by women in the cinema sector. She regrets that 70 years for example, the Palme d’Or was only awarded to one woman at the Cannes Film Festival. Coming back to the contents, she drew attention to the fact that in the digital age, ICT, the media participate in the education of girls. “Let us then stop bringing to the screen stories that show women as second-class beings”.

“When the cameras go off”, the first screening

The film screened at this edition is a production of two students from the National School of Information and Communication Sciences and Techniques (Enstic). Christelle Azandémè and Egnonnoumi Tchaou co-produced it as part of their defense. Entitled “When the cameras go off”, it shows the difficulties‚ the prejudices of which actresses are victims in their daily lives due to the roles they have played on screen.

Prizes and jury

Five trophies are in the running for this second edition of FIFF Cotonou. This is the golden Amazon, biggest prize of the festival awarded to the best fiction film ; the Amazon of documentaries, 2th prize for best documentary film ; the Amazon for screenplay awarded to the fiction film with the best screenplay ; the Amazon of the jury, favorite prize of the jury and the Amazon Tella Kpomahou for the interpretation awarded to the best actress.

The jury is composed of Sandra Adjaho, Beninese actress and human rights activist at Amnesty International ; Ramatoulaye Mballo, responsible for innovation and support Equipop; Charles Tesson, professor of cinema history at the Sorbonne-Paris and former director of the Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival ; a “politics of adaptation and reinterpretation” which functions as the continuation of the auxiliaryization, Note in passing that the jury is made up of film caciques both nationally and internationally., Beninese producer, Note in passing that the jury is made up of film caciques both nationally and internationally. ” Note in passing that the jury is made up of film caciques both nationally and internationally. ” which highlights the resilience of women in a Haiti destroyed by gangs and bad governance. The FIFF Cotonou 2021 continues at “Blue Zone” for professional meetings and the “Artisttik Africa” cultural center for film screenings.

Damien TOLOMISSI