By John Owoo

(In Tunis – Tunisia)

The 2017 edition of Carthage Music Festival opened yesterday with a magnetic performance by Tunisian singer Raoundha Abdallah at Palais des Congrès in the Tunisian capital Tunis.

With a dramatic blend of tradition and innovation, Abdallah swayed the near capacity audience through a beguiling demonstration of stagecraft, poise and a formidable ability to keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

Accompanied by drums, guitars, flutes, keyboards and other instruments, Abdallah exhibited exceptional energy and ebullience as she acknowledged cheers from the audience, who were equally charmed by dancers who showcased raw skill in Tunisian traditional dancing laced with some contemporary elements.

Employing Bedouin and sub-Saharan rhythms from Mali and Niger, Abdallah delighted the crowd with compositions that are diverse yet with their hearts firmly embedded in Tunisian rhythms and culture.

Opened by Dr. Hamdi Makhlouf, director of Carthage Music Festival with support from the Tunisian Minister of Culture Mohammed Zine El Abidine, Carthage Music Festival is organized by the Tunisian National Organization for the Promotion of Festivals, Cultural and Artistic Events under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture.

It will feature over thirty music groups and artists from diverse African countries including Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Central African Republic, Gabon, Senegal, Mozambique and The Gambia as well as experts from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Europe.

Members of a jury for an official competition include guitarist / composer Mamdouh Bahri, composer / producer Rabii Zammouri, poet Raja Chebbi (all from Tunisia), Egyptian composer / violinist Yasser Abderahmane, Syrian singer / songwriter Lena Chamamyan and Burkinabe rapper / political activist Smokey.

The professional jury members are Amani Semaan (Festival Beirut & Beyond – Lebanon), Brahim El Mazned (Visa for Music – Morocco), Habib Dechraoui (Festival Arabesques – France), May Mostafa (El Genaina – Egypt) Omar El Ayat (Wasla Music – Dubai) and Raed Asfour (Festival Al-Balad – Jordan).

A Creative Child category jury members comprise Tunisian pianist / musicologist Mehdi Trabelsi, Lebanese singer Re-mi Bendali, Tunisian music rights advocate Soulef and yet another Tunisian musician Wahid Triki.

The festival will also feature a Musical Industries Trade show, which is one of its main themes. Its objective is to exhibit and promote the production of all players in the music field.

Currently on display, it offers the public several booths through which visitors will have the opportunity to discover the techniques of making musical instruments, specialized works and research in the musical sciences of Tunisian and Arab participants.

Under the direction of musicologist Prof Ridha Ben Mansour, a competition will be organized for children between the ages of 8 and 14 in two musical disciplines – instrumental and vocal interpretation. This is aimed at discovering talented children and nurturing them to develop their skills.

Sybel, Tunis Air, Ben Jemåa Motors, Travel Todo, Institut Français, Samaris Events, Africable, Bitaka Group, Teskerti, RFI, TUNIS Visions and many others are supporting the festival, which ends on Saturday April 15.

Photo Credits:

Wiem Ben Amor

Amina Barhoumi

Eya Zgolli

Najjar Hella

Snoussi Lidhieb

Ines Rezgui

Elyes Aouinet

By John Owoo

(At the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra)

An exhibition of works by the pioneering Ghanaian photographer James Barnor that forms part of Ghana @ 60 Celebrations is currently on display at the Archi Afrika Design and Architecture Gallery and the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

Put together by Archi Afrika and Everyoungjba Archives, photos on display at the Archi Afrika Gallery located at the famous James Town neighborhood in Accra, partially focus on historical buildings and spaces in Accra, thereby rekindling the debate on preservation and conservation of such structures.

Images of these iconic buildings, some of which still dot the city of Accra, undeniably bring nostalgic feelings to elderly members of the society, who recollect with zeal, life in the pre / post independence period in Accra.

In the process, Barnor forcefully reveals the architecture of the era, which is heavily steeped in colonial and postcolonial history. Consequently, he takes the viewer on a mute journey that equally brings memories of Ghana’s political, religious, cultural and social past.

His works at the Mövenpick Hotel, which is being organized by The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa, comprise portraiture style pictures shot in Ghana and the United Kingdom as well as pictures from magazine covers.

The photographs, which are more or less in domestic settings, manage to avoid the exotica and tend to be in normal surroundings as witnessed by the upbeat and positive nature of his subjects.

Undeniably, his photos compellingly showcase cultures in variation and societies in transition while documenting the experience of blacks in the United Kingdom in the 1960s and flourishing life in Accra in the 1940s and beyond.

Barnor began working in 1947 and set up Ever Young Photography studio in Accra. He has photographed members of his community and accepted commissions from the press and other organizations.

His early works captured major events before, during and after Ghana gained independence in 1957. He relocated to the United Kingdom in the 1960s and worked for Drum, a South African magazine, where he was credited with numerous cover images.

The exhibition at Mövenpick Ambassador ends on Friday March 31while the show at Archi Afrika Gallery ends on Friday May 5.

By John Owoo

(At the Black Star Square)

“Nsruma”, a blunt, raw and engaging performance that captured traditional dances and music from all parts of Ghana recently charmed a capacity crowd at the Black Star Square during the 60^th independence anniversary parade.

Choreographed by Nii Tete Yartey and Kofi Anthonio, the piece, which marshaled over 270 artistes, revolved around salient Ghanaian values including respect, courage, valor, craftiness, humility and democracy, is equally an imaginative fusion of various dance forms.

These are Klama (Eastern), Wong (Upper East), Bawa (Upper West), Jera (Northern), Husago/Adzogbo/Borborbor (Volta), Abisa/Kundum (Western), Nkyera (Brong Ahafo), Kete (Ashanti), Asafo (Central) and Kpanlogo (Greater Accra).

“I have seen performances of Ghanaian traditional dances – nevertheless, it is a refreshing – indeed, an unforgettable experience to see such a huge number of performers in grass / colorful costumes working together in harmony”, said Vera Schimdt, a visitor from Germany.

Accompanied by wild rhythms from a wide variety of traditional Ghanaian drums, some of which have been specially crafted by master drum makers, the dancers moved in unison as they express Ghanaian history and culture through well-coordinated body movements.

Yartey and Anthonio created intricately woven transitions that enabled a cool flow of the piece as dancers, whose bodies have been shaped by an act they have mastered over many years, progressed in various formations alongside highly descriptive movements.

Dancers from the Noyam African Dance Institute complimented the performances with a contemporary piece that has its heart definitely embedded in Ghanaian traditional dance movements. It was characterized by swift, subtle and graceful movements alongside a rendition of “Abibiman”, which was composed by the late musicologist Dr. Ephraim Amu.

“Ghanaian art forms are truly diverse – it’s an unforgettable day for me to witness dances from all parts of Ghana and a contemporary piece laced with elements of traditional dance”, added Karla Hensen from Holland.

The performance was organized by the Ghana @ 60 Planning Committee in collaboration with the National Theatre of Ghana, National Dance Company, Ghana Dance Ensemble and Centres for National Culture among others.

Pictures by Idris Solomon

By John Owoo

(At the Goethe-Institut in Accra)

A group of actors, comedians and a poet from Ghana and Germany on Wednesday made an intense presentation of “The Trial” a famous novel by the German language novelist Franz Kafka.

In a rather fast moving play at the Goethe-Institut in Accra, Felix Banholzer, Marius Bechen, Dr. So Lars Evers, Jeneral Nta Tia and Yibor Kojo Yibor enchanted a participatory audience to a cool blend of theatre, comedy and poetry.

Directed by Simon Eifeler, the performance, which is without doubt a subtle fusion of two cultures (Ghana / Germany), was mixed with captivating poetry and infectious comedy while carrying the audience to the heart of unjust trials in both African and Europe and indeed the world at large.

“It was an amazing performance – the energy on stage was so high it was virtually spread to members of the audience, who were positioned very close to the actors not to mention the absurdity of the trial”, said Tracy Sanders from the United States.

Kafka’s book – whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy – is indeed smartly interspersed with the madness of totalitarianism while resonating with a chilling truth for generations of readers.

Director Eifeler, who employs the use of German, English and Ga, managed to turn the trial into multiple ones alongside varied stories through lively and fast paced scenes while keeping the audience on the edge of their seats with coherent texts that transmit images from various parts of the world.

Performed in a quadrangle, the position of the actors and the crowd enabled effective communication and interaction with the audience, which often led to their contribution thereby unveiling the hidden richness of Kafka’s book.

“I was enthralled to see Ghanaians and Germans onstage using Ga, English and German languages as a medium of expression – we need more of these collaborations to enrich each other’s culture”, added Kofi Owusu, a traditional / contemporary dancer in Accra.

Goethe-Institut Accra, Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf, Freies Ensemble Düsseldorf, Rana Motors, Nubuke Foundation and the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana (Legon) supported the performance.

By John Owoo

(At the Museum of Science & Technology – Accra)

An exhibition of works generated from exploring ways of renewing, reinventing and recreating discarded materials is currently underway at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra.

Participating artists, who are showcasing diverse works, include Nana Anoff, Abigail Asare Bediako, Ed Franklin Gavua, Jonathan Amartey, Rufai Zakari, Tei Mensah Huagie, Matilda Payne and Eric Opoku Boakye-Ansah.

A member of Nima Muhinmanchi Art, works by Rufai Zakari, which are based on pseudo-political abstracts, effectively fuses diverse influences ranging from cubism, geometric patterns and picture pixels while layering them with discarded plastic bottles and fabrics among others.

Internationally acclaimed recycle artist, Tei Mensah Huagie’s work encompass discarded rubber slippers (chale wote), which he cuts into tiny bits and incorporates them on metal plate sculptures tightly held in place by wires and embellished by earth colours.

Ed Franklin Gavua showcased over two dozen distinct African masks fashioned out of waste paper, dry leaves, pegs, sun glasses, Ghana flags, buttons, ropes, wires, beads, plastic flowers and glue. He decorates them with bits of colours in the form of lines and circles.

Politically and environmentally charged works with hints of music by Nana Anoff, comprise mostly thrashed metals and wood, which he integrates with household items and motor vehicle parts while adding flashes of bold colours.

A graduate of the Kunst Academy in Austria, Jonathan Amartey, who has deep interest in environmental issues, engages diverse waste materials including sawdust and fiberglass in his relief paintings and sculptures thereby sending out messages relating to the environment.

With spells in Agriculture and the media, Abigail Asare-Bediako uses plastic bags, CDs, newspapers, card boxes, plastic cups/ bottles, fabrics and fashion accessories to create necklaces, bangles, hair attachments and other beauty items for women.

Award winning artists, Eric Opoku Boakye-Ansah and Matilda Payne make use of car tyres, wood, shells, broken glass, wine corks, fabrics and many more to create functional items such as furniture, fashion accessories and clothes.

Titled “Yoomo Bega”, the exhibition was organized by Kali Etch Foundation with support from the Kokrobitey Institute, Won Bee Ga – Ba, Hipsters of Nature, Promoguide and Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. It ends on Friday February 24.

By Joe Pollitt

(In Tunbridge Wells – United Kingdom)

Today begins an ongoing debate about life in Ghana, the first country on the Continent to gain Independence, back in 1957. Spearheaded by the artist, Serge Clottey, along with an entourage of fellow artists from Labadi, Nima and elsewhere in Accra, Gallery 1957 is opening its doors to the public at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City.

The aim of the project is to pioneer new ways of seeing Art and the purpose of culture to any society. Unlike the previous generations of Post Colonial artists from Africa, those that were given scholarships and awards to educate themselves in various European art colleges like the Slade, the Royal Academy, the International Art College or Ecole Beaux Art Superiore in Paris, we are now beginning to see a change like never before.

The artists are choosing to turn their backs on the more formal training from the West and preferring to exercise something far more organic, original and home-grown, pulling from every aspect found in their proud indigenous cultures and remaking what is considered art in West Africa as a stamp for the International Art Community to look toward.

This is developing a certain shift in the global mindset towards the Continent. There is suddenly a need for a re-education and a greater understanding of the purpose and meaning of Art. Through a series of unique and authentic installations, works of art and performances, the gallery is setting an impressive standard for others to follow.

Serge Attukwei Clottey has gained international recognition via the Internet and through his travels overseas with his works focusing on the yellow jerry cans, an iconic visual symbol that have become central to his work; these yellow gallon drums used to bring water to homes of the underprivileged can be seen throughout the poorer neighbourhoods of Accra and becomes his optical metaphor for the underdevelopment of Ghana’s Capital.

Water is at a premium and although considered the most essential human right on earth, in the Accra, tap water in homes is strictly reserved for the wealthy and well-to-do. Good drainage and plumbing throughout the city has yet to be achieved for all. Serge is often regarded as one of the leading lights of his era has effectively emotionally taken from the rich to benefit the poor creating a new generation of artists from Africa – Generation X but what would his father say to his son, dressing up in his Mother’s clothes and calling it Art?

Those that have followed Serge’s earlier years saw how initially, he bravely took on the mantra from his father Mr Seth Clottey, whose formal, conventional more conservative artworks brought him fame in the years during Independence and beyond.

Although his father’s paintings are highly accomplished works of Art they do tend to favour a Colonial appetite. The idea of creating portraiture, figurative works or landscapes, stretched onto canvases and set in gilded frames seemed a little unadventurous for his fiercely competitive son.

Those old-fashioned and outdated works seemed to somehow play into the hands of an oppressed past. They were created on demand and on the basis to be sold. To find a specific market for an invisible dominance that seems to have remained in Ghana since Independence. The young artist felt that his father’s generation was nothing more than Ghanaians copying the West.

The culture in West Africa, just like elsewhere on the Continent, is to show your respect for your elders at all times and never to confrontation them. To do so is regarded as being utterly impertinent and rewarded with a handsome beating. His father, Mr Seth Clottey simply couldn’t understand what on earth he was up to. This tormented father/son relationship was certainly not an easy one and the very idea of creating works out of discarded rubbish was difficult for the older generation to come to terms with and virtually impossible to comprehend.

Mr. Seth Clottey was furious with his non-conforming off spring, thinking him rude and disrespectful. It was at this time when I first met Serge, at his poorest and his best. He was at war with himself and all those around him. The two artists young and old were at loggerheads. His father was completely baffled by his son’s antics, thinking he would never make anything of himself playing with the discarded scraps of the city.

What kind of livelihood could he make from such efforts? He never for one instance considered what he was doing could possibly be taken seriously and Ghana would end up making fun of his son and ruin the family name, so began the agonizing early years and the beginning of Serge’s artistic endeavours.

These were the tough days as the hardships Serge faced without financial or emotional support meant he was limited to the materials he could afford and the places he could sleep. Having such little money he found solace in his friends in the impoverished areas of Labadi and Nima, these are some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Accra, but it was here that the banished son found his support.

He would assist in the pulling in of the nets for the fishermen in Lambadi to earn a decent square meal. He lived in a simple room without running water or electricity so painting in oil or acrylics was too much to ask so these limitations became his greatest assets.

During the day he became a beachcomber looking for any washed up garbage he could use as artistic materials and bind together to create his artworks. The difficulty in the early days was to break that classic mindset of the past, that hangover from Colonialism that Art can only truly be art if it looks like the Art being produced in the West (Europe or America).

It took great will power and an artistic stubbornness from the young buck, determined to make his make in the world of Art but through the introduction of the Internet and access to a wider world all this thinking was echoed elsewhere. The artist’s true pathway was rising to meet him and the battle for true cultural independence was set.

By John Owoo

(James Town – Accra)

A number of music and dance groups literally set ablaze the Accra suburb of James Town with captivating performances during the 2016 edition of Tuumatu Festival, which ended during the Christmas festivities.

Choreographers Christina Chan (Singapore), Aymeric Bichon (France), Lucky Lartey / Appiah Annan (Ghana/Australia) alongside Hewale Sounds, Les Femmes Ghana, Naawuni Bie, Ayekoo Drummers, Unik Afro, Ashanti Dance Theatre, Acrobats and others managed to turn this sprawling suburb into a giant performance hall.

Street corners, alleys, parks, squares and mini theatres were inundated with varied games for kids, some of which have been abandoned in favour of electronic ones. These include ampe, oware, sacs / wooden cart races, tuumatu, Charles kele, pinpinaa among others.

“I hereby congratulate the organizers of the festival – it is refreshing to see kids put away ipads and smart phones for games that are almost extinct – I was transported to life in the 1960s in Accra”, said Joshua Armah, a senior citizen at James Town.

Chan and Bichon expressed latent energy as they showcased well-coordinated movements in a dance piece that appears related to the language of movement thereby providing their agile bodies with lyrical beauty.

Led by flute magician Dela Botri, Hewale Sounds charmed the crowd with a curious blend of traditional music and their contemporary extensions that attracted cheers from the packed crowd, who were swayed by the sheer power of traditional musical instruments.

Known as “African Pop Musician” by some European music critics, guitarist / singer Fatau Keita and his Naawuni Bie Band showcased compositions that transcend the conventional boundaries of popular music, which he has mastered through an alternative route of appropriating traditional Ghanaian music.

“It was refreshing to see various music and dance groups with different styles on stage. I was overjoyed to see local talent on stage. I truly hope they will get shows outside Ghana so they can help develop the community”, added Naa Lamile Mills, a singer in Accra.

Ayekoo Drummers, which comprise youthful musicians, delighted the audience with a wide variety of percussive rhythms and atenteben flutes while exhibiting a sharp intensification of their versatility on stage.

Anunyam and Shidaa Dance Ensembles equally performed variations of some traditional Ghanaian dances that have been fortified with subtle contemporary dance movements and frenzied drumming.

Singapore International Foundation, National Arts Council of Singapore, Lucky African Dance, Master Mind Multi Media, TM Entertainment and www.artsghana.org supported the festival; which was put organized by Lucky Lartey.

By John Owoo

(At the National Theatre in Accra)

Orchestral music lovers in Accra were last week treated to a magnetic concert by the Pan African Youth Orchestra together with kologo virtuoso Atongo Zimba and singer Elivava Mensah.

Performing at the National Theatre in Accra alongside the orchestra, Zimba, who is noted for a distinct voice, inundated the hall with wild sounds from his kologo – a two stringed instrument that originated from the Upper East region.

With lyrics that are charmingly simple and often make references to tales from his native Bolgatanga – his skills on the kologo revealed a sharp contrast as complex orchestrations emanated from this simple calabash instrument that has been internationalized by a couple of Ghanaian musicians.

Conducted by Kweku Kwakye, the youth orchestra made melodramatic explorations in the compositions of the late Nana Danso Abiam, whose exploits on the atenteben flute led to the playing of complex notes and blending with various instruments from diverse parts of the world.

“Zimba’s baritone voice together with diverse rhythms from the orchestra turned the hall into a mini African celebration – we need more collaborations between senior musicians and the orchestra”, said Kofi Adu, a retired pharmacist in Accra.

“We need more youthful groups in Accra. I am really fascinated by the raw talent and craftsmanship exhibited on stage – the state of Ghana must take on this group and nurture it”, added Yaa Manu, a musician in Accra.

Singer Elivava Mensah joined the orchestra as they presented discoveries into the compositions of the late King of Afro Beat, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. With an array of traditional instruments, the orchestra worked its way into the hearts of member of the audience with astonishing artistry.

Noted for her sleek voice and a superlative stagecraft, Mensah led the orchestra into a refreshing mode as cheers flowed from the audience – a cool reminder that the group is the most promising young orchestra to emerge in Ghana over the past several years.

The orchestra is set to go on a performance tour of the United States in the early part of 2017. National Theatre of Ghana organized the performance in collaboration with the Pan African Youth Orchestra.

By John Owoo

(In Accra – Ghana)

A multi national music and dance production dubbed Azã last week proved the power, sophistication and beauty of cross-cultural collaborations during a mesmerizing performance at the National Theatre in Accra.

Performed by over 150 artistes from Canada, Ghana, Azerbaijan and the United States, the show revealed a skillful blend of widely effervescent music and dance cocktails that were sparkling with intelligence.

Presented by the National Theatre of Ghana – Azã, which Prof Zelma Badu-Younge choreographed with compositions by Prof Paschal Younge, was undeniably an exceptional artistic event that can easily pass as the show of the year in Ghana.

With marimba virtuoso Dr. Erik Forst (USA), multi disciplinary artist Sashar Zarif (Canada), conductor Isaac Annor and director Nii Tete Yartey (Ghana), the audience was transported to various parts of the world through a dramatic fusion of a variety rhythms, beats and dance forms.

“Azã is a marvelous braid of music, dance and songs that fused diverse influences leading to an ecstatic pitch. Indeed, a fierce expression of unity resonates across the whole production”, said Ian Bromley, an expatriate from the United Kingdom.

“It’s not about virtuosity; it’s about the physical crafting and fine-tuning of emotions coolly interspersed with Sufi, Shamanic and African ritualistic practices. It is delightful to share in the vibration projected by these wonderful artistes”, added Monica Schmidt, a dancer from Germany.

Characterized by interdisciplinary collaboration, artists from the National Dance Company, Azaguno Inc (USA), National Symphony Orchestra, a mass youth choir and guest artists managed to sway the crowd through a superlative fusion of choreography, music, sound and light.

A modern symphony for marimba, classic spiritual acappella, music for multiple bells, dances based on “Barankana” (Botswana) and American Step Dancing, Haitian religious chants, melodic structures from the Caribbean and elsewhere charmed the audience, who cheered and applauded intermittently.

The dancers traced elaborate movements, whipped into spins and shimmered like fireflies evading dawn light as polyphonic tunes from the musicians and voices from the choir penetrated the vast auditorium with controlled intensity.

Ohio Arts, Ohio University, Messiah College, Azaguno Inc, National Theatre of Ghana, Ghana Tourism Authority and Central Hotel are supported the programme, which attracted audiences for three continuous days.

By John Owoo

(In Tunis – Tunisia)

The 27^th edition of Carthage Film Festival, a fiesta dedicated to Arab and African filmmakers ended last week in the Tunisian capital Tunis, after seminars, lectures and screenings of over 100 films.

It witnessed a dynamic parade of Arab and African film directors including Jamil Rateb, Khaled El Nabawy, Ezzat El Alayeli, Nahed El Ashley, Yosra El Lozy, Mohammed Malas, Ola Balogun, Michel Khlefi, Timité Bassori, Kaled Sadik, Djingarey Maiga and Adel Imam.

Held under tight security owing to fear of possible attacks by terrorists or extremists, the festival enabled a creative brainstorm on the issue of preserving Arab / African film heritage, which has been the subject of several international conferences and symposia.

Diverse films tackled various subjects that range from the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Palestinian issue, identity, war and peace as critics debated the overall quality of the 27^th edition, which most film lovers see as a huge success.

“I was impressed with the involvement of young filmmakers, actors and actresses from various parts of Africa and the Arab world – nevertheless Tunisia does not fully appreciate the fact that it holds the key to African integration through culture”, said Chieck Oumar Sissoko a Malian film maker.

“With war and violence in several parts of the world, film brings a ray of light that guides us and leads us towards peace due its power – I am delighted to be part of this wonderful festival and hope it’s impact would be felt all over the world”, added Mohamed Hédi, a Tunisian academic.

The symposium raised several issues including a review of the evolution of thinking about conservation policies and safeguarding film heritage, role of film archives as a tool of resistance, resilience and therapy as well as problems relating to ongoing projects in the field of conservation and safeguarding of film heritage in Europe, North and Sub Saharan Africa.

It equally touched on questions relating to private, public, national and international plans that have already been initiated, made a review of deficit of institutions specializing in the preservation of film heritage as well as projects underway and the obstacles they are encountering.

Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania won the grand prize for her feature-length documentary “Zaineb Hates the Snow”. Shot over a six-year period, the film follows a young Tunisian girl’s difficult passage to adolescence after she moves to Quebec from Tunisia shortly after the death of her father in an accident.

Egyptian film-maker Mohamed Diab’s “Clash” – which captures Egypt’s divided post-revolutionary society, won four awards: the second prize in the feature competition as well as best cinematography, best editing and the Critics prize while Palestinian director Mai Masri took the third prize in the feature film competition for “3,000 Nights”.

“I can foresee a turning point for the Carthage Film Festival – I guess it is increasingly becoming commercial – and this would be regrettable. I think we should maintain the festival as it is and continue to open up to Arab and African filmmakers”, said Fethi Saidi, a Tunisian documentary filmmaker.

“Organizing festivals of this magnitude is complicated – nevertheless, I think we need to improve the technical department so we can avoid problems during screening to ensure that members of juries are able to see all films”, continued Iddrissa Ouedraogo, a Burkinabe filmmaker.

Undeniably, the Carthage Film Festival remains the most popular for Arab and African filmmakers, actors, actresses and film lovers – and it continues to maintain the enviable record of having the largest number of participants and moviegoers.

Pictures – Carthage Film Festival