African Federation of Film Critics

African Federation of Film Critics (AFFC) is a panafricanist federation grouping African and diaspora's film critics associations, as well as individuals. In 2023, the AFFC is composed of 43 associations and 456 editors. Its headquarters are in Senegal.

African Federation of Film Critics
AbbreviationAFFC
Formation2004 (2004)
HeadquartersDakar, Senegal

History

Birth of the Africine’s network

From 17 to 21 February 2003, in Ouagadougou, a working group on film criticism gathers 26 radio and newspaper journalists from four black African countries : Senegal, Madagascar, Nigeria, Burkina Faso. It is presented by the critics Clément Tapsoba, Jean Roy and Olivier Barlet, and coordinated by Gervais Hien on behalf of FESPACO, with the support of the French Cooperation. During the assessment, they finally decided to continue the work begun through a networking and the joint production of content. An internet discussion group for cultural journalists named Africiné is created.[1] In July 2003, a similar four-day working group was organised in Tunis by the Tunisian Association for the Promotion of Film Criticism (ATPCC), which reinforced networking decisions and examined logistical issues. In June 2004, the Fonds des inforoutes de l’Agence intergouvernementale de la Francophonie (AIF) granted a subsidy to set up the africine.org website, to produce content for it and to organise training working groups. The management of this start-up grant is operated on the basis of its reputation by the Africultures association under the control of an auditor appointed by the network, over a period of 24 months starting in November 2004, with an extension for the end of 2007.[2] At the end of the year, 4221 films are listed on the website and 867 texts are published. There were 2560 in early 2023. On 9 September 2004, a meeting of the critics present at the International Women's Film Festival in Salé, Morocco, defined the objectives of the network:[3]

  • promote endogenous African writing on African cinema and solve its lack of international visibility,
  • to encourage support at the film and media level for quality cinema with educational value,
  • to improve the inclusion of Africa in the international critical circuits and to promote critical confrontation at this level on African films,
  • to provide quality content of documentary and analytical value on African cinema,
  • to provide the public, researchers and programmers a thematic database on African films and the corresponding professional contacts,
  • to enable African journalists to watch new films and to have access to films in the repertoire as well as to fundamental works on cinema.

Creation of the African Federation of Film Critics

From 2 to 7 October 2004, the delegates of the Africiné network at the Carthage Film Festival met every morning at the headquarters of the Tunisian Federation of Film Clubs and decided to create a federation whose statutes and internal regulations were adopted. A charter proposing to "invent a new critical method and to affirm African criticism, not because it is the only authentic and legitimate one, but because it is generally without visibility and cannot participate in the global perception of African cinema and African cultures" was also voted. It ends with a quote from Paulin Soumanou Vieyra: "To accept criticism is to accept to be different and to think that one does not hold the absolute truth".

An executive board is elected :

  • president : Clément Tapsoba (president of the association ASCRIC-B, Burkina Faso)
  • 1st vice-president : Mohammed Bakrim (President of the Aflam Association of Film Critics of Morocco)
  • 2nd vice-president : Jean-Marie Mollo Olinga (President of the Cinépresse association of Cameroonian film critics)
  • secretary-general : Hassouna Mansouri (President of the TAPFC, Tunisian Association for the Promotion of Film Criticism)
  • treasurer : Olivier Barlet (President of the association Africultures, France)

The headquarters are in Dakar and Thierno Ibrahima Dia is appointed facilitator of the Africiné website and moderator of the internet discussion group.[4]

Development

A first congress was organised at Fespaco in 2009, which elected a new board, composed of seven members:

  • president : Baba Diop (Senegal)
  • 1st vice-president : Francis Ameyibor (Ghana)
  • 2nd vice-president : Clément Taspsoba (Burkina-Faso)
  • 3rd vice-president : Kamel Ben Ouanès (Tunisia)
  • secretary-general : Sani Soulé Manzo (Niger)
  • secretary-general for communication : Jacques Bessala Manga (Cameroon)
  • treasurer : Sitou Ayité (Togo)

In 2010, the AFFC is entrusted by World Festival of Black Arts with the programming of screening-debates and the organisation of the Sembène/Chahine coloquium. The same year, the headquarters agreement was signed on 30 March in Dakar by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Me Madické Niang.[5] A meeting was held with 17 AFFC members at the 2011 Fespaco and 35 members at the 2013 Fespaco to consider improvements to the general functioning of the Federation and its governance. After consultation with all member associations, the statutes, rules and regulation were revised to reflect the growth of the Federation. On 17 and 18 December 2015, the AFFC organised a second ordinary congress in Marrakech with some thirty participants representing fifteen member countries to amend and adopt the new statutes and internal regulations, renew the governing bodies and outline the action plan. The Moroccan critic Khalil Demmoun was elected president and the executive board was renewed as follows:

  • 1st vice-president : Mahrez Karoui (Tunisia)
  • 2nd vice-president : Yacouba Sangaré (Ivory Coast)
  • assistant secretary-general : Fatou Kiné Sène (Senegal)
  • general treasurer : Pélagie Ng'onana (Cameroon)
  • communication magager : Charles Ayetan (Togo)[6]

The congress also adopted a three-year action plan for the AFFC for the period 2016–2018, with the objective of animating the life of the federation and the implementation of its mission to support African cinema.[7] In 2020, the AFFC mourns the death of its first president, Clément Tapsoba.[8] During the 26th edition of Fespaco, the Ordinary General Assembly of 28 February 2019 elects a new executive board with a majority of women.

  • president : Fatou Kiné Sène (Senegal),
  • 1st vice-president : Ahmed Shawky (Egypt)
  • 2nd vice-president : Fatoumata Sagnane (Guinea)
  • secretary-general : Abraham Bayili (Burkina-Faso)
  • assistant secretary-general : Sahar El Echi (Tunisia)
  • general treasurer : Pélagie NG’onana (Cameroon)
  • communication magager : Charles Ayetan (Togo)

The General Assembly also elected two auditors: Renate Lemba (DRC) and Rodéric Dèdègnonhou (Benin).

Direction
Presidents of the AFFCC
Name Nationality Period of mandate
Clément Tapsoba Burkina Faso 2004-2009
Baba Diop Senegal 2009-2015
Khalil Demmoun Marocco 2015-2019
Fatou Kiné Sène Senegal 2019-2023
Fatoumata Sagnane Guinea depuis 2023

Executive Board

At the General Assembly on 2 March 2023 during Fespaco in Ouagadougou, a new executive board was elected, composed of :

  • president : Fatoumata Sagnane (Conakry Guinea)
  • 1st vice-president : Dr Hector Victor Kabré (Burkina Faso)
  • 2nd vice-president : Pierre Patrick Touko (Cameroon)
  • secretary-general : Sidney Cadot-Sambossi (France)
  • assistant secretary-general : Dr Youssoufa Halidou Harouna (Niger)
  • treasurer : Bigué Bob (Senegal)
  • communication magager : Yacouba Sangaré (Ivory Coast)

Training Groups

Various training groups are organised during film festivals or on local initiatives to reinforce the structure of the Federation, particularly through the creation of national associations of film critics:

  • Algeria : Tlemcen (Amazigh film Festival, 2007),
  • Burkina Faso : Ouagadougou, in each edition of the Fespaco since 2003.
  • Benin : Ouidah (Quintessence, 2005),
  • Cameroon : Yaoundé (Black Screens, 2004 and 2005),
  • Egypt : Louxor (Louxor African Film Festival 2013 and 2014)
  • Gabon : Libreville (Gabonese Institute of Image and Sound Initiative, 2010)
  • Ghana : Accra (NAFTI initiative, 2005),
  • Guadelupe : Pointe-à-Pitre (FEMI, 2007),
  • Guinea : Conakry (local initiative and French cooperation, 2013)
  • Madagascar : Antananarivo (Madagascourt Film Festival, 2010),
  • Maurice :Maurice University (Ile Courts Festival, 2017)
  • Mauritanie : Nouakchott (Frontier Cinema Festival, 2014)
  • Niger : Niamey (Niamey Documentary Film Forum, 2012)13
  • Nigeria : Lagos (French Cooperation initiative, 2006),
  • Senegal : Dakar (District Film Festival, 2005 - Senegalese Film Critic Association initiative - Dakar courts Festival 2007 and 2014, 2021 and 2022)
  • RDC : Kinshasa (local initiative and French cooperation, 2013),
  • Rwanda : Kigali (Mashariki Film Festival, 2017)
  • Tunisie : Tunis (ATPCC initiative, 2004), Tunis (European film Festival, 2005).

Database

Since October 2004, the AFFC, in collaboration with Africultures, has been developing a very complete database of films from Africa or about Africa, personalities of African cinema, professional structures and current information. It is integrated into the multidisciplinary Southplanet database Southplanet, which serves as the basis for the Africine and Africultures websites. At the beginning of 2023, it lists nearly 22,000 films.

Africine’s Bulletin

At every FESPACO since 2005, an 8-page critical report is written by a training working group organised by the AFFC. It is designed and printed by the AFFC working group. It often includes several issues, has a print run of 1000 copies and is distributed for free to festivalgoers.

African Critics Juries - Paulin Soumanou Vieyra Award

In 1988, at the Third Conference of African Cinema in Khouribga, a jury of critics created the "Paulin Vieyra Award",[9] but there was no continuation. African Critics Juries, made up of film critics, have been organised by the AFFC since 2009 in different festivals in Africa, in partnership with the festival. The award aims to encourage a good artistic quality cinema, but also to support young emerging talents. Since 2013, it has been called the Paulin Soumanou Vieyra Award, in honour of the first black African critic. It is awarded to :

African Critics Award
Year Title of the film Filmmaker Country Festival
2009 Teza[10] Haile Gerima Ethiopia FESPACO
2013 One Man's Show[11] Newton Aduaka Nigeria FESPACO
2014 Les Hommes d’argile[12] Mourad Boucif Marocco Festival International du film transsaharien de Zagora
2015 Starve Your Dog[13] Hicham Lasri Marocco FESPACO
2016 Starve Your Dog Hicham Lasri Marocco Luxor African Film Festival
2016 Eshtebak (Clash)[14] Mohamed Diab Egypt Carthage Film Festival[15]
2016 Les hommes d’argile Mourad Boucif Egypt Festival international du film transsaharien de Zagora
2017 Serpent Amanda Evans South Africa Durban International Film Festival
2017 Tant qu'on vit (Medan vi lever) Dani Kouyaté Burkina Faso Festival international du film transsaharien de Zagora
2017 A Mile in My Shoes (film) Said Khallaf Marocco FESPACO
2017 The Train of Salt and Sugar[16] Licínio Azevedo Mozambique Carthage Film Festival
2018 Sofia[17] Meryem Benm’Barek Marocco Carthage Film Festival
2018 Mama Bobo Robin Andelfinger et Ibrahima Seydi France, Senegal Rencontres du film court Madagascar
2019 Indigo[18] Selma Bargach Marocco FESPACO
2019 You come from far away Amal Ramsis Egypt Ismailia International Film Festival
2019 Un coin du ciel noir Djingarey Maïga Niger Toukountchi Festival de Cinéma du Niger
2020 Awa (Here) Deborah Basa Republic of Congo Rencontres du film court Madagascar
2021 The Gravedigger's Wife[19] Khadar Ayderus Ahmed Somalia FESPACO
2021 Argu Omar Belkacemi Algeria Carthage Film Festival
2021 Tuk Tuk Mohamed Kheidr Egypt Rencontres du film court Madagascar
2022 La Vie d’après[20] Anis Djaad Tunisie Carthage Film Festival
2023 Mami Wata[21] C. J. Obasi Nigeria FESPACO

References
  1. Olivier Barlet (13 April 2003). "Fespaco 2003 : priorité au cinéma". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  2. Final Subsidy Report
  3. Internal Report
  4. "La FAAC". africine.org. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  5. "Signature de l'Accord de siège de la Fédération Africaine de la Critique Cinématographique (FACC)". Africultures (in French). March 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. "Nouveau bureau pour la critique panafricaine (FACC), à Marrakech". Africultures (in French). December 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  7. "Nouveau bureau pour la critique panafricaine (FACC), à Marrakech". Africultures (in French). December 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  8. Fatou Kiné Sène (24 April 2020). "La FACC salue la mémoire d'un artisan fondateur". Africine.org (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  9. Paulin Soumanou Vieyra (1990). Réflexions d'un cinéaste africain. Bruxelles: OCIC. p. 168, note 1 by Pierre Haffner. ISBN 92-9080-025-9.
  10. "Palmarès Fespaco 2009 : « Teza » de l'Ethiopien Haïlé Gerima décroche l'Etalon de Yennenga et le prix de la critique". Africultures (in French). March 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  11. "Newton Aduaka, Prix de la Critique Africaine 2013, à Ouaga". Africultures (in French). March 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  12. "Les hommes d'argile de Mourad Boucif remporte le Prix de la Critique Africaine". Africultures (in French). December 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  13. Scheina Adaya (15 March 2015). "FESPACO 2015 - Palmarès Prix spéciaux et Prix de la Critique africaine". Africine.org (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  14. Thierno Ibrahima Dia (4 November 2016). "Prix de la critique africaine "Néjiba Hamrouni" (JCC 2016) décerné au film Clash". Africine.org (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. Thierno Ibrahima Dia (27 October 2016). "JCC 2016 : Prix de la Critique Africaine (FACC) dédié à Néjiba Hamrouni". Africine.org (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  16. Olivier Barlet (15 November 2017). "JCC 2017 : tendances arabo-africaines". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  17. Fatou Kiné Sène (12 November 2018). "JCC 2018 : le film marocain Sofia primé par la critique africaine". faapa.info (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  18. Africiné Magazine (15 April 2019). "Le Prix de la Critique Africaine, au 21ème Festival International de films d'Ismailia". Africine.org (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  19. Olivier Barlet (29 October 2021). "FESPACO 2021 : fictions longs métrages, un retour vers le futur". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  20. ""La vie d'après", Prix de la critique africaine aux JCC". Algérie presse service (in French). 5 November 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  21. "FESPACO 2023 : Le palmarès des prix spéciaux". burkina24.com (in French). 3 March 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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