Moustapha Alassane

Born in 1942 in N’Dougou (Niger), Moustapha Alassane graduated in mechanics. However, in the Rouch IRSH in Niamey he learned the cinematographic technique and thereafter became one of its main proponents. Jean Rouch provided for Alassane’s education and accommodation in Canada, where he met the famous Norman McLaren, who taught him about animation.

He was the creator of the first animated films of the sub-Saharan Africa, also directing documentaries and fiction films. He was Head of Cinema Department at the Niamey University for 15 years.

Moustapha Alassane directed, in 1962, two shorts inspired in traditional tales: Aoure and La Bague du roi Koda. Representing African culture (e.g. in Deela ou el Barka le conteur, 1969 and Shaki, 1973), Alassane also employed moral satire (F.V.V.A., femme, villa, voiture, argent, 1972), denouncing the thirst for power for “new wealth” in Africa. Social criticism and black humour are in almost all of his films. The frog was his favourite animal and protagonist of most of his animated films, because Alassane believed it is funnier to animate frogs rather than humans.

His workshop was based in Tahoua. To work, Alassane used several materials, such as wood, metal or wire, glue, fabric or sponge.

Numerous retrospectives of Alassane’s career have been made in several international film festivals.

Moustapha Alassane was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.

• Animation et creation: Univers du cinema de Moustapha Alassane (2002), documentary directed by Debra S. Boyd
• Moustapha Alassane, cinéaste du possible (2009), documentary directed by Silvia Bazzoli and Christian Lelong.[2]

• Moustapha Alassane at IMDb
• Moustapha Alassane in ClapNoir (French)
• Moustapha Alassane in Africultures (French)
• Moustapha Alassane in African Success
• Moustapha Alassane in a "La Gazette" article (French)
• Le Retour D'Un Aventurier and Moustapha Alassane in the 5th "Festival des Cinémas Africains" (French)
• Moustapha Alassane invited to the 2nd Edition of "Festival culturel panafricain" (Panaf) (French)