Frustration is a source of combativeness! Frustrated to see their screens invaded by foreign films, many people of Africa stood up for their liberation. This was the case 54 years ago in Burkina Faso where film enthusiasts said “no to the neo-colonial intruder of the big screen”. The challenge of such a refusal being simply to reverse this manipulative and dominating tendency of images from elsewhere.
Standing together by taking the lead in the liberation struggle was the watchword. The creative vision of FESPACO was thus born in the people’s minds. Built on a foundation of resilience, commitment and
determination, FESPACO has gone through the decades, albeit not without challenges, winning the hearts of filmmakers, politicians and people passionate about images produced by the great and little Africa!
In the face of current challenges namely the security, health and humanitarian crises, the legacy of activism, combativeness and tenacity remains. In the end, FESPACO itself is based on such values. Let’s
be clear, the regularity and durability of the African Film Biennial rests definitely on this axiological base. The festival is also reinforced by its integrity, a powerful ingredient of credibility vis-à-vis the Government of Burkina Faso, bilateral and multilateral partners.
In the storm where many festivals rise and fall, only those that can remain focus on their values can stand. Through the theme “African Cinema and Culture of Peace”, FESPACO 2023 follows the same logic with regard to the content of African film productions.
