The Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) started on Saturday 25 February and ended on 4 March 2023 in Ouagadougou. Youssef Chebbi from Tunisia won the Golden Stallion of Yennenga with his film “Ashkal”.
The theme of this 28th edition is “African Cinema and Culture of Peace”. At the end of the seven days of work with 170 films screened, it was “Ashkal” by the Tunisian Youssef Chebbi who received the Golden Stallion of Yennenga award. He left with 20 million FCFA and the gold trophy. According to the Synopsis, this film is about the history of the Tunisian people. “In one of the buildings of the Carthage Gardens, a district of Tunis created by the former regime but whose construction was brutally stopped at the beginning of the revolution, two cops, Fatma and Batal, discover a burnt body. As construction gradually resumes, they begin to investigate this mysterious case. When a similar incident occurs, the investigation takes a disconcerting turn,” says the synopsis.
The film “Sira” by the Burkinabe director Apolline Traoré won the Silver Etalon of Yennenga worth 10 million CFA francs. And finally, the Kenyan Angela Wamai for her film “Shimoni” was awarded the Bronze Stallion with 5 million CFA francs.
This 28th edition of Fespaco was held in a context where Burkina Faso is facing a security crisis marked by jihadist attacks and where 40% of the territory is beyond the control of the State. “It was also a way for us to show that despite all the difficulties and security pressure, Burkina Faso is still standing and so is African culture,” said Burkina Faso’s Minister for the Arts, Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo. The 29th edition of Fespaco will be held from 22 February to 1 March 2025, also in Ouagadougou.
