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Bozar invites Souleymane Cissé, a pivotal and influential figure in the history of African and global cinema, for a discussion on his filmography and his commitment to the film industry and the development of a Pan-African cinematic vision. The conversation will be moderated by the young filmmaker and curator Maxime Jean-Baptiste (Moune Ô, Kouté Vwa).
Born in Bamako in 1940, Souleymane Cissé became interested in cinema at the age of 7. After studying in Dakar and Moscow, he returned to Mali in the 1970s and worked as a cameraman/reporter. In 1975, he directed Den Muso (The Young Girl), his first Malian feature film, which landed him in prison. This was followed by Baara (Work) (1977), Finyè (The Wind) (1981) and Yeelen (Brightness) (1987), which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. His last film, Waati (Time) (1995), was also selected for Cannes. Cissé has also produced a number of recent works, including Un Malien à Paris (A Malian in Paris (1999). As a politically conscious director, he is the founder of UCECAO (Union of West African Film and Audiovisual Creators and Entrepreneurs) and was appointed Commander of the National Order of Mali in 2006.