Hervé Moukoko – General Delegate of the Cinema Week: ”We must give the talents of the continent the means to express themselves

Ayila: The Cinema Week is in a few days, what is the state of preparations a few days before the opening?

Hervé Moukoko: It is true that we are a few days away from the first edition and the pressure is mounting. In terms of the state of progress, we have been able to finalise the different sites that will host the event, particularly: Canal Olympia for the Opening Ceremony and a Masterclass; Sita Bella, which will also host Masterclasses for three days; and La Case des Arts, which will screen the films in the official selection. Whatever the case, we are preparing for this Festival with serenity, and we sincerely hope that professionals and amateurs of the 7th Art will come in large numbers to support theirs, to network, to widen their network and to discover the productions being made in the sub-region.

There is a plethora of festivals in Cameroon and Africa. How will this festival stand out from the others and what will it bring more to the films selected and to the filmmakers?

You know, abundance does not hurt. The more festivals the better for the filmmakers.

The films in the official selection at the Cinema Week will continue to be screened even after the Festival. This means that we will ensure the international distribution (Festivals, Theatrical screenings, Streaming, Television broadcasts) of the best productions from our catalogue which will be carefully selected by our partners. It is time that filmmakers in French-speaking Africa make a living from their art.

The festival aims to be international but with a more Afro feel. How did you and your team choose this direction?

You have surely noticed, as we have, that we do not sufficiently promote our talents, I am talking much more about Francophone Africa. I’m talking about French-speaking Africa, because English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa are already doing very well. Yet there is no lack of talent. We just need to give them the means to express themselves. And you, the media, have a very big part to play in this process, I would even say that you are in the front line. The more you write about filmmakers, new films and series, the more the public will be fond of local productions.

You say on the homepage of your website that the Cinema Week is an opportunity to evolve and to be seen. How do you do that?

“Evolve” because it is an opportunity for lovers of the 7th art to be in contact with professionals and to create a network, and it is also an opportunity for professionals to expand their network, leave their comfort zone and rub shoulders with internationals. “To be seen” because it is a question of International Distribution and therefore to reach a large audience.

About 60 films were selected, how was the selection made?

It is true that we received a lot of films and it was very complicated to choose. So we relied on the plot of the story, its articulation, the narrative techniques used and the quality of the work itself. We also decided to encourage certain directors in view of the efforts they have made to produce their works.

Are all the films in the selection on the same level of quality?

You know, it’s like the African Cup of Nations, the teams have qualified brilliantly but only the best and most disciplined will make it to the last four. All I can tell you is that we have some very nice films with some pretty heartbreaking stories. It shows how much talent we have on the continent. And as I said before, we just need to give them the means to express themselves and exhibit their work.

 

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We notice that you have deployed a big communication around the event, there are many activities on the programme, the actress Emy Dany Bassong who is the muse of this edition, Tatiana Matip who leads a workshop. How will all this take place and why precisely these figures?

We started from the principle that the public would not be indifferent to a major communication campaign, which is why we chose to communicate over a year with fairly varied content. It was a big challenge. And I would like to sincerely thank the team as well as you, the media, who massively contributed to this advertising blitz. As for the choice of these figures, they are actresses whose careers we follow. They are consistent, have a certain accuracy in their acting, they are very disciplined and have a very good sympathy capital. During her Masterclass, Tatiana Matip will come and give some of her secrets to all those who aspire to the acting profession. And we are really honoured to have her with us.

How did you choose Emy Dany Bassong as the muse of the festival?

Emy Dany ticks all the boxes: nice, always positive, a very good actress and her image is very polished. She’s one of those rare actresses who doesn’t wash her dirty laundry on the web if you know what I mean. And above all, we really like the energy she gives off.

Apart from the activities already announced, what are the other key activities that will take place during the festival?

Unfortunately, apart from the opening ceremony at Canal Olympia, the Masterclasses at Canal Olympia and Sita Bella and the film screenings at the case des Arts, there will be no more Covid Oblige activities. We intended to set up the cinema week market, a kind of podium where everyone would come and offer their services or productions. For example, scriptwriters would come and offer their scripts, production companies would come and exhibit their production materials or even their productions, etc. It was very complicated to set up in view of the new restrictions that we received from the authorities. We have therefore decided to postpone this activity for the 2022 edition while hoping that Corona will be a distant memory.

Can we already know what the opening film(s) will be and what motivated this choice?

As far as the opening film is concerned, we have chosen the beautiful Guyanese comedy AMOUR KRÉYOL by Thaïzen Ringuet. With this story of Corona and others, the nerves are a little tense so starting the Festival with a smile on your face will be a good therapy. It should also be remembered that Guyana is the guest of honour at the first edition of La Semaine du Cinéma.

Interview by Rostand Wandja