News : Back to the winners of the 2nd edition of the FIFF in Cotonou

The second edition of the Cotonou International Women’s Film Festival (FIFF) took place from February 8 to February 12, 2022. A deep moment of exchanges, reflections, discoveries, learning and rewards.

Initiated in 2019 by Ecran Benin association through its director, Cornelia Glèlè, the FIFF de Cotonou is a biannual meeting whose objective is to promote, within the industry and the general public, the cinematographic creation made by the female gender. Scheduled for September 2021, the festival has been postponed due to health restrictions linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the organizing committee was able to remobilize and offer an event, which made Benin proud. This second edition was placed under the theme “The look of African cinema on the economic power of rural women“. Many activities were on the program: screenings, professional speed dating, training in film criticism, a meeting between women aspiring to a career in cinema and the special guest, Fatou Jupiter Touré, Senegalese actress and feminist activist.

“They paved the way when no woman dared to venture into the world of cinema”

The FIFF mobilized 13 short films from across the continent, directed by women and addressing issues around women’s rights. These films were presented to the public present at the Artisttik Africa Cultural Center. The FIFF also wanted to honor the pioneering women of Beninese cinema because: “They paved the way when no woman dared to venture into the world of cinema” says Cornelia Glèlè. They are: Laure Abgo, first Beninese woman director, Christiane Chabi Kao, pioneer of fiction in Benin, Jemima Catraye, journalist and director of the documentary department at ORTB; Carole Lokossou, Beninese storyteller and actress and Tella Kpomahou, Beninese actress well known for her role in Le Crocodile du Bostwanga (2014) by Fabrice Eboue and Lionel Steketee.

At the end of the festival, 5 prizes were awarded by the jury made up of Sandra Adjaho, Beninese actress and human rights activist at Amnesty International, Monique Phoba, Belgian-Congolese director, Charles Tesson, Professor of the history of the cinema at the Sorbonne and Faissol Gnonlonfin, Beninese producer of the Haitian film Freda (2021) by Gessica Généus.

Prizes awarded

Golden Amazon, rewarding the best fiction film. The winner this year is Kuma! by Malian director Hawa Aliou N’diaye. This film, which tackles the issue of incest, tells the story of Anita, exasperated by her father’s sexual abuse, tears off his penis with a knife.

Documentary Amazon, rewarding the best documentary film. It was awarded by the jury to the film Ethereality by the Rwandan Kantarama Gahigiri.

Amazon for the best screenplay, it is the fiction film The Last Dance by the Senegalese Fatoumata Diallo which is awarded this year.

Amazone du jury, which rewards the jury’s favourite. It was awarded to the documentary ConfidentiELLES by Malagasy director Rosty Kolina Adriamanantsoa.

Amazone Tella Kpomahou of the interpretation, which awards the best actress. It was awarded to actress Marianna Hinnouho, for her performance in the fiction film Italè by Fleur Gloria Hessou.

Fred Mekono-Ottou (Interns)

Tags: Fiff Cotonou