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RIP – Senegalese Filmmaker & FESPACO Founder Mahaman Johnson Traore
BBC’s Mark Coles talks to Keith Shire (who started the London African Film Festival) on the work of Traore, particularly his films which addressed “the politics of women’s position in their societies.” Listen to the interview below, and then watch his 1975 film, Njangaan (The Disciple). The conversation starts at about the 13:20 mark.
2 comments to RIP – Senegalese Filmmaker & FESPACO Founder Mahaman Johnson Traore |
  
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It is sad to hear of the the death of Mahaman Johnson Traore. I think I met Traore back in the mid-1980s in Paris through a group of women who ran an editing facility called ATRIA, 16 Blvd Jules Ferry in the 11th Arr. Andrea D’Aventure was my associte and facilitator of meetings with many filmmakers. She and Nelly Dumas were always welcoming and anxious to expose me to new films they were in post-production on. I remember ATRIA fondly. My meeting with Mr Traore and Desire Ecare (Faces of Women, 1985, FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes Film Festival) yielded me many films from Africa and it was through his good graces that I met many others and was invited to FESPACO based on the work I was doing with as head of the Blacklight Film Festival in Chicago.
Having partnered with Richard Pena, then head of the Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, now of the New York Film Festival we presented many of the great African Films of the 1980s through the mid 90s.
I met him several times during that period I ran the festival and as I pursued African Films relentlessly back in those days and he was always tolerant of my horrible non-existent French. I will always remember him for his kindness, patience and encouragement.
The man deserves a tribute. I didn’t know he cofounded fespaco. That’s huge. I’ve not seen. Any of his films so I gotta look them up for real.