In 1975, the initial Lomé conventions laid down the foundations

for cooperation between the European Union and African,

Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. Cultural cooperation is

an instrumental part of these relations which, over the years,

has become increasingly close. Such cooperation, carried out

by means of the European Development Fund (EDF), is unpa-

ralleled in other regions of the world in terms of development.

Support for production and distribution of ACP cinema is cen-

tral to this activity. Over time, this assistance has become

increasingly fine-tuned and established such that nowadays,

the results are highly positive. Once again this year, ACP cine-

ma is taking part in the Cannes festival with the first film from

the Central African Republic, le Silence de la forêt, co-directed

by Didier Florent Ouénangaré from Central Africa and Bassek

ba Kobhio from Cameroon, which is being presented at the

Quinzaine des réalisateurs. Apart from this, for the first time,

the European Union Cooperation Office, which is responsible

for supporting ACP cinema, will be represented in the

European Union pavilion in the heart of the Film Market.

This document is not an official European Commission publication

EUROPEAN COMMISSION, EUROPEAID COOPERATION OFFICE

AIDCO C/5 - EDUCATION AND CULTURE SECTION200 rue de la Loi (L 41 10/30) - B-1049 Brussels - Belgiumtel : +32 2 295 59 81 / fax : +32 2 299 49 47e-mail : Joelle.Guenier-Amsallem@cec.eu.intor Secretariat - email : Denise.Richert@cec.eu.int

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MISSION –ACP CINEMAS112 rue des Palais - B - 1030 Brussels - Belgiumtel : +32 2 242 00 08 / fax : +32 2 242 40 12e-mail : mat@cinemasacp.filmfestamiens.orgSite: http://www.filmfestamiens.org/cinemasacp/index.html

THE EUROPEAN UNIONAND AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC CINEMA:

A POSITIVE PARTNERSHIP

USEFUL CONTACTS

La Colère des dieux by Idrissa OuédraogoLe Silence de la forêt by Didier Florent Ouénangaré & Bassek ba KobhioMadame Brouette by Moussa Sene Absa

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PRODUCTION ASSISTANCEFEATURE LENGTH FILMSAbouna Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Chad), 2002

Africa Paradis Sylvestre Amoussou (Benin), being filmed

Un amour d’enfant Ben Diogaye Beye (Senegal), 2003

L’Appel des arènes Cheik Ndiaye (Senegal), in preproduction

Comboio Da Cañhoca Orlando Fortunato (Angola), in post-production

La Colère des dieux Idrissa Ouédraogo (Burkina Faso), 2003

Dust Richard Pakleppa (Namibia), in preproduction

Echoing Silences Manu Kurewa (Zimbabwe), in preproduction

Fanga Saraka (le Sacrifice du pouvoir) Adama Drabo (Mali), in preproduction

Faro Salif Traoré (Mali), in preproduction

Good Mourning Max Teddy Mattera (South Africa), in preproduction

Les Habits neufs du gouverneur Mweze Ngangura (DR Congo), in preproduction

Heremakono Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritania), 2002

Un héros Zeze Gamboa (Angola), in post-production

Le Jardin de papa Zeka Laplaine (DR Congo), 2003

Kabala Assane Kouyaté (Mali), 2002

Karmen Geï Joseph Gaye Ramaka (Senegal), 2001

The Last Respect King Ampaw (Ghana), in preproduction

Madame Brouette Moussa Sene Absa (Senegal), 2002

Molaade Ousmane Sembène (Senegal), in post-production

Moi et mon Blanc Pierre Yaméogo (Burkina Faso), 2003

Na Cidade Vazia (Dans la ville vide) Maria João G. (Angola), in post-production

Ndeysaan (le Prix du pardon) Mansour Sora Wade (Senegal), 2001

Nervous Conditions Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), in preproduction

Nha Fala (Ma voix) Flora Gomes (Guinea-Bissau), 2002

La Nuit de la vérité Fanta Regina Nacro (Burkina Faso), being filmed

L’Ombre de Liberty Imunga Ivanga (Gabon), in preproduction

Paris selon Moussa Cheik Doukouré (Guinea), 2002

Roues libres Sidiki Bakaba (Ivory Coast), 2001

Segoufanga Mambaye Coulibaly (Mali), in preproduction

Sia, le rêve du python Dani Kouyaté (Burkina Faso), 2001

Le Silence de la forêt Didier Florent Ouénangaré and Bassek ba Kobhio(Central Africa), 2003

Siraba, la grande voix Issa Traoré de Brahima (Burkina Faso), 2001

Tasuma (le Feu) Kollo Daniel Sanou (Burkina Faso), 2003

Voyage à Ouaga Camille Mouyeké (Congo Brazzaville), 2001

The Wooden Camera Ntshaveni Wa Luruli (South Africa), in post-production

Zulu Love Letter Ramadan Suleman (South Africa), being filmed

SHORT AND MEDIUM LENGTH FILMSColas, le dictionnaire David Constantin (Mauritius), 2003

La Danse des infidèles Camille Mouyeké (animation, Congo Brazzaville),in preproduction

Eating Mother Tsitsi Dangarembga (Zimbabwe), in preproduction

Gorel ou le mil promis Sékou Traoré (Burkina Faso), 2001

L’Héritier Jean-Michel Kibushi (animation, DR Congo), being filmed

Petite Lumière Alain Gomis (Senegal), 2003

Safi, la petite mère Rasò Ganemtoré (Burkina Faso), in preproduction

Le Sifflet As Thiam (Senegal), being filmed

Tiga, au bout du fil Rasmane Tiendrebeogo (animation, Burkina Faso),being filmed

DOCUMENTARIESAl’lèèssi, une actrice africaine Rahmatou Keïta (Niger), 2003

Circus Baobab Laurent Chevallier (Guinea), 2001

Fela Kuti John Akomfrah (Ghana), in preproduction

In Search of my Grandfather Tony Strasburg (South Africa), in preproduction

Mahaleo Raymond Rajaonarivelo (Madagascar), being filmed

Le Romancero Elsie Haas (Haiti), 2001

Si-Gueriki, la reine-mère Idrissou Mora Kpai (Benin), 2002

Sorcière, la vie Monique Mbeka Phoba (DR Congo), in preproduction

Un train de vies Sory Ibrahim Keita and Frédéric Mignard (Mali), 2002

Zabou, mannequin des sables Abdoulaye Ascofaré (Mali), in preproduction

TELEFILMSLes Coupeurs de route Henri Duparc (Ivory Coast), in preproduction

Les Voyeurs professionnels Bassek ba Kobhio (Cameroon), in preproduction

Yelema III Mamo Cissé (Mali), in preproduction

SERIESKabongo le griot Pierre Sauvalle (animation, Cameroon), being filmed

Sita Missa Hébié (Burkina Faso), 2001

Taxi brousse Kollo Daniel Sanou, Pierre Rouamba, Ignace Yechenouand Claude Balogun (Burkina Faso-Benin), 2003

Vies de femmes Camille Mauduech, Florence Delphine Badouet, FatouKande-Senghor, Ndeye Thiam Daquo and ZaraMahamat Yacoub, coordinated Hanny Tchelley (docu-mentary, Ivory Coast), 2002

DISTRIBUTION/PROMOTION ASSISTANCEBarbecue Pejo Jean Odoutan (FL, Benin), 2000

Chef ! Jean-Marie Teno (doc, Cameroon), 2001

Dôlè Imunga Ivanga (FL, Gabon), 2001

Ndeysaan (le Prix du pardon) Mansour Sora Wade (FL, Senegal), 2001

Pièces d’identités Mweze Ngangura (FL, DR of Congo), 2000

Sia le rêve du python Dani Kouyaté (FL, Burkina Faso), 2001

Siraba la grande voie Issa Traoré de Brahima (FL, Burkina Faso), 2001

POST-PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION/PROMOTIONASSISTANCEAdanggaman Roger Gnoan Mbala (FL, Ivory Coast), 2001

Lumumba Raoul Peck (FL, Haiti), 2000

FILMS SUPPORTED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION SINCE 2000

KEY FACTS• Budget: since 2000, 10 089 800 euros have been granted to ACP

cinema and audiovisual industries from the European Development Fund,

in all programmes

• Number of projects supported: since 2000, 76 projects have been

supported (46 of which through the ACP cinema support programme)

• ACP Countries: Angola, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados,

Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde

Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, the Comoros, Congo, R.D. Congo,

Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia,

Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,

Haiti, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar,

Malawi, Mali, Maurice, Mauritania, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger,

Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Sainte-Lucia, Saint Vincent and the

Grenadines, São Tomé & Príncipe, Salomon, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra

Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania,

Tonga, Togo, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa,

Zambia and Zimbabwe.

1 The call for proposals will be available on the Commission website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/tender/index_fr.htm2 Brussels, June 2003.

CINEMA, A PRE-EMINENT INSTRUMENT FOR CULTURAL COOPERATION Culture is one of the rare fields in which ACP coun-

tries can make themselves clearly heard. This is why

it is explicitly mentioned under title XI of the Lomé

Convention. The importance of culture for the deve-

lopment of ACP countries has justified the gradually

increased significance of this sector in European

Union cooperation policy. The promotion of intercul-

tural dialogue between communities, the notion of

respect and the acknowledgement of otherness lie at

the heart of any democratisation and social integra-

tion process. As a result, it forms a crucial element

in the path towards peace. Culture also lies at the

heart of the decentralisation process. It is one of the

most obvious local dimensions of development.

Of the numerous cultural industries supported

by the European Development Fund (EDF), if

there is one that stands out in terms of its visi-

bility and economy, it is cinema. With the deve-

lopment of digital video, cinematographic pro-

duction has become one of the most mobile

and accessible ACP cultural assets. Cinema has

gradually asserted itself as one of the most

obvious showcases of ACP culture. Through the

7th art, the European public as well as the ACP

public are discovering the cultural diversity,

heritage, traditions and also the modernity of

ACP societies.

For this reason, support for the production and

distribution of ACP cinema is central to cultural

cooperation between the European Union and

ACP countries. The global objectives of suppor-

ting ACP cinema notably include assistance of

cinema production in ACP countries, answering

the call of cinematographic creativity in the

various regions of the ACP world, contributing to

the emergence of new talent and the renewal of

the generations of ACP directors, geographically

rebalancing the activity in favour of cinema direc-

tors in countries whose governments are less

involved in cultural policy, and supporting the pro-

motion and distribution of ACP cinema.

Following a call for tender, the Journées cinéma-

tographiques d’Amiens, an association with long-

standing experience in ACP cinema, was selected

to create a committee of experts in Brussels,

which is responsible for assisting the European

Commission in its policy to support ACP cinema.

Established since 20th January 2000, the

Technical Assistance Mission - ACP cinemas is

mainly involved with the provision of highly spe-

cialised expertise on the financial and technical

feasibility of the applications received and their

artistic quality (working with external readers) and

establishing contracts for support between the

European Commission and the producers concer-

ned. In addition, it undertakes the monitoring

tasks for all of the funding projects and also acts

in an advisory capacity to the Commission on all

aspects of ACP cinematography assistance.

As part of its promotion and distribution activities

for ACP films, the European Commission is orga-

nising screenings during the Film Market at

Cannes. The Film Festival and its market are unri-

valled showcases for this type of cinema. Thus

two screenings will be presented every day at the

cinema Les Arcades, from 15th to 23rd May. The

following films will be shown: la Colère des dieux

by Idrissa Ouédraogo (Burkina Faso, 2003),

Tasuma by Kollo Daniel Sanou (Burkina Faso,

2003), Madame Brouette by Moussa Sene Absa

(Senegal, 2002), Nha Fala by Flora Gomes

(Guinea-Bissau, 2002), Colas, le dictionnaire by

David Constantin (Mauritius, 2003), PetiteLumière by Alain Gomis (Senegal, 2003), SiGueriki by Idrissou Mora Kpai (Benin, 2002),

Paris selon Moussa by Cheik Doukouré (Guinea,

2002), le Silence de la forêt by Didier

Ouénangaré and Bassek ba Kobhio (Central

Africa, 2003) and Moi et mon Blanc by Pierre

Yaméogo (Burkina Faso, 2003). These screenings

are organised jointly with the French Ministry for

Foreign Affairs, the CNC, the Francophone

Intergovernmental Agency, TV5 and CFI.

The Commission also supports cinema through

a Support Programme for the cultural policy of

Mali. This programme was launched in 2000

and makes it possible to provide support for the

production of 5 projects, including 3 feature

length fiction films. It will end in December

2003 and may be renewed in the National

Indicative Programme for Mali for a period of 3

years.

The Commission also takes part in a program-

me to train audiovisual technicians, conducted

by the Cirtef (French-Speaking Radio and

Television International Council), as well as exis-

ting aid mechanisms for rewriting scripts (Script

Development Aid Fund at the International Film

Festival of Amiens). In the near future, even

greater emphasis will be placed on trainingand scriptwriting assistance, notably in the

context of the ACP Cinema Support

Programme. In addition, with regard to the dis-

tribution of ACP films, the Commission sup-

ports cinematography events in ACP coun-

tries (Fespaco in Ouagadougou, the Festival of

Short Films in Abidjan), and in Europe (the

Festival of African Films in Milan). Other speci-

fic initiatives are also supported, such as

Cinéma numérique ambulant (CNA), which dis-

tributes films in rural areas on DVD in Benin

and Togo and soon also in Niger and Mali.

Launched in September 2000 for a three years

period, the European Commission Support

Programme has a global budget of 6 millioneuros. It operates through calls for propo-sals. The Support Programme guarantees trans-

parency, neutrality and professionalism in the

choices made but also improved monitoring of

assisted productions. It is managed by a

Technical Assistance Mission made up of exter-

nal experts. The selection committee which

decides on the final projects is made up of

European civil servants, with the help of four lea-

ding figures from the world of cinema, (at least

two of whom are professionals from ACP coun-

tries,) designated by the European Commission.

Three calls have so far been completed and the

fourth call will be published on the European

Commission website in May 20032.

The establishment of this programme has

made it possible to geographically and linguis-

tically rebalance the support of the European

Union in favour of ACP cinema. The creation of

films by directors from countries with no cine-

ma industry to speak of (Mauritius, Mauritania,

Madagascar and Angola) has thus been made

possible. Likewise a greater number of

Anglophone (South Africa, Namibia, Ghana and

Zimbabwe) and Portuguese-speaking (Guinea-

Bissau and Angola) films have been made

using European funding.

Since the creation of the Support Programme,

over 200 projects have been presented. Some

46 of them have been supported (38 have recei-

ved assistance for production, amounting to a

total of 4 270 000 euros and 8 have received

support for promotion/distribution, amounting

to 410 000 euros). The European Commission

launched an assessment of the Support

Programme which enabled it to better prepare

the publication of the second ACP cinema

Support Programme. This should cover the per-

iod 2004-2006.

AID FOR PRODUCTION The programme prioritises assistance for the

production of fiction and animated films (feature

length/medium/short films) and feature length

documentaries (a minimum duration of 52

minutes, except for television reportages and

magazines, corporate or institutional films). The

films have to be filmed in format 35 mm, Super

16 or digital. Their final format has to be 35 mm,

except for documentaries, which can be on

either 35 mm or Beta. The programme also

supports the production of television films, fic-

tion or animated series and animated films

intended for ACP television channels. Their final

format has to be on Beta. Only series with a

minimum of six episodes can be considered for

the support programme. However, mini-series

(of at least 3 episodes) can be included if the

length of each episode is more than 40 minutes.

In order to apply for production assistance, pro-

jects have to be made by directors from one of

the ACP countries. Production companies can

be based in Europe or in one of the ACP coun-

tries (except South Africa, which has a specific

status). For television projects, the production

company has to be based in an ACP country.

AID FOR DISTRIBUTION/PROMOTIONAlongside this assistance, the programme also

supports the distribution and promotion of these

films by undertaking promotional activities

during festivals and cultural events in ACP coun-

tries. Thus in 2003, the Commission undertook

a promotion campaign in Cannes for ACP cine-

ma, notably by organising screenings of the sup-

ported films at the Film Market. It also supports

organisational activities, through the European

Coordination of Festivals, with a meeting on dis-

tribution in ACP-UE cinemas2. But above all the

Commission, along with its usual partners for

cinema from the South, is going to set up an

assistance mechanism for ACP operators and

distributors. This support, which is more global

and structured, will replace the specific aid for

the distribution of certain works, as the imple-

mentation of this distribution was often found to

be a delicate operation for filmmakers.

150 FILMS SUPPORTED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION IN 10 YEARS

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MISSION – ACP CINEMAS

ACP FILMS AT CANNES

HE ACP CINEMA SUPPORT PROGRAMME: A BOOST FOR ACP CINEMA

NOT FORGETTING…

Over the past decade, the European Union has

forged its role as one of the main financial part-

ners of cinema in ACP countries. Since 1992,

just under one hundred and fifty ACP projects

(76 of which since 2000) have benefited from

European joint financing. Amongst these films,

several significant or representative works of ACP

cinema have been selected (and awarded prizes)

at the major, international film festivals. This

year, the Quinzaine des réalisateurs at the

Cannes festival is presenting the first film from

Central Africa, le Silence de la forêt directed by

Didier Florent Ouénangaré and Bassek ba

Kobhio.

Recently, Nha Fala by Flora Gomes (Guinea-

Bissau) and Madame Brouette by Moussa Sene

Absa (Senegal) were selected in the official com-

petitions at Venice and Berlin respectively. In

February 2003, the 18th Panafrican Film and

Television Festival (Fespaco) at Ouagadougou

also confirmed the revival of ACP cinema pro-

duction and the effectiveness of the European

Union’s involvement. Eleven films supported by

the Commission through the European

Development Fund (EDF) were screened in the

official competition and three films were selected

in the Panorama. One of these films,

Heremakono, was awarded the Etalon de

Yennenga, the Fespaco grand prix.

Through Europe’s support, apart from the well-

known directors, several young ACP filmmakers

have made their first feature length films, or are

in the process of doing so: Didier Florent

Ouénangaré (Central African Republic), Kollo

Daniel Sanou (Burkina Faso), Fanta Nacro

(Burkina Faso), Manu Kurewa (Zimbabwe),

Mahamat Saleh-Haroun (Chad), Assane Kouyaté

(Mali), Salif Traoré (Mali), Maria João G. (Angola)

and Zézé Gamboa (Angola), to name but a few.

Among these directors who receive support, seve-

ral women (Tsitsi Dangarembga, Hanny Tchelley,

Monique Phoba and Tony Strasburg) have also

heightened their presence in the industry.

We are thus witnessing more films, more direc-

tors and more cinema genres. The European

Development Fund for ACP cinema and audiovi-

sual industries is similarly diversified. Television

films, series, creative documentaries, animated

films and short fiction films are more numerous.

This “remodelling” of the ACP cinema industry is

partly the result of the European Union. Over the

years, it has increased its support of ACP cinema,

thereby enabling talented newcomers to start up

their careers and genres other than feature leng-

th fiction films to be noticed. This support has in

particular been strengthened through the esta-

blishment of new assistance mechanisms. Until

2000, the Commission’s support took the exclu-

sive form of Indicative Programmes (national

and regional) and the all ACP fund for countries

which had signed the Lomé Convention and had

included culture as one of their fields of interven-

tion. In 2000, in order to provide more global and

regular support of ACP cinema, the European

Commission launched an ACP cinema supportprogramme using the all ACP fund.

AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE

Production of feature length fiction or animated films: 100 000 to 400 000 euros

Production of short or medium length fiction or animated films, production of feature lengthdocumentaries: 30 000 to 150 000 euros

Production of telefilms, fiction or animated series, animated films for television: 30 000 to 80 000 euros

Colas, le dictionnaireby David Constantin

Un Héros by Zézé Gamboa Petite Lumière by Alain Gomis L'Héritierby Jean-Michel Kibushi

Zulu Love Letterby Ramadan Suleman

Na Cidade Vazia by Maria João G. The Wooden Cameraby Ntshaveni Wa Luruli

Kabongo le griotby Pierre Sauvalle

Mahaleoby Raymond Rajaonarivelo