Nestled in between the cathedral and mosques of Ouagadougou lies the popular neighborhood of St. Leon. Ironically, it is here, not in the ritzy neighborhoods of Burkina Faso’s capital city—home to FESPACO, the renowned pan- African film festival—where veteran Cameroonian filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno encounters three captivating men who give him insight into the role of cinema in Africa today. Bouba runs a local “ciné-club,” a modest space with a thatched roof equipped with a TV, DVD player and benches, where all genres of movies are on the program. Despite a loyal public, he barely manages to make ends meet. Jules-Cesar is a musician who plays and makes his own drums. Abbo used to be an engineer but has decided to follow his heart and write for a living. Not only does he compose letters and fill out forms for his illiterate customers, he also posts philosophical musings on walls around the neighborhood. Historically, the drummer served as the official storyteller; but with the advent of cinema, is there still space for the traditional griot? With competition from larger, more luxurious— and more expensive—theaters, can the small ciné-club owner survive? In these times of laptops and cyber cafes, is there a future for the public writer? Amid rumors of the death of African cinema, Teno’s film proves that it still has a pulse. He intersperses interviews with a meditative voice-over, creating a dialogue not only with his subjects but also with his audience. In his journey off the beaten path, Teno offers a wonderfully insightful reflection on the current state of African film.

Filmmaker Q&A

Introduce yourself:
My name is Jean-Marie Teno and I was born in Cameroon (Africa). I arrived in France 30 years ago to go to College and stayed. I made my first film HOMAGE, a 13 minute autobiographical documentary film, in 1985 and after that I continued to use cinema as a tool for expressing my frustration and for challenging the dominant discourses and representations.

What inspired this film?   How did you find your subjects?
Like my previous films, SACRED PLACES is related directly to my life, my experiences and my encounters. The question underlying this film is the relation of African filmmakers to their public. This is an issue that I‘ve avoided looking into for a long time as many artists do, but that kept being thrown at me during numerous Q and A’s after my films. In Ouagadougou during Fespaco 2007, I was asked what was the relevance of making a documentary in Africa today if only a very few in wealthy neighborhoods could see them. So I visited St Leon, a poor neighborhood in Ouagadougou, and found Bouba, Jules Cesar and Abbo, my 3 main characters.

What were some of the biggest challenges/surprises?
It was a challenge trying to draw attention towards the things people have in front of them everyday but don’t bother to notice or don’t want to face. It was a surprise to see how knowledgeable people were about cinema in a place where you wouldn’t expect them to care about the culture.

Who are some of your favorite filmmakers?
I don’t have any. I’m not a religious person. I like the people behind some films and I like some films or some moments in some films.

What is your all time favorite documentary?
The next film I want to make.

What other projects are in the pipeline?
I have a few projects I’m producing and directing and a few I just want to produce.

Why did you become a filmmaker?
I loved watching films and because I hoped to change the world with images and sound. Today I continue making films because I love to tell stories and the world around me is full of stories that need to be told.

What are some of your creative influences?
The griot.

Did you go to film school?
No.

What do you shoot on?
I shot on DVC Pro 25

What has been the most unexpected thing to happen since taking the film on the festival circuit?
The fact that many people after the screening will come up to me to offer to help Bouba fulfill his dream by buying a flat screen TV for his video-club.

Why did you want to screen your film at SILVERDOCS?
Because people say it’s a great venue and a great audience. There are many professionals and commissioning editors coming here and doing workshops and there might hopefully be a possibility to do business.