Everyone’s talking about Abidjan. The city has become the epicenter of the French-speaking African audiovisual industry – it’s where professionals come to be seen. The country is only beginning to reestablish itself following ten years of conflict and political turbulence, and yet an Ivorian creative scene is emerging, made up of promising talents, engaged technicians, visionary broadcasters and ambitious producers whose vision extends beyond the frontiers. Ivorian fiction is the best ambassador for the CÔTE D’IVOIRE, where creativity is in the cultural DNA and overwhelming natural surroundings and barren landscapes beckon to cinematographers from around the world. As movie theatres gradually disappear from the landscape, the future appears to point at television, and the transition to digital will allow the entire audiovisual industry to take flight on a global scale. Hollywood, Bollywood, Nollywood have all had their moments; now it’s time to welcome Babiwood.
Mrs Affoussiata Bamba Lamine, Ministry 102 of Communication, in her office in Abidjan
Babiwood — DISBOOK #5 | 2014
“The Liberalization Of The Audiovisual Sector And The Move To Digital Terrestrial Television Will Bring Deep Changes” — An interview with Mrs. Affoussiata Bamba-Lamine, Minister of Communication of the Republic of CÔTE D’IVOIRE An interview by Baudelaire Mieu in Abidjan
— DISBOOK: Madam Minister, can you paint a picture of Ivorian TV for Disbook? Affoussiata Bamba-Lamine: In December 2013, Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) celebrated 50 years of existence. Here are some important dates. On August 7, 1963, Ivorian TV launched black and white programs, whose reach was limited to Abidjan and its suburbs. In 1964, RTI’s programs, broadcasted by terrestrial microwave transmission, could reach the center of the country, covering cities such as Yamoussoukro – the current political capital – Bouaké, Daloa, Sinfra and Séguéla. Ten years later, color TV appeared, reaching approximately half of the national territory and broadcasting one program per day. A second program would not be added until between 1980 and 1981. In 1994, broadcasting started to operate with the satellite Intelsat, through the program COMSAT. Thus, it became possible to reach 96% of the territory. The real start of the modernization of production equipment came when we purchased digital cameras and virtual flatbed editors.
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On the cusp of the liberalization of the audiovisual sector and the move to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) - two processes that will bring deep changes - RTI, as a governmental organization, is preparing for the stakes. In anticipation of the liberalization, RTI must go through a genuine revolution by taking two main actions: strengthening its human and technological capabilities and investing in production and distribution so that we can make attractive content, more suited to the expectations of an increasingly demanding audience. Thus, a new department, RTI DISTRIBUTION, was created within Ivorian Television. It should allow our national TV to establish itself as a renowned actor on the African audiovisual scene. The creation of this department also has the goal of supporting Ivorian producers in the marketing and promotion of their works internationally.
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The rise of DTT will be beneficial for everyone, including RTI. As a matter of fact, the establishment of DTT will enable new operators to come onto the market, providing jobs to young adults, improving the quality of TV coverage, improving the sound and image quality and facilitating better access to information for the population. D: The liberalization of the audiovisual space and the move to digital media are clearly the two biggest stakes. A. B-L.: Indeed. In anticipation of the liberalization, some steps are already being taken. A legal framework is being drawn up through the revision of the law that regulates audiovisual communication. The High Authority on Audiovisual Communication (HACA), the regulatory body for the audiovisual sector, is getting ready to face the liberalization process and to welcome the historical operator, RTI, as well as other operators, in the first multiplex. This liberalization offers several advantages. The audience will be able to access other programs. Audiovisual production will develop and, at the same time, new jobs will be created and an important source of income will be generated. However, I remain cautious because, as the President of the Republic reminded us, the liberalization of the audiovisual space will require private operators to take responsibility for not reproducing the mistakes that were made during the “spring” of the written press in 1990. It is also a good occasion to clarify a point by reminding people that our current President of the Republic, HE Alassane Ouattara, a former Prime minister (1989-1993), is the one who initiated the first stage of the liberalization when he enabled the creation of private radio stations.
D: Concerning the move to digital TV, do you think you will be able to follow the schedule that has been laid out for 2015? B-L.: The migration process from analog to digital TV is non-reversible. If our country is somehow behind schedule, we can fill in the gaps quickly, given the interest our government has in this issue. The schedule, proposed by the Migration National Committee, has planned the following steps from now until the first quarter of 2015: the vote and
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enactment of the law regulating audiovisual communication; the adoption of the decree forbidding the import and marketing of equipment terminals with an analog reception; an awareness campaign on DTT and its advantages; the creation of a broadcasting company and the establishment of an economic model; support to the population in terms of tax exemptions on equipment and reception terminals; the evaluation of the broadcasting network and its creation in the framework of a public-private partnership, according to the propositions of the Migration Strategy to DTT Committee that have been adopted by the government; the composition of the first multiplex with the historical operator RTI and three or four editing operators. The first simulcast broadcasting could take place before the first quarter of 2016, by which time the Ivorian authorities will consider it appropriate. There should be 15 channels in total. D: What is your opinion on the vitality of Ivorian audiovisual production? A. B-L.: Compared to Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire’s production is still feeble. However, Ivorian production is diverse and the rise of DTT could help to give it a boost. Efforts have been made by the government to support and encourage those who choose to become professional producers. Côte d’Ivoire can count on the talents of its producers and actors, who are renowned worldwide. D: Côte d’Ivoire is the Country of Honor at DISCOP Africa 2014. What would you like to showcase about your country on this occasion? A. B-L.: Côte d’Ivoire is proud to be participating in DISCOP Africa 2014 as a “host country”. It intends to demonstrate its skills in the realm of audiovisual production. This event also offers Côte d’Ivoire the opportunity to reassert its commitment to developing this sector by producing highquality and attractive content. RTI DISTRIBUTION will officially present its Ivorian productions catalog. The other Ivorian entities that will be in our space here will be presenting the economic, agricultural, cultural and touristic potential of Côte d’Ivoire. I’m referring to CONSEIL CAFÉCACO, les PORTS AUTONOMES D’ABIDJAN (PAA), SAN-PEDRO (PASP) and PETROCI. DISCOP Africa 2014 is a showcase that allows us to reposition our country on the international level and to show how we plan to advance by 2020.
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DISBOOK #5 | 2014 — Babiwood
Building An International Network While Reconnecting Côte d’Ivoire With Their TVs General Manager Ahmadou Bakayoko’s vision for RTI
RTI’s key individuals: (L-R) Mariama Da Chagas, Directrice de RTI Publicité; Didier Bléou, Directeur de Fréquence 2; About Haugot, Directeur des Finances et de la Comptabilité; Cissé Mohamed Lamine, Directeur des Fictions et des Documentaires; Ahmadou Bakayoko, Directeur Général; Touré Sanga, Directeur des Chaînes TV
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Babiwood — DISBOOK #5 | 2014
An interview by Baudelaire Mieu in Abidjan
DISBOOK: Since you’ve been nominated as the head of RTI, you have spoken about your desire to innovate, and you expressed your commitment to reviving audiovisual media in Ivory Coast. You even said you want to “set another rhythm for the public network”. Can you describe your vision for tomorrow’s RTI? Ahmadou Bakayoko: Before we speak about the future, it is important to focus on what RTI represents today. The public group - created 50 years ago - is present across all media: TV, radio, Internet, and is composed of several TV and radio channels, in order to satisfy the diverse needs of the population. Tomorrow’s RTI will build upon what already exists and will anticipate the year 2020 with quality entertainment shows, similar to the ones broadcast on big international networks. Tomorrow’s RTI will be able to establish partnerships with other channels. Lastly, RTI will be a key player in the development of Ivorian fiction shows. D: As part of this development policy and in order to give a boost the fields of scriptwriting, production and moviemaking, you launched the competition “New Talents”. Have the results lived up to your expectations? Will it lead to new productions? A.M: The first step, related to screenwriting, was finalized during DISCOP Africa 2013. I spoke with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), which gave us its financial support to launch the competition. We decided to keep two projects from a list of over a hundred. One of them is being rewritten with a script adviser and the second one is already in development – the pilot will be shot in early 2015. We also selected a dozen candidates with high potential and gave them writing classes. We might go back to them next year.
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D: How much should public channels focus on fiction and entertainment? A.M: RTI has a triple mission: to educate, inform and entertain. Fiction shows are not just entertaining. They can also be educational. For example, we developed projects around albinism, during which we broadcast awareness messages. Our entertainment must respect our ethical code: we can say “no” to content that does not match our public service mission. D: In what order would you rank the major stakes of Ivorian TV: modernizing technological tools/ training professionals/ improving the quality of programs/ giving a boost to national production/ enhancing the Ivorian culture? A.M: Everything is urgent! But in my opinion the first priority is the human being. RTI is 50 years old and it benefits from qualified human resources. The real stake is to let our staff come into contact with international methods and practices. Then we will focus on modernizing the tools. This basis should allow us to improve our programs and enhance the Ivorian culture (which is at the heart of our mission), and help us to give a boost to national production. D: Are you intending to replace the Latin American telenovela? A.M: Historically, RTI has been the first African channel to produce satirical fiction shows – and several “classic” African fictions have been written or shot by RTI’s staff members. We do our best to promote the brand “Babiwood” (the name comes from Babi, which
means Abidjan in Ivorian slang) and to develop Ivorian productions - whether they come from RTI or from an external company. For a year, RTI has been broadcasting Ivorian productions in primetime, twice a week – and this is a first. One third of our scheduling is devoted to international fiction shows, such as telenovelas, and two thirds is devoted to African productions – among which 25% come from Ivory Coast and the rest from Cameroon, Nigeria or South Africa. There’s a clear emphasis on African fiction. It has become a priority axis of development. That being said, Ivorians also want to watch shows from elsewhere, meaning that telenovelas will continue to be a part of our scheduling. D: I read some statements you made about “recovering the national TV scheduling”. Can you give examples of this recovery? What is your goal in the medium term? A.M: From 2012 to 2013, we saw a rise of over 30% in the audience share (and 2014 figures will be published soon).
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DISBOOK #5 | 2014 — Babiwood
Ahmadou Bakayoko (center), the General Manager of RTI, announcing the winners of the first edition of the New Talents competition, whose goal was to discover talented young screen writers
The improvement in the quality of our programs and the development of fiction has persuaded Ivorians to watch “their” TV more and more – these results are confirmed by qualitative surveys. After long years of crisis, it appeared that RTI did not always play a unifying role. Our goal is to develop this fertile ground for cohesion and promotion of national culture. Ivorians must reconnect with their TV. D: Is distribution of programs part of your project? What is your goal in terms of export sales? A.M: We just created RTI Distribution since we have demands from other African countries, but also from international channels seeking African content. Our first success has been the sale of the show “Intervilles” to TV5. We also have a high demand for our satirical fiction shows. Thanks to DISCOP Africa, we are going to further develop this distribution activity because there is a strong potential. It is not unrealistic to believe that this activity could represent, in three years or so, 5 to 10% of our income.
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D: Ivory Coast is the Country of Honor at DISCOP Africa 2014. Why do you think it is good timing for the country to bring forward its national TV, its producers and its personalities? What results do you expect? A.M: African content is becoming more and more successful abroad, which means it is the right timing to introduce the men and women leading this evolution. We are 100% sure we will sell programs during DISCOP. We also want to meet new producers, whether Kenyan, South African, Angolan, Malian or Senegalese. And we hope we will speak with young producers since RTI intends to become a key player in African-speaking production. D: What is you favorite saying or personal “mantra”? A.M: “The sky is the limit”, because I am definitely an optimistic person. This saying sums up this state of mind perfectly.
D: What makes you wake up every morning? A.M: I am a passionate person and when I wake up in the morning, I am driven by the passion to finalize all of my projects.
COTE D’IVOIRE GUEST
AT
COUNTRY OF HONOR FROM NOVEMBER 5TH TO 7TH
2014 in
Ministère de l’Intégration Africaine et des ivoiriens de l’Extérieur
Johannesburg
CLUB CIGARE-ZINO Rue des Jardins, close to the Hayat supermarket Deux Plateaux, Cocody +225 07 60 96 77 •
City Guide: Bernard Azria’s Must-Sees In Abidjan
LE TOIT D’ABIDJAN Hotel Sofitel Ivoire, Cocody +225 22 48 26 26 • LA CASE EBENE Rue Botro Russelle, Plateau +225 20 21 21 20 • LA CROISETTE Rue Botreau Roussel, Plateau +225 20 21 27 86 • HOTEL PARTICULIER Route du Lycée Technique Rue B 52, Cocody +225 22 44 16 16 – +225 22 44 67 37 infos@hotelparticulier-abj.com www.hotelparticulier-abj.com • COUCOUET LODGE In Assinie (one hour drive from Abidjan) Reservations +225 07 07 77 69 www.coucouet_lodge.com
Nicknamed the “Manhattan of the Tropics,” Abidjan, the largest city in the Ivory Coast, boasts spectacular views and a bustling tourism industry. But as any world traveler knows, the key to the city is always found in the pockets of the locals. Bernard Azria, founder and CEO of Côte Ouest Audiovisual, spoke with Disbook about the wonders of the “Pearl of the Lagoons,” and unveiled his personal sightseeing tips.
human relations I built there, with a touch of tenderness and nostalgia for the places where my children were born and grew up. And, obviously, the amazing Assinie … its unique smell and its endless skyline. A memorable meal? I had some great moments at the restaurant Le Toit d’Abidjan. The tasty cuisine and the stunning view make this place magical. Bernard Azria, last september, at L’Hôtel Particulier in Cocody
What do you like most about Abidjan? First of all, the atmosphere of this vibrating city, its different neighborhoods, each is bearing its own singularity. The joy and the optimism that the inhabitants never lost despite the tough periods they went through. The fraternity and authenticity of
What is your favorite view of the city? The discovery of the Ivorian Manhattan from the Houphouet-Boigny Bridge. From the top of the Ébrié Lagoon, you can see the wonderful bay and its coconut trees. What are your favorite restaurants? Le Toit d’Abidjan, La Case Ebene, and obviously the unavoidable Croisette.
I might be their most frequent customer since they opened. Which hotel would you recommend to your friends? L’hôtel Particulier with its unique charm, its relaxing Zen garden and its concealed doors. What is the first thing you do when you arrive? I go out and have a drink with friends. What is the best place for a business meeting? Le Club Cigare. To spend a weekend or rest outside of the city, what would you recommend? Get invited by a friend who owns a hut in Assinie. And if you’re not that lucky, spend your weekend at Coucouet Lodge.
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MISTER NANKAM How a French-Cameroonian would-be farmer gave voice to the youth of Ivory Coast
By Françoise Lazard
It was the early-’90s and Jean-Hubert Nankam was a French-Cameroonian studying in France. He’d have been a pilot if he had done better in math, and might still have become a farmer like his grandfather, but after watching TV5 Africa for the first time, Nankam’s life was forever altered. Today, he’s one of the most emblematic TV producers in Ivory Coast, collaborating with Canal+ for some time on the development of French-speaking African cinema.
Jean-Hubert Nankam, photographed in in Abidjan at H. Studios, in February 2014. Photo Romain Court
In 1993, he met Maktar Silla, the director of TV5 at the time, and asked him to produce for the channel. “Go learn the business of being a producer and come see me”, he told Nankam. A year and some distance learning later, TV5 placed an order for film production, so he created Martika Production. He had been passionate about the Ivory Coast, fascinated by their changing political landscape and by their mosaic
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A set photo from the series “Teenager.” The actors who interpret the roles are non-professional adolescents. They continue their studies as they work. “We want stars,” says J.H. Nankam, “but stars with diplomas.”
of cultures that were unique to the continent: Nankam proposed to produce a documentary presenting this distinct Ivorian dynamic. “I got the OK from TV5,” he says, “and I left for the Ivory Coast in April of 1994 and have never left!”
producer,” he says. “I’m not a writer. I’m not an editor or a cameraman. My mission is to propose ideas to my teams. I get a project rolling and give everyone the possibility to play his part.”
“To my great surprise,” says Nankam, “the then-director of RTI (Ivorian Radio Broadcasting) appreciated that a Cameroonian would come to the Ivory Coast to do a documentary. He gave me a co-production deal. I had the audacity to then propose that I produce three hours of direct feed on the occasion of the grand forum closing, “Investing in the Ivory Coast.” Just after that, Nankam produced an economicpolitical program for RTI for the next seven years without interruption “and without any political pressure or influence,” he makes clear.
He’s certainly an initiator, but he’s also tenacious, as his recent productions will most notably testify such as “Class A” and “Teenager,” projects in which he invested body and soul for several years. “I’ll invest up to four years to make a project that I believe in happen, which is the case for my next productions. The most important thing is to really follow through until the program is on the air. My one virtue is taking the initiative … and then finding the resources to make it happen.” Our conversation comes around to the famous series “Teenager,” a production that comes on the heels of the immensely successful “Class A” and the impact it had on adolescents. “As we
“You will never see my name in the credits as anything other than
went around touring the country promoting “Class A,” we realized that our show was mainly being watched by teenagers. “Class A” was a series for a slightly older crowd, but was huge among the 13-18 year old demographic. It was then I felt that we needed to propose a series for the public that was really for them.” The concept for “Teenager” is clear: produce a series that adolescents can identify with and recognize and share the dreams of the characters. The concept seems to have hit the nail on the head since it has attained cult status not only in Ivory Coast but also in Cameroon, Gabon, Benin as well as Burkina Faso and Senegal. Nine African countries bought the first season, including TV5 and Telesud; 11 countries bought the second season including TV5, Telesud and Canal+ (the new channel A+ bought the first two seasons).
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Sylvain Kouadio, photographed in Abidjan last September. He wrote the script for “Teenager” with such realism that the series has had a real impact on adolescents in French-speaking Africa. Photo Pierre-François Kacou
“It’s a complicated series to produce because we are working with young non-professionals. We’re looking at a global startup that exceeds the traditional role of producer. Not only are you shooting with teenagers, but also you have to convince and get approval from the parents, commit to ensuring that they don’t miss their studies and put very specific rules in place. The children become part of a team for two years and are contractually obligated to make progress in their studies and adopt what we call a ‘teen attitude.’ They have to become an example to society and in their everyday life. Not just a producer, Nankam is now the head of a very large family that counts tens of thousands of adolescents that interact and respond to questions posted on the series Facebook page (www.myteenager.info). Season three will not be called “Teenager.” It will be called “Gap” because the kids who started watching the show at 13-15 are now young adults coming into their own. “It’s a disruptive moment in a young person’s life,” explains Nankam. “They think they know everything but they don’t know
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anything about school or life, so season three will get into this clash brought on by the ‘gap’ between dreams and reality.” Because “Teenager” has such a big impact on kids, Nankam was able to secure his production budget due to strategic partnerships with big brands like Orange and Coca Cola in Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon and Airtel in Burkina Faso. For 2015, Nankam has announced work on two new concepts: “Little Kisses” (“P’tit Bisou”), targeted at women ages 22-35 and “Olive Green” (“Vert Olive”). “You’ll like the concepts,” he assures without revealing much other than to say that “Olive Green” is a series of 12 films of 52 minutes each telling a complete story. Since 2014, he’s been a fiction consultant for the A+ channel for Canal+. “This experience will make me a better producer in the years to come,” he says. His real challenge now will be to find a way to successfully enter the
Occidental and Englishspeaking market with re-edited and dubbed products. “The authorities have to understand there is no better way to ‘sell’ a country than a film, which is a product that circulates around the world and that it is interesting and important to invest in.” We finish our conversation with what he thinks about the state of the audiovisual industry in Ivory Coast. “The evolution in this sector is real,” says Nankam. “There are plenty of young people that started to produce at the same time I did, and today, there is an enthusiastic amount of diversity. This is what we want to show with our Ivorian delegation that will be attending DISCOP Africa. We are also interested in testing Ivorian content in an international context. The Ivory Coast is without a doubt the country in Frenchspeaking Africa with the most potential. It’s the country that interests me the most. It’s here where I want to continue to work.”
DISBOOK #5 | 2014 — Babiwood
Toure began her career in 2008 in small roles in “Unripened Fruit”, “Today, Tomorrow and Forever” and “The Ideal Guy” before hitting the mainstream in her role as Kathy in the hit series “Signature”, and later as Emeraude in “Brouteurs. com.” Today, she’s considered one of the most promising talents in Ivory Coast. As a viewer, she says she watches English-speaking programs, “a leftover habit from living in Ghana for three years.
KADHY TOURE
“Ten years from now, I hope to be a successful actress-producer,” says Toure. “One of my dreams is revolutionize fiction in French-speaking Africa and to be known worldwide.” While she waits on projects in development behind the scenes, Toure is a multilingual interpreter and translator.
“It was while watching American TV series for teens that I decided I wanted to be an actor,” he tells us. “I was motivated by the natural ease with which the actors interpreted their roles.” When he saw his first casting announcement, he ran toward the opportunity. Out of all the adolescents that auditioned, N’Guessan was chosen to play Joël in “Teenager.” He says, “If, in 10 years, my dream of becoming a great actor has not come true, I can imagine myself as the head of a petrol company. I already have my technical degree specializing in mines and hydrocarbons.”
ANGE N’GUESSAN
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Babiwood — DISBOOK #5 | 2014
Mike Danon is a protean artist: a musician, actor, writer and director. Having already been part of the theater scene before his work on teen series “Class A” and “Teenager,” he’s passionate about every aspect of the artistic chain. “If I’d become a doctor, I’d be in General Medicine,” he jokes, “so, in my field, we say I’m an artist.”
MIKE DANON
To pay for his productions, he produced music albums and held concerts. Danon’s principle roles next to other well-known actors like Serge Abessolo, Emma Lohoues and Marie-Louise Asseu in “The Ideal Guy” (“Le Mec idéal”, directed by Owell Brown, Bronze Stallion at Fespaco 2013) have positioned him as one of the major players in Babiwood.
Street talks in abidjan Photos: Pierre-François Kacou
“Ivorian fiction can’t develop unless it reaches out to others”, he says. “The methodology and the people will get better. If you put the motor of a bug inside of a Ferrari, your car will only look like a Ferrari.” He’s awaiting financing on a series called “Little Kisses” (“P’ti Bisou”), scheduled to begin in 2015 at Martika Production (for which he is both the co-writer and assistant director), is in post-production on a two short films – “I’ll Stay” for Digital Cinema Group and the animated “Soundiata, Waking the Lion” for Afrika Toon – and is working on another short film that just shot in the area in September.
Jocelyne Nagueu was 13 when she went to the audition for “Teenager” and was chosen for the role of Iris. “Film has become a great passion that I want to pursue. I dream that people discover me through my roles and appreciate my talent,” she says. “In 10 years, I can see myself as the CFO of a company as well as an internationally well-known actress and of course, as a mother.” When she’s not shooting “Teenager”, she attends school.
JOCELYNE NAGUEU
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A celebrity in Ivory Coast, Alain Guikou writes, directs and produces his own highly popular television series (“Signature” and “Brouteurs.com”), which run on RTI as well as other international channels. He also directed “And if God Didn’t Exist”, (“Et si Dieu n’existait pas”) a rare feature film in West Africa produced by Africans and released in theaters outside the festival circuit. “Movies are a childhood dream,” he tells Disbook. “In 1978, I saw ‘Big Boss’ with Bruce Lee, and as we came out of the theater, I announced that I would be a a “maker” of movies. I was eight!” He learned directing on-the-job by working on publicity spots, reading movie reviews and watching movies. It’s a true passion: “I watch three movies and two TV series a day. When I’m watching a show or a film, I observe everything: the lights,
ALAIN MARCEL GUIKOU
GUY KALOU
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the décor, the costumes …” According to Guikou, Ivorian cinema has the talent and technique but it lacks funding. “Today, theatrical releases are rare,” he says, “but it’s still possible to make a profit with a TV series. With the arrival of digital technology, Ivorian fiction is going to evolve.” Guikou is obsessive about detail and quality. “To be able to make it on the international market, you have to really work hard”, he says. “I push myself to make it better each time.” He is currently negotiating with interested broadcasters for the second season of “Brouteurs.com,” after which he’s on to a new adventure: a 52-episode animated series called “Gbi The Panther.”
Guy Kalou has been all over the screen in a number of genres, from “Lost Illusion” and “Interior Exil” to “Dr. Boris,” “Signature” and “The Virus.” Considered one of Ivory Coast’s best and most visible actors in Ivory Coast, Kalou also works with a cosmetic company (he has a Master’s in both Applied Criminology and Marketing) and his wife, Victoire Kouassi Kalou, wrote a film he produced in 2012,
“And if God Didn’t Exist” (“Et si Dieu n’existait pas”), which brought together the icons of Ivorian cinema (Akisi Delta, Thérèse Taba and Norbert Etranny) and paired them with a new generation of actors (Marie Christine Beugré, Laury Koffi and Kalou himself). “In my opinion, this new generation needs to bring people in to the movies,” says Kalou.
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Photo: Romain Court
CLAUDIUS HAWMMOND
It was his passion for cinema and music (mostly jazz) that led Claudius Hawmmond on an adventure with H. Studios. After a fulfilling military career, he pursued his passion and went off to meet with young Ivorian talent. The studios opened in 2013 and in only a few months have become a hot place in Abidjan. They say they have best quality materials to rent, make recordings or do post-production.
“In the Ivory Coast, the young people don’t have a way to express themselves,” says Claudius, “and it’s frustrating to watch all of this creative potential used for profit by everything coming from the outside.” H. Studios has a comprehensive voiceover database featuring over 100 voice actors in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Their catalog is indexed by age, tone and performance.
ABEL KOUAME
Under the stage name Kan Soufflé, 36-year-old Kouame is an ambassador for the emerging Ivorian animation scene. Afrika Toon is a 2D/3D animation studio that he co-founded in 2005 based on the successful illustrated magazine “Gbich!” It produced the first animated film in the history of Ivory Coast: “Pokou Princess Ashanti” (2013) which tells the story of an African princess during the 17th Century.
Mixing the same ingredients of humor, magic and dreams, Afrika Toon has just finished their second feature, “Soundiata Keïta, Waking the Lion,” released theatrically in Abidjan in October, and being presented to TV channels during DISCOP Africa 2014. “Soundiata Keïta” tells the story of a legendary sub-Saharan African hero, the founder of the Manding Empire, which would later become Mali.
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The Student Scribe: A Fresh Ivorian Voice Emerges – A 23-year-old Ivorian wins a competition with a screenplay she wrote without her parents knowing
Ambre (synopsis) “In a flourishing Ivory Coast in the year 2020, John Kavally is a young Ivorian infected by the chemical weapon Ambre, a virus created under apartheid and coveted by the Ivorian intelligence. Led to believe that he is protecting national security against a terror attack, John becomes the ultimate weapon within the hands of the Strategic Intelligence Regulation and Vigilance Service. When he understands he has been manipulated, he decides to get revenge against his masters, but this revenge does not bring him any satisfaction.”
The TV script “Ambre” won second place in a competition held by the RTI (Ivorian Public Television) in March 2014, a contest whose goal was to discover talented young screenwriters. Its writer, Binta Dembélé, a marketing student in Abidjan, is the revelation of the competition. Here, she tells Disbook about the story and its journey to recognition.
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“I want to deepen my knowledge, fill in the gaps in the field of cinema, and if I get a chance, develop other projects. I also need to finish my studies, which I take very seriously.”
“I heard about the competition thanks to a happy combination of factors. I entered myself on a whim. Once I made my decision, I focused on the story I wanted to tell, not thinking of the reward at stake or the opinion the jury could have. After the announcement of the results, I was lucky to be mentored by three people: Marguerite Abouet, the author of Aya de Yopougon, and Guédéba Martin and Bertin Akafou – both are famous Ivorian screenwriters and directors. Their advice was priceless. I imagined John Kavally – the main character in my screenplay – during the post-electoral crisis in April 2011. Designing a fictional universe was a way for me to distance myself from the prevailing tensions. In the following years, I kept on writing during my down time, but I would never have thought to turn this
into a screenplay until I heard about the competition.
it undeniably triggers debate and reflection.
John’s story is simultaneously a retrospective of Africa’s history in the 20th century and a bet on the future. The young man’s past is intimately linked to key periods such as apartheid and, obviously, the decade of crisis that shook Ivory Coast, starting with the 1999 coup, but also encompassing the post-colonial era and the rise of Islamist terror groups in the southern Sahara, a predominant issue in the hero’s universe. At the same time, the series aims to show a futuristic Africa, with African states committed to economic development and to geopolitical relations worthy of the greatest world powers.
In a country where the movie industry needs to renew itself, I believe that the RTI’s competition is an excellent way to discover untapped talent. The first one ever attracted more than 150 participants; some of them even came from the sub-region. This shows that there is, in Ivory Coast and in Frenchspeaking Africa, a creative hothouse that needs only to be tapped.
The notion that Africa is the future, in a time when many international movies depict a dark and apocalyptic future, is, to me, one of the screenplay’s strengths, because
Where do I see myself 10 years from now? This is a tough question and I’m not sure I have a very precise answer. My father would like me to become a magistrate. An entire decade will certainly be necessary to make him change his mind! I like to think that I will keep on writing, whether for my own pleasure or in a professional context. But the future is full of options.” – Binta Dembélé, Abidjan, July 2014
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THE ANIMATION OF DREAMS: AFRIKA TOON USHERS IN IVORIAN 3-D Last year’s Afrika Toon’s “Pokou, Princess Ashanti”, became the first Ivorian 3-D animated film. This year, the same team is launching “Soundiata Keïta, Waking the Lion”. The tale, based on the history of the legendary founder of the Malian empire, is a blend of magic, epic adventure and humor, seeming plucked straight from the dreams of African kids. “It’s important for Ivorian children, and African children, to see the characters they know,” says Afrika Toon’s Abel Kouame.
www.afrikatoon.com
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