Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Ouagadougou (Agenzia Fides) - "Cinema is an important art in the life of African populations. Africans love TV and cinema in particular". This is what Father Donald Zagore, an Ivorian priest of the Society for African Missions (SMA), comments to Fides a few days after the celebration of the Pan-African Film Festival of Ouagadougou (Fespaco), which this year had as its motto, "African cinema and of the diaspora: new perspectives, new challenges".
"This is the largest African film event since 1969. The cinema represents a privileged and very powerful channel for transmitting messages, defending ideals and raising fundamental questions that affect the socio-economic, political and cultural life of populations. It is an event not to be missed, above all because it is an opportunity to make one's voice heard", says Zagore.
The missionary considers the role of the Church in Africa to be fundamental also in this sector, so that it distinguishes itself and makes it its own, with a rather engaging presence and participation. "This is the occasion when the Church can address issues essential to the well-being of African populations, addressing and debating certain issues with supporters of certain widespread ideals in the film industry". "Making full use of the cinema space for a much more relevant and innovative evangelizing activity is a necessity for the mission of the Church in Africa today", concludes the priest. Fespaco is a film festival that is organized every two years in the capital of Burkina Faso (see Fides, 28/2/2019). (DZ/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 27/10/2021)
