Sango Malo
A rebellious schoolteacher shakes up a village school in the Centre Region
- Directed by :
- Bassek ba Kobhio
- Genre :
- Fiction
- Running time :
- 1 h 35
The story
Malo, a young graduate of the teacher-training college in Yaoundé, is posted to the village of Lebamzip. Against his headmaster, who favours an academic syllabus modelled on the French system, he argues for schooling suited to local realities, valuing manual work and self-reliance. He sets out to transform not only the classroom but village life too.
Why it matters
Bassek ba Kobhio's first feature, adapted from his own novel Sango Malo, le maître du canton (1991). It is often described as a classic of African cinema. Its director went on to found the Écrans Noirs festival in Yaoundé, which he ran until his death in May 2026.
Filming
Cameroon; a Cameroon–Burkina Faso co-production. The story is set in Lebamzip, a village in the Sa'a district (Lékié, Centre region).
Awards and selections
- Un Certain Regard selection, Cannes Film Festival 1991
- Audience Award, 2nd African Film Festival of Milan, 1992