Tam-tam à Paris
The first film directed by a woman from sub-Saharan Africa
- Directed by :
- Thérèse Sita-Bella
- Genre :
- Documentary (short film)
- Running time :
- 30 min
The story
A thirty-minute report on traditional dance, following Cameroon's national dance company on its tour of the French capital.
Why it matters
It is frequently cited as the first film made by a woman from sub-Saharan Africa. A journalist by training, Thérèse Sita-Bella is regarded as the first woman film-maker of Cameroon and of sub-Saharan Africa. The film was screened in 1969 at the first African film festival in Ouagadougou, the forerunner of FESPACO.
Filming
Paris, during a tour by Cameroon's national dance company.
Awards and selections
- Screened at the first African film festival in Ouagadougou (1969), forerunner of FESPACO
What sources disagree on
Sources waver on the date: the film is dated 1963, but 1969 also appears, which is the year it was screened in Ouagadougou.