Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougu
The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of
Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso, is the festival that paved the way for the
further development and international recognition of African filmmakers.
Introduced in 1969, it has become the largest and most prestigious event of its kind on the continent, each
year drawing thousands of visitors and industry professionals - from Africa and
abroad. The festival’s competition remains, however, exclusive to African
filmmakers, which fosters the growth of the film industry across African
countries, as well as encourages political and social dialogue across borders.
Accordingly, FESPACO organises non-profit screenings in rural areas, enhancing
its instrumental role in Africa’s aspiring cinematic vision.
National Arts Festival
For 11 days,
the small university city of Grahamstown, South Africa, comes to life with the
most ambitious art gathering in the African calendar. Both the main and the
fringe festivals offer a rich
selection of drama, dance, film, visual art and music from South African and
international guests, as well as workshops that attract hundreds of thousands
of visitors. The National Arts Festival also shows great support to budding talent with
its Young Artist Awards, while
the vibrant Village Green Fair complements the event with a showcase of
well-crafted local goods.
Gnaoua World Music Festival
For
four days, the streets, beaches and historic sites of Essaouira, Morocco, echo
the ancient Gnaoua rhythms and traditions. The Gnaoua World Music Festival not only assures this
rich African Islamic heritage reasserts its former glory, but also injects traditional
Gnaoua with a breath of new life through Latin, jazz, Sufi and pop fusions,
courtesy of the international artists that come to exchange ideas and sounds
with the Gnaoua maalems. Already in its 16th year, the festival is a
true celebration of music and spirituality.
Festival in the Desert
Although
this year’s festival has been marred by the much-publicised conflict in
Mali, which led to the indefinite postponement of the Laongo branch of
the Caravan, this by no means diminishes the cultural influence and
significance of the event. An annual platform for the music of the
Sahara’s nomadic Tuareg people, the Festival in the Desert has seen some exceptional
musicians visit its territory, with Robert Plant, Ali Farka Touré and
Tinariwen all having made appearances. In defiance of the unrest in
Mali, the festival was awarded with the 2013 Freemuse Award for
championing free musical expression.
Cairo International Book Fair
The oldest and biggest book
fair of the Arab world, the Cairo International Book Fair is also one of the
most ambitious, reaching up to 2 million visitors a year. For nearly three
weeks, hundreds of booksellers from 35 countries gather to offer a wide
selection of material in Arabic, English and other languages, while parallel
events like lectures, poetry evenings and art performances spice up the fair’s
calendar. One can assume that it is not by chance that Egyptian people are,
according to the Head of the General Egyptian Book Organization, among the
biggest per capita book buyers in the world.
Cairo International Film Festival
Cairo’s other mega scale event is also the Arab world’s oldest for international film, already in its 36th
year and counting. Inaugurated during Egypt’s golden age of cinema, it
has continued to support and promote Arab and international filmmaking,
with a Human Rights Competition, African Cinema, Tolerance &
Intolerance films, tributes and more. The Cairo International Film Festival brings to its
audience a wide spectrum of cinematic choice that offers a break from
the general regime of local and Hollywood films. Though the festival was
cancelled during 2011’s Egyptian Revolution, it is now back and going
strong.
Harare International Festival of the Arts
The
Zimbabwean capital hosts one of the continent’s biggest art events, a
week-long platform of multi-disciplinary art and performance. Bringing
together theatre, dance, music, circus, street performance, spoken word,
visual arts, as well as an audience with diverse cultural backgrounds
and ideas, the Harare International Festival of the Arts is a celebration of creativity and imagination which has managed to
survive the difficult socio-political and economic conditions that have
plagued Zimbabwe over the years. The 14th edition’s main theme is, appropriately, What’s Next…
Dakar Biennial
Senegal’s
Dak'Art - Biennale de l'Art Africain Contemporain focuses on
contemporary art from the African continent and the African Diaspora.
Celebrating its 10th
edition in 20 years, over the years, the event has showcased an
intriguing palette of everything ranging from new media to figurative
art. Meanwhile, the Dak’Art OFF ensures “the freedom of artistic
expression and the democracy of visibility for all” with a series of
spontaneous, independent happenings around the main event.
Zanzibar International Film Festival
The Zanzibar International Film Festival, or Festival of the Dhow Countries is hailed as East Africa’s
largest film, music and arts festival. Each year, the festival takes over
the island to screen film submissions that reflect its theme, which
changes annually. From world premieres to local shorts, the festival focuses
on radical creation and quality, rewarding excellence in a final night
of awards. Artists from around the continent and international guests
draw the creative crowd with a series of music events, performances,
discussion panels, exhibitions, cultural tours and workshops, turning
this into a top attraction for Tanzania.
by Danai Molocha
Published: The Culture Trip, http://theculturetrip.com/africa/articles/ten-of-the-best-african-cultural-events/ March 2013.
Published: The Culture Trip, http://theculturetrip.com/africa/articles/ten-of-the-best-african-cultural-events/ March 2013.
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