Banlieue Films Festival (BFF): Growing Cinephilia and Filmmaking in Senegal

Main author: Sendra Fernandez, Estrella
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-36709
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description This article examines small film festivals in the socio-cultural context of Senegal. Through the case study of the Banlieue Films Festival (BFF) in Dakar, founded in 2013 by Abdel Aziz Boye, I analyse the crucial role of festivals in strengthening the film industry, fostering cinephilia and encouraging the practical application of cultural policies. I suggest that contemporary film production, particularly, in the past five years (2015-2020) has been significantly shaped by grassroots initiatives that have eventually been transformed into structures. I also explore the role of “rooted cosmopolitans”, borrowing Kwame Appiah’s term in relation to the figure of Abdel Aziz Boye, who founded Cine UCAD at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, in Dakar, Cine Banlieue, and, upon returning to Senegal from France, the BFF. I discuss BFF’s various forms of legacy, concluding that it has been an active agent in forging a new cinephilia and inspiring a wave of young filmmakers in Senegal.
format Journal Article
author Sendra Fernandez, Estrella
author_facet Sendra Fernandez, Estrella
authorStr Sendra Fernandez, Estrella
author_letter Sendra Fernandez, Estrella
title Banlieue Films Festival (BFF): Growing Cinephilia and Filmmaking in Senegal
publisher AIM - Association of Moving Image Investigators
publishDate 2021
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/36709/