WIPO Sponsors Local African Cinema Fest
Geneva, November 8, 2002
Press Releases PR/2002/333
The World Intellectual Property Organization is to co-sponsor the 8th series of "Journées du Cinéma africain" which is to be held in the Pays de Gex area (Ferney Voltaire, Divonne Les Bains and Gex) from November 12 to 22, 2002. This annual event offers a panorama of films from French-speaking Africa. The program features a number of premiers as well as a series of roundtable discussions and cultural evenings offering an opportunity for the public to meet and exchange views with the film producers, actors and other professionals working in the African film industry. For further details of the program, please see: www.ifrance.com/journeesducinemaafricain.
This is the third consecutive year in which WIPO has partnered this local event which offers an insight into the variety and depth of subjects represented by the films and documentaries featured in the program. The focal point of WIPO's participation is the premier screening of Si Gueriki, La Reine Mère by Idrissou Mora Kpai (Benin-France) and of Le Cinéma Africain ? by François Kotlarski and Eric Münsh, France in Divonne les Bains on Thursday, November 14, 2002.
Si Gueriki (La Reine Mère) is an autobiographical work that depicts the story of a young man's confrontation with his history, roots and culture. Le Cinéma Africain ? is a documentary in which African film producers attending the Panafrican Festival in Ouagadougou between 1999 and 2001, give their views on the situation of film-makers in Africa.
WIPO is working to support the growth of the film industry in the African region through its cooperation for development program. In addition to the provision of legal and technical advice, WIPO is supporting efforts to establish collective copyright management societies in the region. Collective copyright management societies are an important link between creators and users of copyrighted works (such as cinema outlets) because they ensure that, as owners of rights, creators receive payment for the use of their works.
For further information, please contact:
Tel: + 4122-3388161/3389547
Email: publicinf@wipo.int
Fax: +4122-3388810