African Film and Television Festival to kick off in Hanoi

The third African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO) in Vietnam will be held from May 25 to 29 at the Documentary and Science Film Studio, 465 Hoang Hoa Tham, Hanoi.

Five high-quality films, ranging from drama, tragedy, comedy, and documentary by African filmmakers will be screened.  

The Moroccan drama Ali Zaoua - Prince of the Streets will open this year's FESPACO Film Festival. It's about the friendship between Ali, Kwita, Omar and Boubker - street kids living in the city of Casablanca. Ali Zaoua wanted to become a sailor and travel around the world, but unfortunately, he died in a gang fight. From then on, the three remaining boys had only one goal: to organize a decent funeral for their friend.

The Moroccan drama Ali Zaoua - Prince of the Streets opens this year's FESPACO Film Festival. Photo: OIF

This moving film won awards at the International Francophone Film Festival of Namur, Belgium, 2000; the Stockholm International Film Festival, Sweden, 2000; the African Film and Television Festival, FESPACO, 2001; the Alexandrie International Film Festival, Egypt, 2001; the Amiens International Film Festival, France, 2000; and the Mediterranean Film Festival, Brussels, Belgium, 2000.

Other films Look at the Stars, The Augury, At the Film Cemetery and The Sadrack are all shown in their original language with Vietnamese and French or English subtitles and free admission.

The film festival is organized by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Asia-Pacific Regional Office of the International Organization of La Francophonie, the French Institute in Vietnam, and the Wallonia-Brussels Delegation in Vietnam on the occasion of Africa Day (May 25).

The African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO) was founded in 1969 and takes place every two years in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. All films are supported by the International Francophone Organization and have won many awards at prestigious film festivals around the world.