The Nouakchott International Film Festival, chaired by the famous Mauritanian director Abderrahman Lahi, recently held its first edition in the Mauritanian capital. This major cultural event attracted the attention of cinema lovers from all over the world. Over three days, festival-goers had the opportunity to discover 28 feature-length and short films from twelve different countries, highlighting the diversity and talent of international directors.
The opening evening was marked by the screening of the short film by Abdoulaye Sall, a promising young Mauritanian director. His film, which was presented at the last Cannes Film Festival, addresses the daily difficulties faced by street vendors returning to their country of origin to provide for their families. Inspired by his own experiences, the Fulani filmmaker wanted to tell a love story between a Fulani couple as well as the dilemmas faced by young people who hesitate between staying or leaving.
This first edition of the Nouakchott International Film Festival was a pride and a consecration for Abdoulaye Sall, who benefited from training as an editor in a prestigious post-production center in Senegal. For him, this festival represents a unique opportunity to promote Mauritanian cinema on an international scale and to further develop it in his country. It also highlights the importance of supporting young local talents and creating training opportunities to enable them to express themselves through cinema.
Mohamed El Moustapha El Bane, president of the Nouakchott International Film Festival, shares this vision and underlines the importance of training young Mauritanian filmmakers. Of the 28 films screened during the festival, 7 were produced during workshops specially organized for young local talents. He insists that Mauritania is full of talents and that it is necessary to support and encourage them. The festival offers a unique platform for the public of Nouakchott to discover these films and for the filmmakers to share their work with the whole world.
Unfortunately, the festival has been suspended until further notice due to national mourning for the victims of the Gaza hospital. However, the closing ceremony of the festival will reward the best international short and feature films, as well as those made on site using smartphones and during workshops.
The Nouakchott International Film Festival is a major event for promoting Mauritanian cinema and highlighting young local talents. Through the screening of films from all over the world, this festival contributes to the enrichment of the Mauritanian film scene and strengthens its influence on an international scale.