Abderrahmane Sissako

Abderrahmane Sissako is a Mauritanian filmmaker whose humanist body of work sensitively explores the relationships between the Global North and South, as well as the social and political realities of the African continent. Born in 1961 in Kiffa and raised in Mali, he studied at the VGIK in Moscow, where he directed his first short films. After several notable works, including Life on Earth (1998), he gained international recognition with Heremakono – Waiting for Happiness (2002), awarded at Cannes and the FESPACO. Bamako (2006) affirmed his engaged cinematic voice, while Timbuktu (2014) achieved worldwide acclaim, winning seven César Awards and becoming the first Mauritanian film nominated for the Oscars. With Black Tea and the opera Le Vol du Boli, he continues to develop a poetic, political oeuvre opening further dialogues between cultures.