Closing night - Walking on water | Aïssa Maïga

Aïssa Maïga is one of international cinema's most politically engaged figures. First known for her work as an actress, most notably in front of the cameras of Alain Tanner (Jonas et Lila à demain), Cédric Klapisch (Les Poupées Russes), Michael Haneke (Caché), Abderrahmane Sissako (Bamako, for which she won a César) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind), she is also a filmmaker. After directing the documentary Regard noir, which questions the representation of black women on screen, she asserts and confirms her determination to take on contemporary struggles with Marcher sur l'eau, which premiered in Cannes. In 2018, Aïssa Maïga published the essay Noire n'est pas mon métier (Black is not my profession) alongside 15 French actresses, which exposed the discrimination and stereotypes black and mixed-race women face in the cultural world. In 2020, she made her mark on the César ceremony by denouncing the lack of diversity in French cinema.

Afrique Art & Engagement Femmes*

Saturday 12 March

20:00

Espace Pitoëff - Grande salle

Closing night - Followed by an interview with Aïssa Maïga.

French

Speakers

Aïssa Maïga actress, writer and filmmaker

Moderated by

Isabelle Gattiker General and artistic director of the FIFDH

This debat is preceded by the movie:

Compétition - Grand Reportage Films en VOD

Above water

By Aïssa Maïga

The village of Tatiste, in northern Niger, is falling victim to global warming: the drought is raging. Every day, 14-year-old Houlaye and her friends walk a great distance to fetch water, which prevents them from attending school. The lack of water also forces the adults to leave in search of resources. However, the region's subsoil hides a gigantic lake: its inhabitants are literally walking on water, and all it would take to improve their lives is a borehole. The village rallies...