The Pan-African Film Festival of Ouagadougou is the center of African cinemas. It offers a possibility to get acquainted with recent films and to meet the filmmakers from all over the continent. A lively cinema needs such a festival. FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics, appreciated it a lot when in 2010 the offer for a cooperation had been discussed. As a most welcome result, FIPRESCI has been invited to participate in Ouagadougou with a jury presenting the Prize of the International Critics to an African film.

Without any doubt, this partnership could have made international critics better informed on the cinemas of the continent. It could have made African cinemas better known internationally. It could have encouraged the discussion among African and international critics.
We have to state, however, that our stay in Ouagadougou could not be assured and guaranteed, mostly from an organizational point of view. We did therefore not see any other possibility than to cancel the jury and our participation. We do this with a feeling of regret and sadness because a chance had been lost. We do hope that there will be other chances to get better linked to African cinemas and critics.

Klaus Eder
General Secretary, FIPRESCI