PMA Films: Short Films by Paulin Soumano Vieyra

Overlooked for too long, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra (1925–1987) should be seen as one of the most important and influential figures in the development of African cinema. Born in Benin and later based in Senegal, Vieyra was one of the first Black Africans to direct a film, AFRICA ON THE SEINE, a moving and thoughtful documentary about young Africans studying in Paris. His later works included LAMB, a revelatory and stirring study of beachside Senegalese wrestling, and BEHIND THE SCENES: THE MAKING OF “CEDDO,” a firsthand document from the set of Ousmane Sembène’s revolutionary classic. In addition to his filmmaking, Vieyra was founder of the Fédération Panafricaine des Cinéastes and a crucial mentor to key filmmaking figures like Sembène, Djibril Diop Mambéty, and Ababacar Samb-Makharam.

Running Time: 111 min.
MPAA Rating: NR
Language: Various
Director: Paulin Soumano Vieyra

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