A difficult diffusion

In the 1920s, in a Benin still under French colonization, a few places began to show films. A few cinemas were created in Ouidah, considered the cultural capital, in Cotonou, the economic capital, but also in other cities such as Porto-Novo or Anécho. Subsequently, the attendance of these places reached its peak in the 1970s during the nationalization of cinemas at the initiative of the Party of the Popular Revolution of Benin, of Marxist-Leninist ideology. However, during the 1980s, in the midst of an economic crisis, the cinemas could not withstand the lack of revenue. As a result, movie theaters were forced to close their doors, one by one. For the next thirty years, the infrastructures were abandoned. Some of them were then used, on occasion, as party halls.

Today's movie theaters

Nowadays, only a few cultural centers show films, such as the Millenium Théâtre Multimédia, or the espace Tchif, a multi-purpose cultural center. In 2013, the state had announced a rehabilitation of the Concorde and Benin in Cotonou, and three other places in the north of the country. Despite this policy of the new government, which wanted to revive the country's cultural sector, these initiatives are slow to materialize.

The French group Vivendi (chaired by Vincent Bolloré) did not wait for the government to make a move and opened the Canal Olympia Wologuédé cinema in Cotonou. Audiences were able to see Black Panther

(2018), which was a great success. The venue, which has a 300-seat theater, is part of a project that the group had already initiated in Cameroon, Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo. Despite the new offer that these cinemas allow, it is regretted that it competes with small local theaters. Another trans-African initiative is the Cinéma Numérique Ambulant, which brings together four West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger). The objective of this network, which is associative, is to bring the cinema directly to the villages in the bush, and thus to distribute the films to spectators who cannot necessarily travel to the cities. Two French technicians are at the origin of this beautiful project which dates from 2001: Christian Lambert and Laurence Vendroux.

Some filmmakers

In terms of filmmakers, Benin has seen the birth of some personalities who have marked its history, directors Pascal Adjibadé Abikanlou, Richard de Medeiros, Jean Odoutan, Sylvestre Amoussou but also the actor Djimon Hounsou who plays Korath in the Marvel Guardians

of the Galaxy (2014).

Pascal Adjibadé Abikanlou is considered the pioneer of the Beninese seventh art. Born in 1935 in Pobè, he died in 2009. He was noticed in particular in 1974 with Under the sign of voodoo, which is the first feature film of Beninese fiction. He also directed many medium-length documentaries. As for his compatriot Richard de Medeiros, he distinguished himself with his first film The King died in exile

, released in 1970, which recounts the exile of King Behanzin in Algeria.

Born in Benin in 1965, Jean Odoutan now lives in Paris. He has made a number of films including: La Valse des gros derrières, La Porte du non-retour, Mama Aloko and Pim-Pim Tché - Toast de vie !

his last film, released in 2010. Founder of the Ouidah Cinematographic Institute (ICO), a school that trains French-speaking filmmakers, he also organizes Quintessence, an annual film festival that takes place for five days in January in Ouidah.

Also living in France, Sylvestre Amoussou is a Beninese actor and filmmaker who played in Delphine 1 - Yvan 0 by Dominique Farrugia (1996) and Rires et Châtiment (2002) alongside José Garcia. His last film as director, The African Storm: A Continent Under the Influence

, released in 2017, received a Silver Etalon at the festival at Fespaco, the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou. Beninese actor and model Djimon Hounsou, born in 1964 in Cotonou and naturalized American, is pursuing an international career. His impressive physique and intense gaze have earned him roles as a muscular and mentally tough character. Among the films in which he appears are: Gladiator (2000) opposite Russell Crowe, Blood Diamond (2006) where he plays Leonardo DiCaprio, Amistad (1997) where he plays the lead role in a film about slavery for director Steven Spielberg. We could see him recently in The King's Man: First Mission (2021).

Renaissance

With her association Wani Ayo, the Franco-Beninese actress Tella Kpomahou acts to develop local film production. Born in Benin in 1978, she grew up in the Ivory Coast before arriving in France in 2001. She quickly began a career in the theater before turning to the cinema. We see her play in particular in 2013, in The Crocodile of Botswanga

by Fabrice Eboué. She remains strongly involved in her country of origin since she is the one who initiated the "Days of reflection on Beninese cinema", event organized in Ouidah in 2021. Tella Kpomahou hopes to create a fund to support culture, following the example of the Ivory Coast or Senegal.

Let's hope that the recent success of producer Faissol Gnonlonfin will inspire the younger generation. Founder of "Merveilles Production" with whom he co-produced the excellent film Freda

(2021), directed by the Haitian Gessica Généus, he is a rising figure in today's cinema. Nominated at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, and in the running for the 2022 Oscars, the film is a real revelation. Soon, Benin will be brought to the screen in The Woman King, a film that tells the story of the Amazons of Dahomey who resisted French soldiers and neighboring tribes. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring Viola Davis and Lupita Nyong'o - who also played in Black Panther - the film promises to be rich in emotion.