Culture minister pledges support for upcoming Écrans Noirs Festival.

The delegation was made up of members of the festival’s organising committee.

Led by the festival’s Delegate General, Bassek Bâ Kobhio, the delegation presented major innovations planned for the 29th edition and also tabled their project for a grand 30th-anniversary celebration in 2026. Scheduled to run from September 20 to 27, 2025 in Yaoundé, the festival will use several venues across the capital.

The venues will include the Yaoundé Conference Centre for the opening and closing ceremonies, the CRTV Radio House for an international symposium, CANAL OLYMPIA for the festival village and film screenings and the French Institute of Yaoundé for workshops and additional screenings.

Bassek Bâ Kobhio expressed his gratitude for the Ministry’s consistent warm welcome and enduring support for the project. 

“This 29th edition will be very exciting. In the past, we used to begin with the red-carpet ceremony and end with the screening of a film. This year, we will do the reverse. This will encourage guests to stay until the end, which has been a challenge for us. Keeping our audience engaged throughout is our major innovation and goal for this year,” Bassek stated.

He further added that: “Over 72 films have been programmed for screening during the festival, six of which are from Cameroon. Eleven countries are invited to participate, with Brazil as our guest Nation of honour”.

In his remarks, the Director of Cinema and Audio-visual Productions at the Ministry of Culture, Prof Fai Donatus Tagem, praised the consistency of the Écrans Noirs festival, stating that it is one of the rare platforms where filmmakers can fully express themselves.

“We hail you, Bassek Bâ Kobhio, as the grandfather of cinema in Cameroon. We also encourage you to expand the festival to other regions like the North West, Far North, and others to allow more Cameroonians to experience it,” the Director stated.

In his keynote address, Minister Bidoung Mkpatt congratulated the festival organisers and instructed his close collaborators to work hand-in-hand with the organising committee to ensure the event runs smoothly. 

“We are in a crucial period with the upcoming presidential election. All films to be screened must be validated by the Ministry of Arts and Culture to ensure compliance with national regulations”, the Minister instructed.

About Écrans Noirs

Initiated in 1996 by Bassek Bâ Kobhio, Écrans Noirs officially became a festival in 1997.  Today, it is recognised as one of the largest film festivals in Africa and is undoubtedly the most prestigious in Central Africa.

Since its first edition held from May 31 to June 7, 1997, in Yaoundé, the Festival Écrans Noirs has experienced remarkable growth. 

It is now permanently established in Yaoundé and has been held intermittently in Douala, Libreville, Bangui, Brazzaville, and N'Djamena, with the ambition of covering all six countries of Central Africa.

With over 2,500 films screened, more than 15,000 cumulative attendees in 2024 and representation from over 50 countries since its inception, Écrans Noirs festival has become a significant platform for cultural diplomacy and a strategic lever for South-South cooperation.

The festival stands out as a premier instrument of cultural diplomacy, creating a space for the circulation of works, talents and ideas and strengthening synergies among African creators, producers, distributors and cultural institutions.

It is important to note that the reputation of the festival and the prestige of its supporting Association led Cameroonian authorities to recognise it as a Public Utility in 2016. 

This recognition is coupled with the State’s consistent support for each edition.

By Albert Njebusi, Journalism student on internship 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3569 of Friday September 19, 2025