afrol News, 11 June - Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade unveiled Sembene Ousmane's monument of the "Pantheon of African Culture" in the capital Dakar. Until his death on 9 June 2007 after a long illness, Ousmane, 84, had been hailed as the father of African cinema.

President Wade's administration declared a two-day national celebration honouring the man who pioneered and championed cinema on the continent.

Born in the southern Senegalese province of Casamance, Ousmane later moved to Dakar to take up jobs in carpentry, masonry and mechanic before he had traveled abroad to join the French army in World War II. Before he had focused attention on writing and filmmaking, Ousman was a docker and labourer.

This self-educated writer's fimmaking potentials were soon realised after the publication of his 1966 film Black Girl.

In unveiling the pantheon built on Dakar's coastal Corniche road, President Wade extolled the great works of the continent's great writer and filmmaker.

More than 60 guests across the world, including the American actor Danny Glover who introduced African cinema to the US, flew to Dakar to pay homage to Ousmane.

The commemorations included screening of Ousman's films at Place du Souvenir and a conference chaired by President Wade on the theme "Sembene Ousmane, a man in his time" at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar.

During his lifetime, the African cinema father struggled hard to produce fertile African films, the first being Borom Saret produced in 1963.

He had received several awards in recognition for his exceptional works. Sembene's works were recognised throughout Africa, including Morocco where his best-seller Moolade (2004) was chosen as the opener of Tangiers movie festival. The organizers of Morocco's Khourigba festival Prize also named the Prize after him.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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