Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO)

The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), the largest and most influential film festival dedicated to African filmmaking, has played a significant role in promoting the development of Africa’s cinema, while also serving as a means of cultural expression, education, and identity. Founded in 1969, the FESPACO, has taken place biannually in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. By its 29th edition in 2025, and after showcasing over 230 films, the FESPACO has become critical for Africa’s cultural fabric. Despite its remarkable legacy, the Festival faces threats to its authenticity and funding constraints. Delegates in this committee will discuss approaches to facilitate the reach of African cinema on the global stage, in order to ensure that African stories are represented on the international level. Film is a powerful cultural tool, and in the context of Pan-Africanism, it’s also one of decolonization. Pan-Africanism is a political project aiming to unite all African people and promote both their liberation and sovereignty. Pan-Africanism functions as an active decolonizing force by transcending geographic boundaries, challenging both territorial divisions and the psychological constraints imposed by oppression. The FESPACO represents more than a film festival, it is a platform through which Pan-African ideas of self-rule and self-determination can be illustrated Therefore, while the visibility of African cinema is critical, its integrity is key to maintaining its purport. As African films gain international recognition and access to wider audiences, they face increasing pressure to conform to external expectations of mass appeal and marketability. Above its title as a film festival, the FESPACO serves as a cultural and political platform; one that highlights the diversity, resilience, and complexity of African societies, which have long been overlooked or misrepresented in global media. However, the growing interest in the FESPACO creates a paradox: the very uniqueness that makes this festival and its features appealing also exposes it to pressure of standardization and commercialization by external powers looking to invest in a “niche market.” As for financial constraints, the current film funding landscape in Africa relies primarily on foreign grants and institutions. Large portions of African film funding are attributed to international partnerships and corporate patronage. According to UNESCO, the estimated and currently untapped potential of the African film industry is its ability to contribute US$20 billion to the continent’s GDP. In comparison to other global film industries, such as Hollywood or Bollywood, that rely heavily on studio equity and bank loans, filmmaking in Africa depends on government bodies, such as the government of Burkina Faso and the European Union. This key difference in funding outlines a few of the reasons why sustainable funding is hard to achieve. Delegates in this committee will be tasked with addressing the challenge of expanding the global reach of African cinema while safeguarding its authenticity and political purpose. Ultimately, this committee must consider how the FESPACO can continue to serve as both a celebration of African film and a vehicle for decolonization and cultural sovereignty in an increasingly globalized film industry.