SEMBÈNE! — Official Opening of Shakara Fáyé 2026: A Tribute to the Father of African Cinema

Alicante becomes a vibrant cultural hub in the Mediterranean with the official opening of SEMBÈNE!, the acclaimed documentary celebrating Ousmane Sembène — the Senegalese writer, dockworker, and self-taught filmmaker hailed as the “Father of African Cinema.” The evening begins with a powerful live performance by Doudou Nganga, whose music bridges West African traditions, Afro-jazz, and contemporary diasporic soundscapes.

Following the screening, audiences will join an exclusive in-person dialogue with Samba Gadjigo — co-director of the film, world-renowned scholar, and Sembène’s biographer for over 25 years. As a professor at Mount Holyoke College (USA), Gadjigo will share intimate insights into Sembène’s lifelong mission: to reclaim African storytelling from colonial narratives and build a cinema by, for, and about Africa. His presence marks the intellectual and emotional cornerstone of this year’s Shakara Fáyé cycle.

Produced in Senegal and the USA (2015), SEMBÈNE! has been honoured at major international festivals including Hot Docs (Toronto), the Berlin Human Rights Film Festival, and Afrikamera (Germany). Through rare archival footage, personal letters, and candid interviews — including with Sembène himself — the film traces his extraordinary journey from illiterate dockhand to visionary artist who reshaped global cinema.

This event is the flagship launch of Shakara Fáyé 2026, a multidisciplinary cultural initiative led by Solidaridad Internacional País Valenciano and Tren al Sur, with funding from the Alicante City Council and the Generalitat Valenciana, and academic support from the University of Alicante and Miguel Hernández University. A rare convergence of film, music, memory, and decolonial imagination — all in the heart of Alicante.