Africa’s biggest film festival kicks off in Burkina Faso

Ouagadougou: Africa´s biggest film festival kicked off in Burkina Faso on Saturday.

A total of 170 entries have been selected for the FESPACO festival in the capital Ouagadougou, including 15 fiction feature films in contention for the Yennenga Golden Stallion award and a prize of around $30,000.

The president of FESPACO´s organising committee, Fidele Aymar Tamini, said the festival´s 28th edition would embrace the theme of "African cinemas and peace cultures" in the context of the crisis.

The prime minister of neighbouring Mali, the festival´s guest country of honour said culture had an "avant-garde role to play in the peace process".

Around 60 dancers simulated fighting to the sound of beating drums on an immense stage in a performance called "20 million VDP", referring to a civilian volunteer force that supports the Burkinabe army.

Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tambela, also attending the ceremony, recently suggested a federation between the West African neighbours.

The festival is due to run until March 4.