Jean-Marie Teno (born 1954) is a Cameroonian film director and filmmaker, "one of Africa's most prolific filmmakers".

Life

Teno was born in 1954 in Famleng in

Bandjoun Bandjoun (''La 'Djo'' in local language) is a town and commune in the Koung-Khi Department in the West Region of Cameroon. Bandjoun is also the capital of the Koung-Khi department, and one of the largest traditional ''chefferie'' (chiefdom) i ...

. He studied audiovisual communication at the

University of Valenciennes The Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France (''Université Polytechnique des Hauts-de-France''), previously known as University of Valenciennes and Hainaut-Cambrésis (''Université de Valenciennes et du Hainaut-Cambrésis'') until 1 January 2 ...

and worked as a film critic for ''Bwana Magazine'' and as editor-in-chief at

France 3 France 3 () is a French free-to-air public television channel and part of the France Télévisions group, which also includes France 2, France 4, France 5 and France Info. It is made up of a network of regional television services providing ...

. In 1983, he directed his first short documentary ''Schubbah''. In 1992 he made his documentary ''Africa, I will pluck you'' on the effects of

colonialism Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...

and

neocolonialism Neocolonialism is the continuation or reimposition of imperialist rule by a state (usually, a former colonial power) over another nominally independent state (usually, a former colony). Neocolonialism takes the form of economic imperialism, gl ...

in Cameroon. In 1996, he made ''Clando'', which won the Audience Award at the 6th

African Film Festival African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is a non-profit cultural organization that presents an annual film festival and year-round community programs. Based in New York City, the organization was founded in 1990. The organization is dedicated to promot ...

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

, Italy. Jean-Marie Teno is also a producer of his own films with Les Films du Raphia. In 2007-2008, he was a Visiting Artist at Copeland Fellow at

Amherst College Amherst College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. Founded in 1821 as an attempt to relocate Williams College by its then-president Zephaniah Swift Moore, Amherst is the third oldest institution of higher educatio ...

, and in 2009-2010 he was Visiting Professor at

Hampshire College Hampshire College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Amherst, Massachusetts. It was opened in 1970 as an experiment in alternative education, in association with four other colleges ...

, Massachusetts. He lives between

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Filmography

* 1983 : ''Schubbah'' (short film) * 1985 : ''Tribute'' (short film) * 1985 : ''Yellow Fever taximan'' (short film) * 1987 : ''The Slap and the Caress'' (short film) * 1988 : ''The Misery Water'' (documentary) * 1990 : ''The Last Voyage'' (short film) * 1991 : ''Mister Foot'' (documentary) * 1992 : ''Africa, I'll pluck you...'' (documentary) * 1996 : ''The Head in the Clouds'' (short film) * 1996 : ''Clando'' (feature film) * 1999 : ''Chef!'' (documentary) * 2000 : ''Holidays at home'' (documentary) * 2002 : ''The Marriage of Alex'' (documentary) * 2004 : ''The colonial misunderstanding'' (documentary) * 2009 : ''Holy Places'' (documentary) * 2013 : ''A Leaf in the Wind'' (documentary)

Awards

Clando * 1996: Prize of the International Federation of Film Crews at the Friborg International Film Festival (Switzerland); Audience Award at the Milan African Film Festival (Italy); Grand Prize at the Vues d'Afrique Festival of Montreal; Human Rights Award at Montreal's Vues d'Afrique Festival Head in the clouds * 1994: OAU Jury Prize at the Carthage Film Days * 1995: IUCN Prize and African Insurers Award at FESPACO; Documentary Award at the Festival Vues d'Afrique de Montréal Africa, I'll pluck you ... * 1992: Documentary Award at the Troia Festival; OCIC Jury Prize at the Carthage Film Days; Prize for Solidarity in the world at Carthage Film Days. Water of misery * 1989: TV5-Europe Prize at Écovision in Lille; Honorable Mention at the Troia Festival (Portugal) Yellow fever taximan *1986: Special mention at the Clermont-Ferrand Festival

References

External links

* * Horst Rutsch
Interview with Jean-Marie Teno
African Film Festival, Inc., 23 April 2005 * Jean-Marie Teno
Writing on Walls: Documentary, the future of African cinema?
''Africultures'', 20 March 2011 {{DEFAULTSORT:Teno, Jean Marie 1954 births Living people Cameroonian film directors Cameroonian film producers