Pan-African cinema festival opens

The 16th edition of the Pan-African Cinema and Television Festival (Fespaco) of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), opens Saturday with a sound and lights show that includes performances by several stars, including Ivorian reggae musician Alpha Blondy and Baba Mal of Senegal.

About 133 films, including 72 listed in the official competition, will be the screened during the eight-day duration of the biennial festival from 27 February to 6 March 1999.

Panafrican news agency "PANA" reports that twenty long films will be competing for the "Etalon de Yennega," the first prize of Fespaco.

The films come from 12 African countries. West Africa has four --Burkina, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali and Senegal which will each present a film. Four Maghreb countries, Morocco (4), Tunisia (3) and Algeria (3) will present a total of 10 films.

South Africa is taking part in the competition with 3 films whereas Congo-Brazzaville and Kenya will present one film each.

The 16th edition, to be attended by 1,500 guests, will also include an exhibition of costumes and accessories, sceneries and photographs on African films.