Malian film director Souleymane Cissé, a trailblazer in African cinema and the first sub-Saharan filmmaker to win a Cannes Film Festival award, has died at the age of 84.
His daughter, Mariam Cissé, confirmed his passing at a clinic in Bamako, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of a man who dedicated his life to storytelling and the arts. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Cissé gained international recognition in 1987 when his film Yeelen (The Light) won the Jury Prize at Cannes, marking a historic moment for African cinema.
His career spanned over five decades, earning him numerous accolades, including the Carrosse d’Or award at Cannes in 2023 for his bold and uncompromising storytelling.
He was also a two-time winner of the grand prize at the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (Fespaco), one of the most prestigious events in African cinema.
At the time of his death, he was set to preside over the jury at this year’s Fespaco, scheduled to open on Saturday in Burkina Faso.
Mali’s Culture Minister, Mamou Daffé, mourned the passing of “a monument of African cinema,” while fellow Malian filmmaker Boubacar Sidibé described his death as a deep loss for the nation’s film industry.
