The Films of Jean-Pierre Bekolo
Jean-Pierre Bekolo is a Cameroonian filmmaker born in 1966. After studying physics at the University of Yaoundé, he shifted towards audiovisual production by joining the National Audiovisual Institute (INA) in Paris in the late 1980s, where he also studied semiotics with theorist Christian Metz. His first feature film, Quartier Mozart (1992), made when he was just 25 years old, earned him immediate international recognition, especially at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was critically acclaimed and won several awards. Bekolo continued his career with Aristotle’s Plot (1995), a film commissioned by the British Film Institute to celebrate cinema’s centenary. It was the first African film selected for the Sundance Film Festival. In 2005, he directed The Bloodettes, a groundbreaking African sci-fi film that blends politics and fantasy in a futuristic setting, and is considered the first of its genre in Africa. In 2013, Bekolo made The President, a provocative mockumentary about Cameroonian politics, which was censored in his home country. His next work, Mudimbe's Order of Things (2015), is a four-hour documentary exploring the thought of Congolese intellectual Valentin-Yves Mudimbe. Bekolo is known for his avant-garde style and his critical approach to power, post-colonialism, and African identity. Alongside his filmmaking career, he actively advocates for the promotion of African cinema. He serves as Secretary-General of the African Guild of Directors and Producers, is a member of the board of FEPACI (Pan African Federation of Filmmakers), and is a founding member of the World Cinema Alliance. In 2015, he was awarded the prestigious Prince Claus Award for his contributions to African and global cinema.
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Naked Reality
Duration: 1h00
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An experimental afrofuturist fable centered on Wanita, a mysterious young woman embarking on a journey of discovery that could save humanity. Set 150 years in the future, Africa has become a unique, sprawling metropolis controlled by a race of immortal beings, filled with ordinary mortals dying from a disease called "Bad Luck". Blending fiction and documentary, Bekolo tackles themes such as cul...
The Bloodettes
Duration: 3h04
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A science-fiction film and erotic thriller, _The Bloodettes_ follows two sex workers as they attempt to dispose of the corpse of one of their clients, a political leader. As usual, Jean-Pierre Bekolo mixes genres in this hybrid film, which is part female revenge film, part antisexist denunciation and part open criticism of the systemic corruption of Cameroonian politics.
Aristotle’s Plot
Duration: 2h16
Subscription access
In a South African city, a group of thugs has taken over a cinema, screening only American films. A filmmaker, dedicated to promoting African cinema, decides to reclaim the theater in order to program films aligned with his vision. However, his efforts are met with hostility from the group. This story serves as a meta-discourse on cinema and the dominance of non-African works on African screens.
Naked Reality
Duration: 1h00
Subscription access
An experimental afrofuturist fable centered on Wanita, a mysterious young woman embarking on a journey of discovery that could save humanity. Set 150 years in the future, Africa has become a unique, sprawling metropolis controlled by a race of immortal beings, filled with ordinary mortals dying from a disease called "Bad Luck". Blending fiction and documentary, Bekolo tackles themes such as cul...
The Bloodettes
Duration: 3h04
Subscription access
A science-fiction film and erotic thriller, _The Bloodettes_ follows two sex workers as they attempt to dispose of the corpse of one of their clients, a political leader. As usual, Jean-Pierre Bekolo mixes genres in this hybrid film, which is part female revenge film, part antisexist denunciation and part open criticism of the systemic corruption of Cameroonian politics.
Aristotle’s Plot
Duration: 2h16
Subscription access
In a South African city, a group of thugs has taken over a cinema, screening only American films. A filmmaker, dedicated to promoting African cinema, decides to reclaim the theater in order to program films aligned with his vision. However, his efforts are met with hostility from the group. This story serves as a meta-discourse on cinema and the dominance of non-African works on African screens.
