The festival this year is dedicated to Senegalese film maker, Sembene Ousmane.

The 6th edition of the film projection festival known by its French acronym as RADO (Rencontres audiovisuelles de Douala) is currently taking place in Douala with special focus on Senegalese film maker, Sembene Ousmane.

Launching the film festival on Friday February 9 at the Lewat hotel in Douala, the Senegalese Ambassador to Cameroon representing the culture minister said, Senegal was happy with the choice of Sembene Ousmane and that the choice depict the excellent relations existing between Senegal and Cameroon and expressed the wish that RADO will become a leading cinema event in Africa and the world. He urged African nations to join efforts to re-launch African cinema.

According to the president of the festival, Remy Atangana, Sembene Ousmane was a pathfinder in African cinema and that it was the obligation of young cinematographers to continue the work he started. He expressed gratitude to the Senegalese government as well as the Douala city council and other sponsors who helped to make the dream become reality.

According to the organizing Commissioner, Jean Claude Tchuilen, the festival will comprise films projections, training workshops, debates and symposiums in an effort to sensitise people on the importance of arts and need to invest in culture.

Prominent among those present at the opening ceremony was the Governor of the Littoral Region, Samuel Ivaha Diboua and two of Sembene Ousmane’s collaborators, Prof Kasse Magueye, an arts critic and university lecturer, Clarence Thomas Delgado who came from Senegal for the purpose.

The opening ceremony also witnessed the projection of two short films; “une place dans l’avion” and a love story.