Moustapha Alassane

Personal Info

Known For Director

Gender Male

Moustapha Alassane

Biography

Moustapha Alassane (1942–17 March 2015) was a Nigerien filmmaker. Born in 1942 in N’Dougou (Niger), Moustapha Alassane graduated in mechanics. However, in the Rouch IRSH in Niamey he learned the cinematographic technique and thereafter became one of its main proponents. Jean Rouch provided for Alassane's education and accommodation in Canada, where he met the famous Norman McLaren, who taught him about animation. He was the creator of the first animated films of the sub-Saharan Africa, also directing documentaries and fiction films. He was Head of Cinema Department at the Niamey University for 15 years. Moustapha Alassane directed, in 1962, two shorts inspired in traditional tales: Aoure and La Bague du roi Koda. Representing African culture (e.g. in Deela ou el Barka le conteur, 1969 and Shaki, 1973), Alassane also employed moral satire (F.V.V.A., femme, villa, voiture, argent, 1972), denouncing the thirst for power for “new wealth” in Africa. Social criticism and black humour are in almost all of his films. Le Retour d'un aventurier (1966) is considered the first African western. The frog was his favourite animal and protagonist of most of his animated films, because Alassane believed it is funnier to animate frogs rather than humans. His workshop was based in Tahoua. To work, Alassane used several materials, such as wood, metal or wire, glue, fabric or sponge. Numerous retrospectives of Alassane's career have been made in several international film festivals. Moustapha Alassane was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007.

Known For

Director

2001
Kokoa

as Director

1982
1977
Samba the Great

as Director

1973
Shaki

as Director

1972
1966
1966
Bon voyage, Sim

as Director

1965
1964
1962
The Wedding

as Director

1962
1962
La Pileuse de Mil

as Director

Writer

2001
Kokoa

as Writer

1977
Samba the Great

as Writer

1966
Bon voyage, Sim

as Writer

1965

Camera

1973
Toula, or the Genie of the Water

as Director of Photography

1966
Bon voyage, Sim

as Director of Photography

1966
Return of an Adventurer

as Director of Photography

Crew

1967

Visual Effects

1965
The Death of Gandji

as Animation

Producer

1966
Bon voyage, Sim

as Producer

Editor

1966
Bon voyage, Sim

as Editor