A statue of Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, considered one of the founding fathers of African cinema, is displayed at the headquarters of the FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Most film festivals can be counted on to provide entertainment, laced with some introspection. The weeklong FESPACO that opens Saturday in violence-torn Burkina Faso’s capital goes beyond that to also offer hope, and a symbol of endurance. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) 
People walk past the entrance of the Cine Neerwaya, one of the movie theaters that will present films during the FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Most film festivals can be counted on to provide entertainment, laced with some introspection. The weeklong FESPACO that opens Saturday in violence-torn Burkina Faso’s capital goes beyond that to also offer hope, and a symbol of endurance. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) 
The general director of the FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival), Alex Moussa Sawadogo, poses for a picture in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Most film festivals can be counted on to provide entertainment, laced with some introspection. The weeklong FESPACO that opens Saturday in violence-torn Burkina Faso’s capital goes beyond that to also offer hope, and a symbol of endurance. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) 
A mural depicting the Burkinabe filmmaker Idrissa Ouedraogo, center, is displayed at the headquarters of the FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. Most film festivals can be counted on to provide entertainment, laced with some introspection. The weeklong FESPACO that opens Saturday in violence-torn Burkina Faso’s capital goes beyond that to also offer hope, and a symbol of endurance. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) 
Burkinabe actress Maimouna Ndiaye poses for a photo after an interview in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. “We only have FESPACO left to prevent us from thinking about what’s going on,” said Ndiaye, who has four submissions in this year’s competition. “This is the event that must not be cancelled no matter the situation.” (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia) 
A man walks past the entrance of the headquarters of the FESPACO (Pan-African Film and Television Festival) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. Most film festivals can be counted on to provide entertainment, laced with some introspection. The weeklong FESPACO that opens Saturday in violence-torn Burkina Faso’s capital goes beyond that to also offer hope, and a symbol of endurance. (AP Photo/Sophie Garcia)
Africa’s largest film festival offers hope in Burkina Faso
