Souleymane Cissé, Malian film director, writer, and producer, passed away yesterday, February 19, at the age of 84. The death was announced by his family in a statement released to the media, confirming that he passed away in Bamako, the capital city of Mali.
His daughter Mariam Cissé, confirmed his death, saying: “Papa died today in Bamako. We are all in shock. He dedicated all his life to his country, to cinema and to art.” The cause of his death has not been announced.
According to an AP News report, the Malian government revealed that Cissé “had just held a press conference to present two trophies as a prelude to the 29th edition of Fespaco, the Pan-African Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), which will open this next weekend in the capital of Burkina Faso.”
A life dedicated to cinema
Born in 1940 in Bamako, Mali, Cissé began his career in film in the 1960s, working as a projectionist and a cameraman before directing his first feature film, Cinq jours d’une vie in 1972. The film premiered at the Carthage Film Festival.
He went on to direct several films, including Baara (1978), Finye (1982), Yeelen (1987), Waati (1995), Tell Me Who You Are (2009), O Sembene! (2013), and Our House (2015).
Cissé’s films won numerous awards, including two Yenenga’s Talon prizes at FESPACO for the film Baara, and Finyé. Additionally, his 1995 film Waati was a contender for the coveted Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival that same year.
Yeelen won the Jury Prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival and was the first black African film to compete at the festival. The film was also nominated for the Golden Palm award for the same year, and was ranked 94 in Empire magazine’s The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema in 2010.
Throughout his career, Cissé received awards and honours, including the Carrosse d’Or award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for his film, Finye. He also served as the president of UCECAO, the Union of Creators and Entrepreneurs of Cinema and Audiovisual Arts of Western Africa.
CJ Obasi, a Nigerian filmmaker, took to X to express his sadness, saying in a post: “Terribly sad news. Grand Maestro, Souleymane Cissé – My favorite filmmaker of all time is gone. This is a lot. Yeelen (1987) is my biggest film inspiration. Ever. I go back to it every single time, no matter what I’m making. Fly high, Grand Maestro. You will be missed.”
Final days
According to an Al Jazeera’s report, Cissé was scheduled to board a plane on Thursday to Burkina Faso to lead the features jury at the 29th edition of the FESPACO festival. And even on the morning of his death, he had urged Mali’s military leaders to support the development of the film industry, declaring 2025 a year of culture.
“It is not enough to make cinema; the works must also be visible. May the authorities help us with the construction of cinemas,” he said at a news conference on Wednesday morning. “This is the appeal I make to them before my death, if God wills it.”
