Person Details

Birthday:

Aliases: No known aliases

Gender: Male

Place of birth: Niger

Homepage:

Movie Involvements: 27

TV Involvements: 0


Most Famous Work

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.

Most Famous Work

Return of an Adventurer
Average
6

Return of an Adventurer

(1966) Writer
Women Cars Villas Money
Average
5

Women Cars Villas Money

(1972) Director
Samba the Great
Average
5

Samba the Great

(1977) Writer
The Death of Gandji
Average
0

The Death of Gandji

(1965) Writer
Toula, or the Genie of the Water
Average
0
Bon voyage, Sim
Average
6

Bon voyage, Sim

(1966) Writer
Mahauta: Les bouchers du Mawri
Average
0

Mahauta: Les bouchers du Mawri

(1967) Cinematography
Kokoa
Average
0

Kokoa

(2001) Writer

Acting

Directing

Writing

Camera

Year Role Movie/Tv
1973 Director of Photography
1966 Director of Photography
Director of Photography
Year Role Movie/Tv

Crew

Year Role Movie/Tv
1967 Cinematography
Year Role Movie/Tv

Editing

Year Role Movie/Tv
1966 Editor
Year Role Movie/Tv

Production

Year Role Movie/Tv
1966 Producer
Year Role Movie/Tv

Visual Effects

Year Role Movie/Tv
1965 Animation
Year Role Movie/Tv

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