Christiane Chabi-Kao
Christiane Chabi-Kao | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 30, 1963 |
| Nationality | Beninese |
| Alma mater | University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter |
| Notable work | Les enfants esclaves |
Christiane Chabi-Kao (born 30 June 1963) is a Beninese film director and screenwriter.
Biography[edit]
Chabi-Kao was born in Marseille, France, in 1963.[1] She attended the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne from 1984 to 1986. In 1990, Chabi-Kao returned to Africa.[2] She came out with her first film, Les enfants esclaves, in 2005, a documentary detailing modern slave children.[3]
In 2007, she directed the film Les inseparables. It tells the story of siblings Yawa and Abi, whom their father sells to a child trafficker, and the mother goes to the Police Children's Protection Unit to find out what happened. The film was co-produced by UNICEF and the Beninese National Radio and Television (ORTB), and came out as a series of four short films. Chabi-Kao wrote the film in part to raise awareness and end child trafficking.[4] It received the African Numerique award at the Vues d'Afrique festival in Montreal in 2008, and also received the Human Rights prize at the 2009 Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou.[1] After being informed of a ban on free open air screenings, Chabi-Kao organized a screening of the film for 300 Burkinabe students.[5]
In 2009, she succeeded Monique Mbeke Phoba as the director of the Lagunimages festival in Cotonou.[6] As director, Chabi-Kao helps put on the film festival of the same name.[1] She worked for the festival for several years before becoming the director, and received a grant from Deutsche Welle Academy to learn how to organize the festival.[7]
Chabi-Kao wrote and directed the 14-part television series Les Chenapans in 2013. It depicts the lives and struggles of five Beninese teenagers, and it uses non-professional actors.[8]
Filmography[edit]
- 2005: Les enfants esclaves
- 2007: Les inseparables
- 2013: Les Chenapans
- 2014: Crocodile dans la Mangrove
References[edit]
- ^ a b c "CINE24 - BÉNIN : CHRISTIANE CHABI KAO EST UNE RÉALISATRICE ET SCÉNARISTE". Africa24TV (in French). Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ "Christiane CHABI KAO". Linternaute.com (in French). Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ "Les Chenapans". Sortir.bf (in French). Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ David-Gnahoui, Reine (10 July 2017). "'Les inséparables' films help combat child trafficking in Benin and worldwide". UNICEF. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ "Benin filmmaker takes fight against child labour to school". Expatica. Agence France-Presse. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Christiane Chabi Kao - biographie". Africultures (in French). Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Bationo, Fotrune (April 11, 2019). "Christiane Chabi Kao, directrice de Lagunimages au Bénin (du 23 au 26 avril)". Africine. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ Bousquet, Delphine (25 November 2017). "Bénin: la série TV "Chenapans" cherche distributeur". RFI (in French). Retrieved 3 October 2020.
External links[edit]
- Christiane Chabi-Kao at the African Women in Cinema Blog