• Lomé is hosting the 9th edition of the International Film Festival of Togo (FIFTO) featuring 33 films.

• The event promotes African storytelling in local languages and everyday narratives.

• Authorities aim to strengthen industry collaboration and address distribution and financing challenges.

The International Film Festival of Togo (FIFTO) officially opened its 9th edition on Tuesday, April 14 in Lomé. The event will run until April 18 and will showcase 33 works, including documentaries and fiction films from multiple countries.

This edition features a film competition under the theme “Telling our realities: African cinema in local languages and everyday stories.” Films from Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, France, and Togo will compete for awards judged by both a jury and the public.

In parallel, a non-competitive section will screen around ten films from China, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Niger, and Togo.

Through this 9th edition dedicated to cinema, Togolese cultural authorities aim to provide a platform for reflection among filmmakers, audiences, and festival participants. They seek to support the emergence of an authentic African film industry.

In addition to screenings, organizers have scheduled masterclasses to encourage knowledge-sharing between film professionals and young enthusiasts. Furthermore, stakeholders plan to sign a co-production agreement between Togo and Senegal, which is the guest of honor at the festival.

Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Isaac Tchiakpé said, “the seventh art is a tool for popular education, a means to convey the realities, struggles and values of a community, especially in societies where orality and imagery play a central role.”

Authorities said FIFTO positions itself as a hub for exchanges that fosters sustainable collaboration between Togolese and international film professionals.

Esaïe Edoh