DIRECTOR

He reached cinema via books, studying Sociology and Philosophy. As the population would not read his books, he decided to make films!

His trajectory in cinema includes the work he did with Claire Denis (Chocolat), the films he directed and produced (Sango Malo, The Great White of Lambarene), and the creation of the Ecran Noirs Festival (Black Screens) and his school of cinema (ISCAC).

When asked what he was missing for everything to work better:

• He did not dedicate enough time to creating – he was always running after the
• He was lacking a working He self-financed everything.
• He did not have enough competition! There was not sufficient production in the Even when there are more bad movies, there is a higher possibility of making a good film.
• For over 20 years, he did not have access to public Financing came from France. And so, what the French wanted to see was the predominant theme in cinema.

What allowed him to survive were the assignments he received: reportages for French television, films for NGOs and Cooperation Projects. He did not dive into documentaries because he did not believe it was a viable model. And, above all, he did not have a documentary education.

It is astonishing to realize that a director that started filming towards the end of the eighties, when Africa was still doing okay, had the same economical problems as today, when Africa is doing very poorly (no working capital, self-financing…). But we should ask why he did not try to diversify his financing sources. It was obvious that the financial aid from the French state was going to dry out one day or another, and not just for economic reasons, but for strategic ones.

In his own words: The only way to guarantee that one can continue making films in cinema history is if you can be successful in the market. If there is one thing that African cinema from that time did not succeed at, it was existing in the markets (movie theaters, DVD sales…). Cameroon is a country that has produced the most quality filmmakers in Africa. In just one generation, there could be 4 or 5 high-caliber filmmakers, and that is rare. What was missing for this to catch on at an international level?

A filmmaker told me a story that astonished me, and also said a lot about a certain period at the same time. His film was participating at an important festival, and there was a constant buzz around it. Miramax (the Weinstein brothers) was interested in it. And the filmmaker was really excited about the idea of selling his film in the US. He spoke to his producer about the follow-up (sending the DVD, sales pitch…).

The producer dragged his feet with an attitude that could even be considered hostile. And, of course, the dream of Miramax, of opening in the United States, of gaining momentum in his career… it all went up in smoke. The sale never took place. Seen from another angle, the French producer in question belonged to a certain generation and the militant culture pertaining to it. From his vantage point, the USA, especially with Miramax in the equation, was terrible. And, more importantly, back then the French system was enough. African filmmakers only had Paris as an outlet, and did not have any other options outside the continent (or did not allow themselves any other options – both are valid). They joined forces with producers of cinéma d’auteur who were the only ones who showed any interest in Africa.

This story dates back 20 years, more or less. Since then, the system has changed. The world is much more globalized. The French ministries have a lot less money. But young filmmakers from Cameroon nowadays have a much harder time and are far less prepared to enter the world film industry.

“Unfortunately, we have had our fill of cinéma d’auteur!”

A filmmaker told me these words with profound resignation. I had asked him the following: “With all those large private banks in Cameroon, all those rich men that live in the country, no one has thought to go knocking on their doors to get them to invest in cinema?” His answer was: “Unfortunately, we have had our fill of cinéma d’auteur. We have frightened off the businessmen, the audience”. And, in the end, we end up on our own. His observation shocked me by its truth. It is the reverse gear of cinema’s history. Cinéma d’auteur films (good ones! Not those from the “author factory” that are just another lot of bad factory films). bring vitality to the film industry, and are often those that seem to live on in time and determine the cultural identity of the industry. But they do not exist on their own. They need a well-oiled system by their side with stable financing (state or commercial subsidies). With the absence of public aid in Cameroon, foreign funds were substituted by state funds, with the corresponding spec sheet dictating their agenda.

What do Foreign Ministries export as their image? Cinéma d’auteur. Because they are the windows to their countries. I imagine that they must justify the expenditure by trying to recreate a similar image to their own when they finance films in Africa. In other words, financing a film on the metaphysic- philosophical reflections around the alleged cosmogony of a far away village is more praise-worthy than a car chase through the streets of Yaoundé. We are referring to ministrial financing, of course. I can hardly imagine the film industry funds of those same countries financing this genre of films. They would clearly opt for the car chase through the streets of Yaoundé. What a missed opportunity in History! Documentary cinema also had a beginning that left much to be desired.

The State did not play its role, television neither. In general lines, it is public television that gives life to a documentary culture in a country. Filmmakers start getting equipped while in public service and develop their career alongside television. That is the case in Europe and Canada, but in Cameroon and other African countries, public television was taken hostage by dictatorships and transformed into a propaganda tool. Nowadays, what is truly a pity is the hodgepodge between journalism and documentary. If it looks like a report, it goes straight into the documentary folder. As soon as there are any images of reality, it is classified as a documentary, and that is that.

One filmmaker raised the question of our rulers’ ignorance. They know nothing about cinema. They are like spectators that go to the movies, they judge it and that is as far as they get. There is no thought process directed towards the mechanisms that bring a film to life. The government needs to learn how to understand what happens as far as the financing mechanisms of the cinema industry are concerned, and have a clear vision over several years. But, who makes up the government? At the beginning, simple citizens who, by one path or another, end up in those posts. But before they make it to the government, they have no film and cultural background. And no economic education as far as the film industry is concerned. How are they supposed to be able to make good decisions? However, do even filmmakers themselves have the sufficient economic education? Do they have a sufficiently informed awareness to carry out the needed lobbying in the government? There cannot be a change if there is not a concrete and intelligent commitment – a dynamic one – on the part of the filmmakers as regards their relationship with economy and politics.

MINISTRY OF CULTURE

Hilarion is a plastic artist who decided to join the Ministry in an attempt to fix the problems inside it.

His first conclusion was that politics in Cameroon do not work in a Cartesian manner. Decisions are made at the top and then make their way downwards.

Artists do not bother to take the time to understand how the Ministry of Culture works and use that to their advantage. There is a void as regards the Ministry’s functioning, the fact that it has a budget and that, in that budget, it has fixed expenditures for personnel, infrastructures and new buildings. The financing mechanisms for projects are just as ignored by the artists who do not even bother to register (because you do need to register) to have access to State funding.

The most crucial part of his conclusions is the matter of the point of view. According to him, from the government’s standpoint, there are several problems. The first is the lack of general standards. Artists want aid, but if you look at the quality of their work, it is far below professional standards. There is no modesty in their approach to their work. They believe they are making masterpieces when they do not even achieve the norm. This is applicable to painting, music, cinema and many other forms of art. The worst part is the ingratitude. The government sees artists as people who only come asking for money, but when they receive it, they do not say that they have, they do not even thank the government for its assistance. There is a culture of bad faith that poisons the cultural world as a whole.

Therein lies the great debate. When I raised this point with directors: “The State gave money, but people kept it for themselves and said nothing.” Anyone I asked reacted strongly and angrily. What is interesting about this observation is that it is made by someone who is an artist and who has crossed over to the other side. Seeing how things work from another standpoint, ascertaining what happens.

Hilarion told me he had seen signed documents, proof of payment, it is all there. He suggested I write a letter to the Minister of Culture to ask him for access to these documents and make them public if I so wished. I hesitated, because I believe the goal of this investigation is not so much settling accounts or judging others, as understanding the problems and suggesting solutions.

FROM BAD FAITH TO DEVELOPMENT HANDICAPS

This specific case in which the government says that it has spent money that has never been acknowledged is interesting. For once, the guilty party says that it has not always been guilty and asks why stones are being thrown at it (systematically). Organisms that only work within the buddy system, thereby blocking any talents emerging from environments different from theirs, or directors that show no gratitude as regards state funding. A conclusion can be drawn, there is a culture of bad faith. I would give it another name: “The culture of self-destruction.”

A group of directors told me that filmmakers who made it abroad never did anything for younger directors. Those who succeed are fed by pathological egoism.

But is this not putting too much responsibility on those who have succeeded? Like any director, they fight to bring their own films into existence. Perhaps, in this fight there is no time left to think about others. The group of directors answered me with an example:

They never had access to cinema because they did not form part of the small clique that orbited around power. However, they were highly motivated and managed to make a film. As they were freelancers at national television, they got organised and promoted the screening of the film. They created a buzz. The day of the screening there was a huge crowd. And the buzz echoed throughout the city. Thanks to their success, the inner circle of the government elite, who had closed the doors to cinema in their faces, was forced to integrate them in a training program. But, during the program, they were never given the camera. The camera was always in the hands of the weakest, of the incompetent, of those who could never pose a risk as a possible future competitor.

There are tons of stories such as this one. If you speak with the directors of international festivals that have invited the directors that have succeeded, and who were at the summit of their glory when they attended the festival, these festival directors will tell you how impossible these directors were as guests. They behaved like crown princes, demanded unaffordable hotels, and were rude to the festival personnel. At the same time, they were “the chosen” by the foreign ministries financing films in Africa, all the while well implanted in the country; there was an absolutely crazy cult to money. When we compare this behavior to that of the elite of the dictatorships in Central Africa (and probably elsewhere), the similarity is striking. The same mentality, the same corruption, the same attitude… that, twenty years later, is leading us down the path to destruction.

This culture of bad faith, built on egoism and on working against each other, has produced an antidevelopment.

And the result, a logical one at that, is simple to foresee: Impoverishment of the sector, no renovation of personnel and an inability to grow. As there is no vitality, there is no investment fund to follow development funds that first arrived from foreign ministries as regards cinema. Cinema is a tool that is built on pooling efforts, skills and resources. That is the system’s foundation.

Cinema cannot escape from certain evils of postcolonial Africa. What is set forth above could certainly be applied to more sectors of society. Cinema is just a small segment. Contrary to other sectors of the economy, it could easily be brought to a stop, restructured and restarted on sound foundations.

That would allow us to envision a beginning of prosperity in ten or fifteen years. It would most certainly be quicker and easier that trying to fix what exists right now.

A passionate creator of films since childhood and a member of a school cine club during his teens, he did not study at a film school abroad as so often happens in these cases. His training was carried out via a stint at television, a summer at La Fémis University, and the opportunities he had to work with foreign media. When he attended the MIPDOC, his eyes were opened to the potential of the international market. He grew more professional at his job working with Asiatic and English-speaking crews. He comes from a culture of subsidies, and he realized that what was missing the most in the country was a true understanding and awareness of the international market. The culture of meritocracy is what can really make films push forward in Cameroon. Together with other professionals, he is currently a member of APIC (Independent Producers of Cameroon Association). This association has been in existence for five years now, and is formed by companies. They are currently eleven in total, and they strive to maintain a certain level of professionalism in all their activities. The APIC also actively works for the regulation of the sector. Each party must play its part. For example, the National Cameroon Television (CRTV) is practicing unfair competition by receiving programmes free from Canal France Internationale. It broadcasts programmes that it has not paid for and, in the process, this policy does not allow the Cameroon industry to develop because CRTV does not buy programming; and when it does, it buys at much lower prices. Another of APIC’s demands is that the professionals in the industry upgrade their knowledge/ skills. People claim to have this and that title, but are not really competent. The lack of any fixed regulations opens the door to poor quality because they have no expertise. And that makes the prices drop lower. We need to create a guild with renown professionals. But there must also be administrative discipline in order to instill an ethical system in production. Another problem we have is that the younger generations are in a hurry to attain fame and glory. So they do not take the time to learn as they should, they are lacking passion and film culture. If all these problems were truly tackled, face on, we could change the outlook of cinema in Cameroon. The future is open to everything.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

HISTORY OF CINEMA FROM 1896-2000

The history of Cameroonian cinema starts in Paris with a documentary by Jean-Paul Ngassa covering the situation of Cameroonian students in France, Aventure en France (1962). This same topic inspires Thérèse Sita Bella, the director of Tom-Tom in Paris (1963). On return to his country, Ngassa starts working for the State service producing propaganda films about this newborn nation (1970). In 1975 on the national and international screens, the first full length films.

The most prolific early filmmaker (produced between 1971 and 1985) and actor in Cameroon is Alphonse Béni who features in Cameroon Connection. In 1983, Arthur Si Bita made his feature film, Les Coopérants, a modern fable. Daniel Kamwa, who breezily passes from the role of director to that of actor, generally chooses the tones of comedy. His films include, as mentioned, Pousse-Pousse (1975) and Le Cercle des Pouvoirs (1997), a cinematic accusation of Cameroonian society’s number one burden: corruption.

So a handful of filmmakers in Cameroon with good international reputations gained acclaim, but there is little in the way of a formal film production infra- structure. Local skills are available in the country and in the rest of the region. Having both English and French as official languages, filmmakers and technicians from the country have special advantages on the region’s larger products. They are surrounded by countries which are either Anglophone or Francophone, hence the Cameroonians are well presented in camera productions all over the region. On screens, however, Cameroonian films are hardly shown at all to the local audience. Foremost because the audience strongly favours Hollywood and French action productions, but another influence also inhibits showing local movies on local screens. Programming in Cameroonian theaters is controlled by European distributors. Cameroonian theater owners have nothing to do with film selection; they simply screen the films supplied to them year- round by the distributor. Theater owners keep a certain percentage of box-office earnings and send the rest back to the distributor. Programming African films-which are not part of the distributors’ package- involves reducing the screenings of pre-programmed films, cutting into distributors’ profits and introducing an African filmmaker into the financial equation.

Cameroonian theater owners are reluctant to create tension with European distributors on whom they depend so completely.

QUARTIER MOZART

Nevertheless several film directors like Jean-Pierre Dikongue (Pipa après Muna Moto, 1975, Grand prix Fespaco 1976) enjoyed great success with the general public with Histoires droles, drôles de gens (1983) et Courte maladie (1987). Daniel Kamwa (Boubou cravate, 1972; Pousse-Pousse, 1975; Notre fille, 1980; le Cercle des pouvoirs, 1997), Jean-Marie Teno (De Ouaga à Douala en passant par Paris, 1987; Clando, 1996, Chef!, 1999), Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Un Blanc pauvre?, 1991; Douala, Quartier Mozart, 1992; le Complot d’Aristote, 1997) et Bassek ba Kobhio (Sango Malo le maître du canton, 1991; le Grand Blanc de Lambaréné, 1994), Eloi Bela Ndzana’s Djamboula (1999), Francois Woukoache’s La Fumee dans le Yeux and Olivier Bile’s Otheo, l’Africain (1998) have earned themselves a place in the diverse African cinema. The most widely acclaimed female director is without a doubt Josepine Bertand. She directed several shorts and Fanta (2002) her first full feature movie. These movies are all produced in cooperation with foreign companies, most notably the French Government, sponsoring several films. The African Cinema Festival 2000 in Milan featured a special focus on Cameroonian cinema.

• Carrefour Condom Gervais Djimeli Lekpa
• Menteur Professionnel Charlotte Ngo Manyo
• Lost Brother “Waka-waka man” Dezarroi
• Bongfen Petra Sundjo
• Abom Carine Ezembe
• Couches toi et laisses moi faire Charlotte Ngo Manyo
• Kam la guenon
• Fleur dans le sang (La) 1966, Urbain Dia Mokouri
• Un enfant Noir 1971, Alphonse Béni
• Boubou cravate 1972, Daniel Kamwa
• Muna Moto | Enfant de l’autre (L’) 1974, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Pousse pousse 1975, Daniel Kamwa
• Prix de la liberté (Le) 1978, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Histoires drôles et drôles de gens 1983, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Coopérants (Les) 1983, Arthur Si Bita
• Trois petits cireurs (Les) Louis Balthazar Adangoleda
• Badiaga 1987, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Maléfice noir (Le) Jude Ntsimenkou
• Dernier voyage (Le) 1990, Jean-Marie Teno
• Tazibi 1990, Konham Augustine Kamani, Rosine Kenmoe Kenyou
• Sango Malo 1991, Bassek Ba Kobhio
• Mister Foot 1991, Jean-Marie Teno
• Quartier Mozart 1992, Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama
• Victime innocente (La) Honoré Noumabeu
• Totor 1993, Daniel Kamwa
• Clando 1996, Jean-Marie Teno
• Complot d’Aristote (Le) Aristotle’s Plot 1996 , Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama
• Femme et le secret (La) 1996, Bassek Ba Kobhio
• Cercle des pouvoirs (Le) 1997, Daniel Kamwa, Jules Takam
• Fumée dans les yeux (La) 1998, François Woukoache
• Yaadou bee dabare (Marche avec intelligence) 1998, Laminou Tilimdo
• Wada wasmita (Agir et regretter) 1998, Laminou Tilimdo
• Fragments de vie 1999, François Woukoache
• Khaddara 2001, Laminou Tilimdo
• Public Order 2002, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Yarda 2002, Laminou Tilimdo
• Niiyassou 2002, Laminou Tilimdo
• Sey gedal (Le destin) 2003, Laminou Tilimdo
• Play Boy 2003, Alain Fongue
• Loving you 2004, Narcisse Mbarga
• Findinéeki 2004, Bamdiram Bamba
• Djomo la promise 2004, Jacques Noumi
• Quête des points (La) 2004, Ben Green
• Honneur des femmes (L’) 2004, Paul Kobhio
• À l’ère du cellulaire 2004, Gervais Djimeli Lekpa
• Meilleur et le pire (Le) 2004, Bassek Ba Kobhio
• Alkawal 2004, Laminou Tilimdo
• Cercle vicieux (Le) 2005, Serge Alain Noa
• Aller Retour 2005, Lorenzo Mbiahou
• Dieu devant la barre Daniel Ndo
• Saignantes (Les) 2005, Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama
• Oser ou s’exposer 2005, Gervais Djimeli Lekpa
• Sex parlant (Le) Bernard Nagmo
• Mal djamba (Le charlatan) 1/3 2005, Laminou Tilimdo
• Mal djamba (Le charlatan) 2/3 2005, Laminou Tilimdo
• Mal djamba (Le charlatan) 3/3 2005, Laminou Tilimdo
• Enfant peau rouge (L’) 2006, Gérard Essomba
• Préavis (Le) Honoré Noumabeu
• Lettre (La) Honoré Noumabeu
• Avare (L’) Honoré Noumabeu
• Cadeau (Le) [Noumabeu] Honoré Noumabeu
• Bana ba Nyué (Les orphelins) 2006, Toussaint Adrien Eyango
• Bise (La) 2006, Honoré Noumabeu
• Profil 2006, Gervais Djimeli Lekpa, Estheline Sandrine Fomat
• Mon Ayon 2006, Blaise Nnomo Zanga
• Confidences 2006, Cyrille Masso
• Ultime Résolution 2006, Eloi Bela Ndzana
• Déchirure (La) / Tear (The) 2006, Alphonse Béni
• Rêve brisé (Le) Ghislain Fotso Chatue
• Psikoz 2006, Thierry Ntamack
• Double Set-Up 2007, Princess Manka Bridget
• Silences du cœur (Les) 2007, Narcisse Mbarga
• Paris à tout prix 2007, Joséphine Ndagnou
• Une vie brisée 2007, Jude Ntsimenkou
• Man of the Bottom Sentence criminelle 2007, Prince Dubois Onana
• Don involontaire (Le) 2007, Serge Alain Noa
• Blessures Inguérissables (Les) 2007, Hélène Ebah
• Afidi 2007 Serge Alain Noa
• Pont (Le) 2007, Ghislain Amougou
• Donzy 2007, Isidore Modjo
• Cicatrice (La) 2007, Léopold Magloire Yando
• Syndrome d’oz (Le) 2007, Boudjeka Kamto
• Taboo 2007, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Trials of passion 2007, Ferdinand Assaba
• Path of love 2007, Ferdinand Assaba
• Clandos 2007, Blaise Pascal Tanguy
• Avez-vous vu Franklin Roosevelt? (Have you seen Franklin Roosevelt?) 2008, Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama
• Ma Sâsâ (Mâh Saah-sah) 2008, Daniel Kamwa
• Déchirure 2, parfait amour 2008, Alphonse Béni
• Waramutseho! (Bonjour!) 2008, Bernard Auguste Kouemo Yanghu
• Dans ma tête 2008, Ghislain Amougou
• Match (The) 2008, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Mark of the absolute 2008, Ferdinand Assaba
• Don Man 2008, Francis Kengne
• Djannatou 2008, Laminou Tilimdo
• Impulsions 2008, Blaise Pascal Tanguy
• Oser ou s’exposer 2008, Blaise Pascal Tanguy
• Innocent (L’) 2009, Carine Ezembe
• Trafic d’enfants 2009, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Oreilles (Les) 2009, Gilbert Tio Babena
• Cri de coeur (Le) 2009, Pierre Loti Simo
• Dans l’ombre d’une autre Francine Kemegni
• Extension 4 2009, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Je me marierai avec mon père 2009, Lionel Meta
• Tcham (La) 2009, Julien Fouejeu
• Pacte (Le) 2009, Emmanuel Bayemek
• Djoondé Douniya 2009, Laminou Tilimdo
• Bébé Joan 2009, Toussaint Adrien Eyango
• Big woman don’t cry 2009, Françoise Ellong
• Femme de mes rêves (La) 2010, Francis Kengne
• Veillée de contes traditionnels 2010, Daniel Ndo
• Fille, le serpent-boa et le serment (La) 2010, Daniel Ndo
• Conséquences de la désobéissance (Les) 2010 Daniel Ndo,
• Origine de la pauvreté (L’) 2010, Daniel Ndo
• Malédiction du crapaud (La) 2010, Daniel Ndo
• Tête de la tourterelle (La) 2010, Daniel Ndo
• Gymnastics 2010, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Sangs Mêlés (Les) 2010, Pascaline Ntema
• Noce de coton 2010, Gérard Désiré Nguélé Amougou
• L’écriteau 2010, Yves Bertin Djime
• Intrusion 2010, Yves Bertin Djime
• Charitable 2010, Yves Bertin Djime
• Not My Will 2010, Wegmuller Ikome
• Soureyya 2010, Laminou Tilimdo
• Tour de passe-passe 2010, Agnès Ndibi, Guy Foumane
• Prière (La) 2010, Hyacinthe Nyong’o
• Un Africain en hiver 2010, Clément Ndzana, Paulin Dadjeu
• Au-delà de l’ambition 2010, Dovie Kendo
• Rape (Viol) 2010, Joyce Naah
• Sottise (La) 2010, Elise Kameni
• Audacity of love 2011, Ferdinand Assaba
• Cicatrice 2011, Marius Bonfeu
• Robin du Web (Robin of the Web) 2011, Véronique Doumbe
• Kongossa 2011, François Woukoache
• Ainsi va la vie 2011, Christian Kengne, Aristide Youpi Meyong
• Witch (La) 2011, Kelly Adams Ntep
• Rendez-vous avec les morts 2011, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Veuves volontaires (Les) 2011, Alphonse Béni
• Adieu 2011, Ange Nfonman
• Correspondant (Le) 2011, Henri Fotso
• Folies d’amour 2011, Anaclet Ngono Onana
• Double face 2011, Rostand Wandja
• Pension 2011, James Nyincho-Tum
• Sur la route d’un ange 2011, Thierry Ntamack
• Hiich 2011, Elise Kameni
• 2ème bureau 2011, Dieudonné Nadi Nana
• Président (Le) 2012, Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama

• W.A.K.A. 2013, Françoise Ellong
• Mes voisins chinois Georges Olivier Biyong
• Que sais-tu faire Béranger Mendjengoue
• Camfranglais (Le) Edwin Erkwen
• Challenge Sidi Mohamed Abbas Armand Brice Tchikamen, Hervé Kouamo
• Merveilleuse Marza Chantal Julie Nlend
• Thérèse comment tu t’en sors? Astrid Atodji
• Murs s’écroulent (Les) Chantal Julie Nlend
• Canon Kpa Kum 1980, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Music and Music: Super Concert 1981, Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa
• Schubbah 1983, Jean-Marie Teno
• Hommage 1985, Jean-Marie Teno
• Engrenage 1988, Konham Augustine Kamani
• Portrait d’une femme rurale 1988, Konham Augustine Kamani
• FESTAC 88 1988, Bassek Ba Kobhio
• Mont Cameroun et ses environs (Le) Gabriel Foki, Honoré Noumabeu
• Pêcheurs et leurs communautés (Les) Gabriel Foki
• Architecture traditionnelle Bonaventure Takoukam
• Cadeau de Paix 1989, Konham Augustine Kamani
• Un jour à la campagne 1989, Rosine Kenmoe Kenyou
• Mélina 1991, François Woukoache
• Contes du Cameroun 1991, Blandine Foumane
• Grandes fêtes petits prix 1992, Rosine Kenmoe Kenyou
• Tête dans les nuages (La) 1994, Jean-Marie Teno
• Visa pour les USA 1994, Jean-Marie Mvondo
• Asientos 1995, François Woukoache
• Un oeil dans les ténèbres 1995, Dieudonné Cyrille Bitting
• Retirement Life’s End? 1996, Florence Tan
• Chef! 1999, Jean-Marie Teno
• Vacances au pays 1999, Jean-Marie Teno
• Héritiers du Malé Makom (Les) 1999, Eloi Bela Ndzana, Marco Ranocchi
• Fantacoca 2001, Agnès Ndibi
• Au prix du verre 2001, Cyrille Masso
• Itilga (Les destinées) 2001, Osvalde Lewat, Cyrille Masso
• Afrique, je te plumerai! 2002, Jean-Marie Teno
• Mariage d’Alex (Le) 2002, Jean-Marie Teno
• Un foyer au coeur de la forêt 2002, Eloi Bela Ndzana
• 140, rue du bac 2002, Osvalde LEWAT
• Une parole de danse 2003, Jean-Jacques Ondoa
• Deuxième Classe 2003, Gérard Désiré Nguélé Amougou
• Ma journée d’école 2003, Eloi Bela Ndzana
• Au coeur d’une plante 2003, Eloi Bela Ndzana
• Afrique noire à l’image 2004, Bitjoka Bondol Mbock
• Destin… destinée? 2004, Arice Siapi
• Silence [réalisé par Edimo Dikobo] 2004, Edimo Dikobo
• Au-delà de la peine 2004, Osvalde Lewat
• Footballeuses (Les) Honoré Noumabeu
• Malentendu colonial (Le) 2004, Jean-Marie Teno
• Reflections 2004, Florence Ayisi
• Combat pour la vie 2004, Eloi Bela Ndzana
• Bona, le sorcier de la basse 2004, Olivier Enogo
• Un amour pendant la guerre 2005, Osvalde Lewat
• Filières africaines de la prostitution (Les) 2005, Olivier Enogo, Romaric Atchourou
• Waka man 2005, Gervais Djimeli Lekpa
• My Mother: Isange 2005, Florence Ayisi
• Mourir en donnant la vie Alain Fongue
• We Are One 2005, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Manu Dibango et le Soul Makossa Gang 2006,
• Moto clando (Clandos) 2006, Gervais Djimeli Lekpa
• Logone le trésor en péril 2006, Bamdiram Bamba
• Zanzibar Soccer Queens 2007, Florence Ayisi
• Une affaire de nègres 2007, Osvalde Lewat
• Bois des singes (Le) 2007, Osvalde Lewat
• Alternative Rap 2007, Nganguem Kamdem
• Living archive (The) 2007, Akan Ngweken, Margaret Fombe Fube
• En quete d’esprits 2007, Olivier Enogo
• Chemin de Bogo (Le) 2007, Hubert Atangana
• Douala la belle Honoré Noumabeu Anisha 2007, Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni
• Bilim Bi Jam 2007, Simon Bell
• Jeanne d’Arc et que la roue 2008, Rosalie Mbélé Atangana
• Encounter (The) 2008, Cyrille Masso
• Riskou Le Partage de la Vache 2008, Arice Siapi
• Blanchir une affaire pas très claire 2008, Olivier Enogo
• Terre 2008, Florane Malam
• Culte des crânes (Le) Francine Kemegni
• Autopsie du cinéma africain 2008, Lambert Ndzana
• Sawa 2009, Nganguem Kamdem
• Tcheupte les chaînes de la tradition 2009, Hortense Nyamen
• Elles s’appellent Majolie 2009, Gérard Désiré Nguélé Amougou
• Autisme : derrière le rideau 2009, Olivier Enogo
• African Snakes Tamer’s 2009, Olivier Enogo
• Prostitution: mémoires d’une enquête 2009, Olivier Enogo
• Comment toucher? 2009, Prudence Théophile Ngwe II
• Cinéma de Charlie (Le) 2009, Simon Bell
• D. (à Démolir) 2009, Mama Mbouobouo
• Féroméo, au propre et au pluriel 2009, Florane Malam
• Origines de la Françafrique (Les) 2010, Jean-Pierre Bekolo Obama
• Koundi et le Jeudi National (Koundi and the National Thursday) 2010, Astrid Atodji Juarké
• Boys made men in Mboum society 2010, Mohamadou Saliou
• Life 2010, Patrick Epape
• Femmes artistes au Cameroun (Art of This Place Women Artists in Cameroon) 2010, Florence Ayisi
• Maman Marthe 2010, Mama Mbouobouo
• Miroir de mon âme 2011, Deza Nguembock
• Une vie interdite 2011, Honoré Noumabeu
• Banane (La) 2011, Franck Bieleu
• Liste (La) 2011, Chantal Julie Nlend
• Excision : une pratique, des vies brisées (L’) 2011, Françoise Baba
• Tueur silencieux (Le) 2011, Blaise Pascal Tanguy
• Atchuelah, la vénération des ancetres 2011 Francis Meli
• Dos de la veuve (Le) 2011, Mary-Noël Niba
• Sur les pas du père Soffo, le Prophète 2011, Elise Kameni
• Poly-Amour 2012, Ken Ervy Patoudem
• Rewbe Woila 2012, Viviane Tassi Bela
• Chasseuses de l’aube (Les) 2012, Elise Kameni
• Mboko ou l’enfant de la rue 2012, Blaise Pascal Tanguy

Television was brought into Cameroon by presidential decree on April 26, 1986 (order number 86/005), creating the National Television Office, designated as Cameroon Television.

The Prime Minister’s decree of April 3, 2000 (2000/158) paved the way to creating dozens of private audiovisual press corporations in Cameroon and opened the door for entities other than the State to hold their ownership. Nevertheless, it was not until seven years later, on August 30, 2007, that the government handed over the first official licenses to two private televisions, STV and Channel 2 International.

The editorial line of CRTV ordered all its personnel to carry out a positive analysis of the government’s actions and performances at an economic and political level, especially as regarded the reduction of poverty, good governance and the fight against corruption.

The journalists at CRTV who opposed this pro- governmental tendency were just forced to resign, as was the case of Charly Ndichia, who quit at the beginning of the nineties, following the banning of critical analysis. Other stubborn journalists – civil servants – were punished by being transferred to a Ministry with lower salaries! All non civil servant colleagues of theirs who tried to disobey were simply fired.

The work conditions at CRTV are decidedly better than those in the private sector. The starting salary of a journalist who has just got his degree at CRTV is of 300,000 FCFA (US $650) per month, while it is of only 150,000 FCFA at Spectrum Television (STV) and even as low as 50,00 FCFA at Equinoxe Radio&TV or Channel 2.

76% of the income of CRTV is made up by the audiovisual license fee collected from the taxpayers and corporations. The monthly sum depends on rank and salary amount, and is taken from employees’ salaries, figuring on the pay slip. Those employees who earn less than 62,000 FCFA (US $135) per month are exempt from this tax. In total, 75% of the country’s workers are subject to this tax. It is deducted by the Ministry of Finances and deposited in a special account for CRTV.

CRTV also benefits from indirect aids from foreign media such as BBC, Radio France International and Canal France International, who aid the African audiovisual sector by offering more than 2,500 hours of programming a year (films, documentaries, children’s shows and publicity messages in French, English and Portuguese).

CRTV’s annual working budget has dropped from near 28 billion FCFA (60 million US dollars) to 17 billion FCFA (37 million US dollars) in 2009. Obviously, there is not enough money to satisfy the needs of all the departments – administration, technical services, program production and purchases. M. Ekulole says that barely one percent of the budget is dedicated to producing programmes, while salaries and management allowances soak up near to 26%.