The film and TV industries have never been able to grow properly in Mauritania since independence due to the repression of the military regimes. Film and TV have always been under the supervision of the Ministries of Communication and Internal Affairs.

There is only one movie theatre (Galaxy) among the ten that were once in the capital Nouakchott. There have never been any cinema training facilities or education.

The first generation of well-known filmmakers (Mohamed Hondo, Abderahman Sissako) trained in Europe and Russia respectively.

A second generation trained on the job, has been trying to not only survive but advance the dynamic. This is really based primarily on the « The House of the Filmmakers », an association born in 2002 on the personal initiative of Abderrahmane Ould Salem and sponsored/guided by Abderrahmane Sissako. It has managed to survive thanks to the commitment of its members, support organizations, cooperation with Europeans, and with the French and Spanish cultural institutes. It organizes, according to the means available, training workshops, festivals and screening caravans.

Because the two people who initiated the MDC are documentary filmmakers, this kind of film is predominant in programming, training and production. This association is behind the organization of the rare film activities in the country:

• "National Film Week of Nouakchott (SENAF)" the only festival in the capital, in existence since 2006.

• "River Festival Image", a modest itinerant festival in different areas of the Sahel region. It is headed by Djibril Diaw.

• Mobile screenings

• Training workshops

• Archiving of national films

The French and Spanish cultural institutes organise screenings and film events (European Film Week ...).

There are 7 to 10 private production companies, mainly in news and media. Some of them are interested in the production of documentaries (Mdcprod, Intaj, Saharamedia ...). Despite their existence, their equipment is rudimentary and inaccessible, and is exclusively concentrated in the capital.

There are around 12 documentary filmmakers, half of them live mainly abroad. Less than a dozen films are produced every year, but very few of them reach the level of creative documentary. They are mostly produced through foreign aid, including Franco-European support.

There has always been one very archaic official TV channel, fully controlled by the regime, without either equipment or staff! The public has begun to migrate to the Arab satellite channel or to TV Laayoun, the official Moroccan chain in the Sahara.

And in the recent months, the country has experienced liberalization of the airwaves: 5 licenses were granted to the private sector. Three of them are just starting to transmit (TV Sahel, Chenguit TV, Al Mourabitoune). They are still in the experimental broadcast phase. Their specifications intend the production and dissemination of documentary films, but it is still early to see how they will be implemented.

An office of copyright protection is also being established.

The civil society is a very dynamic presence everywhere and in various sectors. Young university graduates often lead it, with a significant presence of women.

Internet is the main space of communication and creation and the most active. Unfortunately, it is not available everywhere because of the lack of telecom infrastructures in the decentralised areas. It does and will however enable growing outreach possibilities for productions to connect with audiences.

Recommendations:

• To develop a partnership and to support to the actions of "La maison du cinéaste".

• To help setting up a sustainable training structure.

• To help the distribution of Mauritanian films abroad.