Tahar Cheriaa: Under the Shadow of the Baobab

Metrograph

This documentary by Mohamed Challouf explores the life of Tahar Cheriaa, recognized as the father of Pan-African cinema and the founder of the Carthage Film Festival (JCC). The film highlights Cheriaa’s pivotal role in launching the careers of renowned filmmakers like Ousmane Sembène, Med Hondo, and Haile Gerima, through the 'Baobab Group'. It chronicles the collective efforts of African cineastes and cinephiles to challenge foreign domination of the continent's film screens, inspired by Cheriaa’s belief that "whoever controls distribution controls cinema."