By Christie-Noella Eposi
The short film entitled Ta’a Fotso is a documentary directed by Stephane Noumo and produced by 3R Production. It is the very first film by the young Cameroonian director, already a winner in several festivals in Africa and elsewhere.
For some thirteen minutes, the short film Père Fotso (Ta’a Fotso, documentary, 2023, Cameroon) by Stephane Noumo invites the viewer the original story of an exceptional man who became blind, but who continues to work enormously in braving his disability to provide for the needs of his family and also to help his village.
From the first sequence of the film to the last, this work offers a beautiful film portrait of a man, a father, nicknamed Ta’a Fotso (Mr Fotso). Although filmed with realism in his usual natural environment, there is almost nothing to reveal the visual handicap of this character, except for the shots in which we see him with his white cane. Both his gestures and movements during his field work, domestic tasks or even in his cafeteria are skillful and determined.
A model of resilience
With sequences showing Fotso’s determination through a series of daily activities, but also through the testimony of his loved ones and the inhabitants of Semto in Bandjoun, the camera reveals a man, initially a photographer, but who knew how to accept his visually handicapped situation, no longer able to see, and who has retrained. Thus becoming a model of resilience that municipal authorities offer to the younger generation.
The success of this short film is undoubtedly the fruit of the work of a technical and artistic team who contributed to it alongside producers Roseline Fonkwa Moundjongui and Willy Stephane Noumo; in this case Takong Delvis Mezzo (post production) and Achille Tsanang (sound), with photo direction provided by the Des Beaux Arts studio.
Currently in pre-production for its first feature documentary and entitled Painful 1906, Stephane Noumo first worked as a journalist with a great passion for cinema, before producing his first short film documentary. In particular, he carried out the media coverage of several international film festivals in Cameroon and other countries, and has produced programs on On7 cinema, (on set) broadcast on Crtv, and now Scoop on the Canal2 television channel International and present on the Canal bouquet More Africa.
It is important to note that, Stephane Noumo’s movie has also been selected to feature at the Cameroon International Film Festival that will take place from the 22nd to 27th April 2024 in Buea.
A dense track record
In 2023, the same year of its production, this film has already successfully participated in several festivals such as the 16th Handifilm Festival from December 2 to 5 in Rabat, Morocco, where it won the best documentary award. In July, he won the Best International Documentary Film award at the Festival de Bretagne in Locronan (France), then participated in the 14th Silicon Valley African Film Festival in California (USA) in October, with a special mention, won the Best International Short Documentary Award at the 11th Studio City International Film Festival on September 7. Earlier, he won Best Debut Director at Indie Short Fest (Los Angeles International Short Film Festival), USA, in April 2023.
An eloquent list of achievements would be the originality of the subject and the story, but also the purpose of such a project and the intention of the author. “It’s a huge honor to be recognized in this way and it fills my heart with joy and gratitude,”. declared Stephane Noumo after a distinction. “These distinctions motivate me to continue telling meaningful stories and promote diversity and inclusion in my movies” he concluded.