Étalon de Yennenga
| Étalon de Yennenga | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best Film of the Year |
| Country | Burkina Faso |
| Presented by | FESPACO |
| First award | 1972 |
| Final award | 2025 |
Étalon de Yennenga (English: Stallion of Yennenga) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Burkinabe's silver screen, awarded by the biannual Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), in recognition of the grand prize for the Best Film. First commenced in 1972, it is considered the most prestigious award in African cinema.
History
'Étalon de Yennenga' means Stallion of Yennenga in French and refers to Princess Yennenga. The Mossi people, the main ethnic group in Burkina Faso, consider her a founder of the Mossi Kingdoms. The story of Yennenga dates back to the beginning of the 12th century in the Kingdom of Dagbon. King Nedega's daughter, Yennenga, was a horse-woman, and adept at using javelins, spears and bows.[1] The physical award resembles Yennenga with her horse and weapon.
Award
The first winner of the Étalon de Yennenga was Oumarou Ganda in 1972 with his film Le Wazzou polygame.[2]
In 2005, the 19th edition of FESPACO, two new awards were established. The Yennenga Standard Grand Prize became the Golden Stallion of Yennenga (Étalon d'or de Yennenga), and the new awards are named the Silver Stallion and the Bronze Stallion.[3] The trophies are designed and made by Burkinabe sculptor Ali Nikiméa.[4]
List of Winners of the Yennenga Stallion
| Year | Winner | Pictures |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 (Ceremony on March 12, 1972) | Le Wazzou Polygame by Oumarou Ganda (Niger)[2] | |
| 1973 (Ceremony on February 13, 1973) | A Thousand and One Hands by Souheil Ben Barka (Morocco) | |
| 1976 (Ceremony on February 10, 1976) | Muna Moto by Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa (Cameroon) | |
| 1979 (Ceremony on February 10, 1979) | Baara by Souleymane Cissé (Mali) | |
| 1981 (Ceremony on March 1, 1981) | Djeli by Fadika Kramo-Lanciné (Ivory Coast) | |
| 1983 (Ceremony on February 13, 1983) | Finyè by Souleymane Cissé (Mali) | |
| 1985 (Ceremony on March 2, 1985) | Story of a Meeting by Brahim Tsaki (Algeria) | |
| 1987 (Ceremony on February 28, 1987) | Sarraounia de Med Hondo (Mauritania) | |
| 1989 (Ceremony on March 4, 1989) | Heritage Africa by Kwaw Ansah (Ghana) | |
| 1991 (Ceremony on March 2, 1991) | Tilaï by Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso) | |
| 1993 (Ceremony on March 4, 1993) | Au nom du Christ by Gnoan Roger M'Bala (Ivory Coast) | |
| 1995 (Ceremony on March 4, 1995) | Guimba by Cheick Oumar Sissoko (Mali) | |
| 1997 (Ceremony on March 1, 1997) | Buud Yam by Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso) | |
| 1999 (Ceremony on March 6, 1999) | Identity Pieces by Mwezé Ngangura (Democratic Republic of Congo) | |
| 2001 (Ceremony on March 3, 2001) | Ali Zaoua by Nabil Ayouch (Morocco) | |
| 2003 (Ceremony on March 1 , 2003) | Waiting for Happiness by Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritania) | |
| 2005 (Ceremony on March 5, 2005) | Golden Stallion: Drum by Zola Maseko (South Africa) | |
| Silver Stallion: The Dark Room by Hassan Benjelloun (Morocco) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: Tasuma by Kollo Daniel Sanou (Burkina Faso) | ||
| 2007 (Ceremony on March 3, 2007) | Golden Stallion: Ezra de Newton Aduaka (Nigeria) | |
| Silver Stallion: Les Saignantes by Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: Daratt of Mahamat Saleh Haroun (Chad) | ||
| 2009 (Ceremony on March 7, 2009) | Golden Stallion: Teza by Hailé Gerima (Ethiopia) | |
| Silver Stallion: Nothing But the truth by John Kani (South Africa) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: Masquerades by Lyes Salem (Algeria) | ||
| 2011 (Ceremony on March 5, 2011) | Golden Stallion: Pegasus by Mohamed Mouftakir (Morocco) | |
| Silver Stallion: A Screaming Man by Mahamat Haroun Saley (Chad) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: The Ideal Guy by Owell Brown (Ivory Coast) | ||
| 2013 (Ceremony on March 2, 2013) | Golden Stallion: Tey (today) by Alain Gomis (Senegal) | |
| Silver Stallion: Yema by Djamila Sahraoui (Algeria) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: The Pirogue of Moussa Touré (Senegal) | ||
| 2015 (Ceremony on March 7, 2015) | Golden Stallion: Fevers by Hicham Ayouch (France, Morocco) | |
| Silver Stallion: Fadhma N'Soumer of Belkacem Hadjadj (Algeria) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: The Eye of the Storm by Sékou Traoré (Burkina Faso) | ||
| 2017 (Ceremony on March 4, 2017) | Golden Stallion: Félicité by Alain Gomis (Senegal) | |
| Silver Stallion: L'orage africain: un continent sous influence by Sylvestre Amoussou (Benin) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: A Mile in My Shoes by Saïd Khallaf (Morocco) | ||
| 2019 (Ceremony on March 2, 2019) | Golden Stallion: The Mercy of the Jungle by Joël Karekezi (Rwanda) | |
| Silver Stallion: Karma by Khaled Youssef (Egypt) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: Fatwa of Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud (Tunisia) | ||
| 2021 (Ceremony on October 23, 2021) | Golden Stallion: The Gravedigger's Wife by Khadar Ayderus Ahmed (Somalia) | |
| Silver Stallion: Freda by Gessica Généus (Haiti) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: A Tale of Love and Desire by Leyla Bouzid (Tunisia) | ||
| 2023 (Ceremony on March 4, 2023) | Golden Stallion: Ashkal by Youssef Chebbi (Tunisia) | |
| Silver Stallion: Sira by Apolline Traoré (Burkina Faso) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: Shimoni by Angela Wamai (Kenya) | ||
| 2025 (Ceremony on March 1, 2025) | Golden Stallion: Katanga, la danse des scorpions by Dani Kouyaté (Burkina Faso) | |
| Silver Stallion: The Village Next to Paradise by Mo Harawe (Somalia) | ||
| Bronze Stallion: On Becoming a Guinea Fowl by Rungano Nyoni (Zambia) |
References
- ^ "The statue of Yennenga". BBC. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
- ^ a b "FESPACO Award Winners (1972-2019)". Black Camera. 12 (1): 470–472. 2020. doi:10.2979/blackcamera.12.1.36. ISSN 1536-3155.
- ^ "Katanga, la Danse des Scorpions" Wins Grand Prize as Burkina Faso and DRC Shine at FESPACO 2025". Afrocritik. 4 March 2025. Retrieved 24 June 2025.
- ^ "Trophées du FESPACO : Sur les traces de l'Etalon de Yennenga - leFaso.net". lefaso.net (in French). Retrieved 24 June 2025.