Safi Faye

Safi Faye is a Senegalese anthropologist and director. She was studying in Senegal when Jean Rouch offered her a role in Petit à petit in 1971. After continuing her studies in France, she became the first African woman to direct films. First the short film La Passante, then the feature film Lettre paysanne in 1975, dealing with the economic problems of the rural world. In 1979 she made her second feature film on the customs, traditions and creation of her native village, Fad,Jal, which received the George Sadoul prize. She directed many films until the end of the 90s, notably Selbé parmi tant d’autres (1982) and Mossane (1996).