African Women's Voices as Alternative Discourse: In Conversation with Anne-Laure Folly Reimann

As an international lawyer, Anne-Laure Folly Reimann, became increasingly interested in African womens' rights. Her evolution into filmmaking came through the realization that it was useful and effective, indicative of the two women who inspired her, Sarah Maldoror and Safi Faye. Working in an international milieu, with a focus on African cultures and societies, her cinematic practice evolved within this context. Her filmography includes Le Gardien des forces (1992, France), Femmes du Niger (1993, France), L'Or du Liptako (1993, Togo), Women with Open Eyes ! Femmes aux yeux ouverts (1994, France), Les Amazones se sont reconverties (1995), From the Tree to the Dugout ! Entre l'arbre et la pirogue (1996, Togo), Projet sambizanga (1996), Les Oubli & eacute;es (1996, France), Sarah Maldoror ou la nostalgie de l'utopie (1998, France), Deposez les Lames (1998, Senegal), and L'une l'est l'autre pas (2000). Anne-Laure Folly Reimann proposes an African womans' standpoint as alternative discourse: "their perspective does not simply analyze things; they live them." More generally she explores her idea that Africa has alternative values that it must learn to impart and exchange with others. "Power comes from those who say things . . . that it is normal to want to go beyond ones' borders, that, it is necessary, it is important to be a medium for ones' own culture."