African-Americans Offer Hope to African Film

[Kire]

African-Americans Offer Hope to African Film
Thursday March 10 9:22 PM ET

"We'll be back," vowed American actor Danny Glover as he prepared to jet out of Africa's top film festival.

That pledge, made on behalf of the powerful African-American film lobby, could be just what Africa's cash-strapped film industry needs as it strives to sell its films to global audiences and get funds to make more.

There can be little doubt that closer ties between the African-American movie community and Africa could increase output and commercial appeal.

Glover, star of the "Lethal Weapon" films, was in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou last week to judge films from the continent's top directors during the Fespaco film festival.

His presence gave the festival, which transforms dusty Ouagadougou into the Cannes of Africa for a week every two years, a spark of international glamour, and also heralded what many hope will be greater U.S.-Africa cooperation in film.

More: http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/va/20050310/111051854100.html