It’s hard to explain where all the time has gone or what it’s been like here. It’s such a dusty little town with the most amazing architecture and buildings and movie theatres and all this…its really quite incredible. It’s as though there isn’t anything new in the entire town…I wonder if Cuba will be like this years after the “end” communism. An old relic which is fondly remembered in the past tense. Today I went to a theatre that seats at least 1000 and it was packed to the gills with school children. They were all yelling and talking along with the movie, some little girls were playing catch on the stage in the dark, but then when certain things happened on the screen they would all scream with laughter. For the other screenings I’ve been to, in between shows for interlude music they have a live xylophone and kora band come on stage and perform as people file in and out of the theatre. The projection of the film itself is always dubious and absolutely nothing is guaranteed (I had my film stopped two thirds in, right before the climax because the MC thought it would be unbearable to go on without doing a proper filmmaker introduction! That’s a whole other story though…) but its like…people are engaged. Yes, they’re checking messages, taking calls and then catching their friends up afterwards without a thought of whispering, but its all good. Its Ouaga baby! Bien arrive!

Can I just say that I think its amazing that instead of the festival t-shirt, they have all their staff wearing the festival fabric. That’s right, there are different colors and different patterns of FESPACO 2013 fabric and I guess everyone takes what they need and then go and design/create their own outfits. I’m trying to figure out if I’d look super corny in a pink print fabric with FESPACO 2013 stamped all over it…? Hmmm.