A scene from Soul Boy, a Kenyan film. FILE | AFRICA REVIEW |
By HASSOUNA MANSOURIPosted Wednesday, September 28
2011 at
11:48
Two of Africa's most circulated festival films of last year, Kenya's Soul Boy and Chadian A Screaming Man, just screened in Turkey.
Besides the screening at the Adana Golden Boll Film Festival held between September 17 and 25, observers see the move as a clear indicator of growing relations, between the former Ottoman Empire and Africa, something already well documented.
Just a few weeks ago in August, Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country's Premier, together with family members and a number of top Turkish officials, was in Somalia's capital Mogadishu. Over 200 Turks are currently assisting rebuild Somalia; the Premier was recently in Libya and even Egypt- two North African countries that have witnessed popular revolts this year.
With the screenings, Turkey
seems to be sending a signal to Africa, especially Black Africa, that
she has several suitors at the moment- whether China, Brazil, individual
units of European Union.
New markets
For decades, it is Northern Africa that has screened in
Turkish festival. The rest of Africa, especially non-Arab countries,
have not had a chance.
The invite into Turkish cinema
theatres, which coincided with increased Turkish activity in Africa,
seems to be part of tactics that the growing power has lined up under a
renewed relationship.
Those familiar with international
power games say that screening of Black African films in Turkish
festival, and a national one for that matter, is tactical.
With
a growing economy and influence, Turkey needs stretch to new areas, and
new markets. Just like is the case of China and the other competing
global powers angling for a piece of Africa. The continent offers
fertile ground for Turkey to grow.
