Capitaine Thomas Sankara

On 4 August 1983, Thomas Sankara became the president of Upper Volta after a coup dʼétat. A year later, he definitively created a turning point in the history and identity of his country, renaming it Burkina Faso, literally “Land of Upright Men.” He brought enormous hope to a great portion of African youth far beyond the boundaries of his country. By conducting a democratic and popular revolution, he brought more progress to the people during the four years of his presidency than during half a century of French colonial rule. His liberation policy for Burkina Faso promoted food autonomy in particular, causing him to radically oppose all forms of imperialist or neo-colonial influence, and making him an inflexible voice against those in power at that time. Sankara attempted a thorough reform of a civil society that he considered being frozen in a feudal model. He struggled against inequalities between men and women, illiteracy, corruption, civil servantsʼ privileges… He constantly encouraged the Burkinabé people to take the reigns of their own destiny into their own hands by making them participate in the fight against malnutrition, thirst and contagious diseases. However, despite the obvious success and popularity of his revolution, Sankara faced hidden challengers. He is brutally murdered on 15 October 1987 in a coup dʼEtat which is believed to have been organized by Blaise Compaoré, the man whom he considered a brother. Rare and never before seen archival footage is brilliantly used to create an inspiring portrait of the legendary, charismatic Thomas Sankara. (Pan African Film Festival)