The absence of the 2011 Fespaco mentor was allegedly caused by transportation difficulties, according to the organizers.

"He made a long journey to Luanda (Angola) and returned to Paris, so he was not able to take the plane that was scheduled for yesterday (Friday)," said the chairman of the organizing committee Stanislas Meda. The same source added that Mr. Mbokolo should arrive in the Burkinabe capital on Saturday night.

Nevertheless, the one who is nicknamed "the avenger of African history" was applauded by the public at the request of the Delegate General of the Festival, Michel Ouedraogo. "May his greatness and reputation splash the 22nd edition," he wished.

As a mentor of the Fespaco, he succeeds other great figures on the continent such as Malian astrophysicist Cheikh Modibo Diarra (2009) and the famous Cameroonian musician Manu Dibango (2007).

Fespaco, a major event putting together African film makers, opened Saturday morning in Ouagadougou under the theme "African cinema and markets" but the official ceremony was scheduled for the evening.

Eighteen feature films are competing for the Yennega Stallion, won in 2009 by the movie "Teza" by Ethiopian Haile Gerima. In addition, 10 films from the African Diaspora will compete to win the Paul Robson Prize. They come from Haiti, Jamaica, the United States, Canada, the Dominican Republic and Brazil.

In total, 194 films from 25 countries were selected for the competition official selection, but only 111 are in competition. They deal with love ("Taxi Love" by Mary J. Ndihokubwayo/Francis Muhire (Burundi), immigration ("Muslims in France, Episode 2" Immigrants 1945-1981" by Karim Miske/Mauritania) and especially the African history through for example, "Lossogo, refuge or powder keg of Samory Toure" by Seydou Coulibaly/Cote d'Ivoire. - APA