Jean-Pierre Dikongué-Pipa
Born in 1940 at Douala, Cameroon. He became a filmmaker through theater, studied at the Cinema Conservatory in Paris. After three short-feature films (1965-1966), he directed feature-films like “Muna Moto” (1975) - which made him famous - and “Le prix de la Liberté” (1978), thus bringing Cameroon Cinema to international audiences. An author, playwriter and theater producer, Jean-Pierre Dikongue-Pipa directed and acted in about 30 plays during his life-long career.
Filmography
La Foire aux livres à Hararé, 1984
Histoires drôles et drôles de gens, 1983
Music and Music: Super Concert, 1981
Kpa Kum, 1980
Le Prix de la liberté, 1978
Muna Moto, 1975
Rendez moi mon père, 1966
Les Cornes, 1966
Un simple, 1965
Badiaga (1987)
Badiaga follows the rules of a classical tragedy. A three year old girl abandoned in a food market is sheltered and raised by a deaf and dumb vagrant. They develop a very strong bond. Badiaga dreams of becoming a famous singer and listens in total fascination to the artists who sing in the different cafes where she wanders.One day she has the chance of singing on the radio a song which becomes a national hit. From that moment onwards she holds a nonstop succession of concerts. In love with her career, she refuses any romantic relations and searches desperately for her origins. More
Histoires drôles et drôles de gens (1983)
An African storyteller, humorously and kindly, talks about how some of his fellow countrymen are emulating the habits of white people and “Their stuff”. He thus presents several cases to prove his point. In one of them a supposed to be planter and businessman who underpay an employee gets framed by his own folks. A young boy jumps from a high tree with an open umbrella to copy the way the parachutist do in the city. A few other examples are as pathetic or comical. At the epilogue our storyteller finds himself being laughed at, at a bistro in Paris. More
Le Prix de la Liberté (1978)
After refusing the sexual advances of her village chief and her father’s authority, a young woman runs away from home and goes to town. There she meets several members of her family and tries to start her life from scratch. She enrolls at a high school and makes new friends.However, she realizes that social relations in town also depend on sexual favors and that around her everyone has given in to that practice. When she loses the only man she loved, the girl returns to her village and in a fit of rage sets it on fire. More
Muna Moto (1975)
Ngando and Ndomé are in love. Ngando wishes to marry Ndomé but her family reminds him that the traditional dowry must be settled. Unfortunately, Ngando is poor and unable to fulfil the tradition. Ndomé is pregnant and bears his child. According to the village tradition, she must take a husband, at least one who can afford to pay the dowry. The villagers decide that Ndomé should marry Ngando’s uncle, who has already three sterile wives. In despair, the young man kidnaps his daughter upon the day of the traditional feast. An African Romeo and Juliet story. More
