Sotigui Kouyaté

Sotigui Kouyaté

Biography

Sotigui Kouyaté  was considered one of the most prominent actors in Africa due to his appearances in international film and theatre productions. In the final years before his death, he worked closely with the Algerian film director Rachid Bouchareb.
An example of their work is the feature film Little Senegal from 2001. Sotigui Kouyaté plays the guard of the museum for the history of slavery on the Senegalese island of Gorée, who, after retiring, goes on the hunt for traces of his own ancestors in the USA, who centuries before were brought over from Africa. This role acts as a summary of the lifework of Sotigui Kouyaté – a life as a modern-day griot, who goes around the theatre stages and cinema screens of the world telling his audience about the stories and history of Africa to keep them from being forgotten.
Sotigui Kouyaté. He worked as an actor on the theatre stage for more than 20 years with Peter Brook, and in film for which he was awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlinale in 2009. He won recognition and admirers in all corners of the world, from Japan to Brazil, and from Greece to the USA. One day, when he was already very sick and I visited him in hospital, he took my hand and said, ‘I think it’s about time you made a film’. Back at my desk, I imagined how Sotigui would take us on a weird and wonderful journey to make us understand how important it was for us to pass on our stories and values to our children, as well as the wisdom of Africa and the way with which Europe deals with the continent. That was when Sotigui left us, and I went on to make the film with his son Dani Kouyaté.“

Filmography

Keïta! l´heritage du griot (1995): Actor, Music

Gombélé (1994): Music

Faro - la reine des eaux (2006): Actor

F.V.V.A. - Femme, Villa, Voiture, Argent (1972): Music

Little Senegal (2001): Actor

Sia, le rêve du python (2000): Actor