Yaaba

Yaaba is a 1989 Burkinabé drama film written, produced, and directed by Idrissa Ouedraogo, "one of the best known films from francophone sub-Saharan Africa".^[1] It won the Sakura Gold prize at the 1989 Tokyo Film Festival.^[2] The film was selected as the Burkinabé entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 62nd Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.^[3]

Yaaba
Film poster
Directed by	Idrissa Ouedraogo
Written by	Idrissa Ouedraogo
Screenplay by	Idrissa Ouédraogo
Produced by	Arcadia Films, Les Films de l'avenir, Télévision suisse romande, Thelma Film AG
Starring	Fatimata Sanga, Noufou Ouedraogo, Roukietou Barry, Adama Ouedraogo, Amadé Tour
Cinematography	Matthias Kälin
Edited by	Loredana Cristelli
Music by	Francis Bebey
Distributed by	New Yorker Films (U.S.)
Release date	September 14, 1989 (1989-09-14) (TIFF)
Running time	90 minutes
Countries	Burkina Faso Switzerland France
Language	Mòoré
Box office	$55,000

The film was the subject of a short documentary Parlons Grand-mère, which was shot during the film's production by Djibril Diop Mambéty.

Plot

Burkina Faso's smallest village. The main character of the tale is 10-year-old Bila, who makes friends with Sana, an elderly woman. Everyone refers to her as "Witch," but Bila calls her "Yaaba" (grandmother). Sana's medicine is what keeps Bila's cousin Nopoko from dying when she becomes ill.

Awards

• FIPRESCI Prize (Cannes, 1989)

See also

• List of submissions to the 62nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
• List of Burkinabé submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film