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LÉA

Fiction

Director
Béola N’Namdine TOUGGOURT
Togo

Synopsis

A few months before the presidential election in Mélina, Naomie, a fierce opponent of President Baruch’s regime, has been removed from the candidate list. Her supporters take to the streets to protest, led by activist Eliane.

During clashes with law enforcement, six-year-old Léa, returning from school with her mother Diane, is shot and dies instantly. Her body is confiscated by the police. Her death is reported on social media. An arrest warrant is issued for Naomie, and she seeks refuge in Djombi, a neighboring country.

Diane, unable to bear the death of her daughter, falls into depression. Affected by this situation, Eliane commits herself against all odds to demanding justice. Against all odds, Naomi resurfaces with evidence that could topple the government and send the country into turmoil.

Intention Note

Through Léa, a 90-minute feature-length film, I will shed light on electoral violence and its consequences, which have long remained taboo due to fear of reprisals from political actors. I will emphasize the vital role social media plays in our environment. I will highlight the physical and psychological suffering of the population so that some of our African leaders and the international community become more aware of the scale and gravity of the situation. My ambition for this film is very high, and that is why I will create a pan-African cast, with wellknown names on the one hand, and, on the other, with emerging talent from Togo and elsewhere.

About us

Les Ateliers de Grand-Bassam is brought to life by Grand-Bassam Project, a non-profit association that embodies excellence in the film and audiovisual industry. The association is an organization of filmmakers, producers and cultural industry professionals from Ivory Coast, the continent and beyond, who help incubate performing arts and audiovisual projects by applying alternative methods of management, production, marketing and distribution in countries across the continent.

Grand-Bassam Project’s main objective is to contribute to the emergence of a solid, internationally competitive African cultural industry, notably through the development of the performing arts and audiovisual sector, capable of contributing to improving the economic impact of culture and consolidating the employability of young people.

Specifically, the objectives of the Grand-Bassam Project are to :

– Implement and consolidate an incubator for cultural projects and professional training workshops for artists and producers from Ivory Coast and other countries on the continent.

– Contribute to the reappropriation by Ivorian cultural players of the conception and governance of cultural policies, in partnership with public decision-makers at national level.

– Contribute to the dissemination of cinematographic works from the continent Formalize and implement a strategy for the implementation of activities, a risk management plan, as well as a monitoring and evaluation plan for all actions.

– Produce and/or co-produce performing arts and audiovisual works and projects for dissemination on the continent and internationally.

– Intensify artistic education initiatives aimed at children, young people and the general public.

Grand-Bassam Project is in the process of launching its program of activities, which include training, production, distribution, image education and consulting for the first edition of the Ateliers de Grand-Bassam. In keeping with its management strategy, the company’s aim is to combine production activities with socio-educational initiatives.

By working closely with sister organizations in Ivory Coast who share the same passion, Grand-Bassam Project will contribute to the future of cinema in Côte d’Ivoire and beyond.

The association capitalizes on the experience acquired over the last ten years by the Ouaga Film Lab, and projects will be carried out with the expertise required to increase the competitiveness of Ivorian and African filmmakers on the world stage.