Burkina Faso / 1983 / 75mins / Historical Drama / Mooré

In pre-colonial times, a peddler crossing the Savanna discovers a child lying unconscious in the bush. When the boy comes to, he is mute and cannot explain who he is. The peddler leaves him with a family in the nearest village. After a search for his parents, the family adopts him, giving him the name Wênd Kûuni (God's Gift) and a loving sister with whom he bonds. Wênd Kûuni regains his speech only after witnessing a tragic event that prompts him to reveal his own painful history.

Gaston Kaborè

Gaston Kaboré was born in 1951 in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. He trained as a cinematographer in Paris at the École Supérieure d’Études Cinématographiques (ESEC) and completed a degree in history at the Sorbonne. He served as the Secretary General of the Federation of Pan African Filmmakers (FEPACI) from 1985-1997. In addition to numerous documentaries, his films include the features Wend Kuuni (God’s Gift – 1982) winner of the César Award for Best French Language Film in 1985; Zan Boko (1988), winner of the Silver Tanit, Carthage Film Festival 1988; and Rabi (1991), winner the Bronze Award, Carthage Film Festival 1992. Rabi was shown at the first New York African Film Festival in 1993. His 1997 film Buud Yam was in competition at Cannes and went on to win the Grand Prize at FESPACO. Gaston Kaboré is also the founder of IMAGINE, a cultural center in Ouagadougou that offers residencies and workshops for African artists. Learn More