Charles Mensah

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Charles Mensah (1948–3 June 2011) was a Gabonese filmmaker, screenwriter and production manager. Born in Omboué, Gabon, he became known as “the Gentleman of African Cinema” for his long career in developing independent African cinema.

In the 1970s, Mensah directed Obali (1976) and Ayouma (1977), both co-produced with Pierre-Marie Ndong (Ayouma also involved Patience Dabany). He later worked as a producer on Équateur (co-produced with Alain Poiré) and contributed to other projects such as Les Couilles de l’éléphant and Lybek, le crunch du vivant.

In 1995 he helped develop the Gabonese TV series L’Auberge du Salut with Henri-Joseph Koumba Bididi. As an executive producer, he contributed to Le Damier (1996) by Balufu Bakupu Kanyinda, Dôlè (l’Argent) (2000) by Imunga Iwanga, Les Couilles de l’éléphant (2001) and N’Djamena City (2006) by Issa Serge Coelo. He also worked on the short Lybek, le crunch du vivant. In 2011 he worked on Le collier du Makoko by Bididi, which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mensah served for more than 20 years as director general of the Gabonese national cinema body, first the Centre National du Cinéma Gabonais (CENACI) and later the Gabonese Institute of Image and Sound (IGIS). He was president of the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) and served on the Film Assistance Fund Commission of the International Francophone Organisation.

Charles Mensah died on 3 June 2011, at the age of 63. He is remembered as “the Gentleman of African Cinema” for his role in building a vibrant African film industry.