Samba Félix Ndiaye

Samba Félix N’diaye (6 March 1945 – 6 November 2009), was a Sénégalese filmmaker. One of the early pillars in Senegalese cinema industry, Ndiaye is regarded as the father of the African documentary. He made several critically acclaimed Documentary shorts Trésors des poubelles, Ngor, l'esprit des lieux, Les malles and Geti Tey. Apart from direction, he is also a writer and cinematographer.

Personal life Ndiaye was born on 6 March 1945 in Dakar, Senegal. He regularly attended the film club of the French Cultural Center in Dakar which he done as a habit. He later training in law and economics at the University of Dakar. Then he attended the University of Paris VIII and obtained Masters in Cinema and Audiovisual Studies. Then he joined with the Institut Lumière to study cinematography and editing.

He died on 6 November 2009 in Dakar at the age of 64 due to complications from cerebral malaria. He was later buried in Yoff cemetery.

Career In 1974, he directed his maiden documentary short Perantal, as part of his master's degree in cinema. In 1978, he made the short Geti Tey which discussed the difficulties faced by artisanal fishermen from Kayar, Hann or Soumbédioune whose activity is endangered by the boom in fishing. After that, Ndiaye made the a series of five short films gathered under the title Trésors des poubelles in 1989. In the same year, he made the short Aqua, an “urban metonymy” which is almost without words.

In 1994, Ndiaye made his maiden feature film Ngor, l'esprit des lieux about the inhabitants of Ngor, a village located on the outskirts of Dakar. Since late 1990s, he mostly concerned about political thematic documentaries and made Lettre à Senghor in 1998. As a writer, he wrote the documentary Rwanda, pour mémoire which focused on the Rwandan genocide of 1994. In 2007 in his late years, Ndiaye made the documentary Questions à la terre natale. In 2012, he won the award at the Cordoba African Film Festival for his film Trésors des poubelles.

Filmography Year Film Role Genre Ref. 1974 Perantal Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1976 La confrérie des Mourides Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1977 Pêcheurs de Kayar Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1978 Geti Tey Director, cinematographer, producer Documentary short 1984 Xew Xew Executive producer Documentary 1986 La santé, une aventure peu ordinaire Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1989 Trésors des poubelles Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary compilation 1989 Teug, chaudronnerie d'art Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1989 Les malles Director, writer Documentary short 1989 Les chutes de Ngalam Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1989 Diplomate à la tomate Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1989 Aqua Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary short 1992 Dakar Bamako Director Documentary 1992 Amadou Diallo, un peintre sous verre Director, writer, editor Documentary short 1992 Hyena Executive producer Documentary 1994 Ngor, l'esprit des lieux Director, writer Film 1998 Lettre à Senghor Director, writer Documentary 2001 Nataal Director, writer, cinematographer, editor Documentary 2003 Rwanda, pour mémoire writer Documentary 2007 Questions à la terre natale Director Documentary