Restoring Josepha: A Conversation with Antoine Akouissonne-Duqueroix

This screening revisits Josepha (1975), a short documentary by pioneering Central African filmmaker Joseph Akouissonne. Filmed in the beauty salon of entrepreneur Josepha Jouffret, the work reflects early conversations around Black identity, beauty, and self-representation in Europe during the 1970s, foregrounding the natural hair movement as a site of cultural affirmation.

In recent years, Akouissonne’s son, filmmaker Antoine Akouissonne-Duqueroix, has undertaken the work of recovering and preserving his father’s films. Part of a growing network of heirs to African cinema pioneers known as Les Héritiers Engagés (“The Engaged Heirs”), Antoine collaborates with fellow filmmakers’ families, archivists, and cinematheques to restore and circulate these works.

Following the screening, Antoine Akouissonne-Duqueroix will join curator Joséphine Denis for a conversation on the process of archival recovery, the preservation of African film heritage, and the responsibility of a new generation working to ensure that these cinematic legacies remain visible.

This screening is in French with English subtitles.

Supported by Canada Arts Presentation Fund

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Host or Publisher BAND Gallery and Cultural Centre