Abderrahmane Sissako

Abderrahmane Sissako (عبد الرحمن سيساكو; born 13 October 1961) is a Mauritanian-born Malian film director and producer. His film Waiting for Happiness (Heremakono) was screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival official selection under Un Certain Regard, winning a FIPRESCI Prize. His 2006 film Bamako received much attention. Sissako's themes include globalisation, exile and the displacement of people. His 2014 film Timbuktu was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in the main competition section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Biography
Soon after his birth Sissako's family emigrated to Mali, his father's country, where he completed part of his primary and secondary education. Sissako returned briefly to Mauritania, his mother's land, in 1980. Then he left for Moscow, where he studied cinema at the VGIK (Federal State Film Institute) from 1983 to 1989. Sissako settled in France at the beginning of the 1990s.

Besides his work as a director, he also worked as a cultural Advisor for former head of state Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.

Sissako is married to the Ethiopian film director Maji-da Abdi.

In December 2023, alongside 50 other filmmakers, Sissako signed an open letter published in Libération demanding a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to be established for humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.

Jury
In addition to feature films and short films, Sissako has served on the jury of the Premiers Plans festival in Angers in January 2007.


 * 2000: 53rd Cannes International Film Festival (jury member, Cinéfondation and short films section)
 * 2003: 56th Cannes International Film Festival (jury president, Un Certain Regard section)
 * 2014: 36th Moscow International Film Festival (jury member, main competition section)
 * 2015: 68th Cannes International Film Festival (jury president, Cinéfondation and short films section)