In Memoriam 2007

Ousmene Sembene, the father of African cinema and leading writer in postcolonial literature, died this year at the age of 84 on June 9. Seipati Bulane Hopa, Secretary General of the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) described Sembène as "a luminary that lit the torch for ordinary people to walk the path of light...a voice that spoke without hesitation, a man with an impeccable talent who unwaveringly held on to his artistic principles and did that with great integrity and dignity."

Lucky Dube, internationally-renowned South African reggae star, was murdered in an attempted carjacking in front of his children in a Johannesburg suburb Oct. 18. He was 43 years old. He was drawn to the Rastafari movement and reggae because of its socially conscious message which he felt was relevant to the turbulent times during apartheid in South Africa. Over the course of his career he made over 20 records and met international commerical success.