Biography
Jean-Marie Téno • A Life Journey, A Cinematic Journey
A journey marked by upheavals, moments of realization, and the search for a unique voice to tell the story of Africa and its memories.
1954–1959
Origins and Childhood
- Born in Famleng, Western Cameroon, on May 14, 1954.
- I grew up in Sangmelima, where my father runs a small business.
- My early years were marked by family instability amid a changing political landscape. My mother left suddenly, and I wouldn’t see her again until eight years later.
1959–1965
Starting school and the first separations
- I started elementary school at the Akon Catholic Mission in 1959, just as preparations were underway for independence and the January 1, 1960, parade.
- Colonial school curricula continue despite independence.
- The beginning of my distancing myself from European religions, and the realization of the contradictions between religious discourse and social realities: the camel cannot pass through the eye of the needle.
1965–1974
High School Years: Between Chaos and Learning
- Admission to Leclerc High School in Yaoundé in 1965.
- An adolescence marked by a great deal of independence—and sometimes a sense of aimlessness—in Yaoundé, a capital city undergoing rapid transformation.
- Awareness of social inequality and injustice: The privileged classes are neither more intelligent nor physically stronger than the poor.
- My academic career had its ups and downs, but it was rich in personal and social experiences.
- Graduated from Bafoussam High School in 1974.
1974–1982
Hesitations, Choices, and Entering the Broadcasting Industry
- A period of uncertainty regarding career choices.
- My father died on December 20, 1978, in Douala in a traffic accident.
- Studied audiovisual media in France; earned a Bachelor’s degree in Audiovisual Technology in 1981 fromthe University of Valenciennes. In 1982, he joined the first class of the Master’s program in Audiovisual Communication.
1982–1997
First Steps in the Professional World and Artistic Development
- I worked as a temporary employee at France 3, then took a position at FR3 Paris as a video technician and later as an editor.
- I work in an environment where 16mm film is still prevalent, which allows me to experiment with film using my own camera.
- 1983: The film *Schubbah*, shot in Paris with my friends, about the life of a group of Africans engaged in reflecting on what it means to be African in France through the creation and publication of the magazine *Bwana Magazine*.
1980s
Early Works and Cultural Engagement
- Production of the Schubbah short film "Bravo. " The film was inspired by the experience of Bwana Magazine, a publication founded by Mal Njam in 1981–82.
- Contributed to the newspaper, particularly to the film section.
- Cultural context: Mamadou Konté’s *Africa Fête*, the rise of SOS Racisme, and the left’s rise to power in 1981.
- The intellectual and artistic ferment of an African generation in France.
- 1984: *Hommage*, a film about the loss of my father, the grieving process, and an introduction to themes that would recur throughout my future work.