30 October 2016 — Youtube

Rebels of the 9th Art A documentary film by Nicoletta Fagiolo, 2009, 24images.

A rising generation of African editorial cartoonists is addressing corruption, violence and the difficulties of daily life What are their styles? Who are their heroes? What is the “African angle” they portray? How do they see the west? What censorship issues do they face? Why are cartoonists in Africa assaulted, jailed, sacked, banned and even assassinated? And some even forced to flee into exile?

The film opens with a portrait of South African cartoonist Zapiro who fought apartheid with his cartoons and continues to do so in democratic South Africa. We meet exiled cartoonist from Cameroon Issa Nyaphaga, as well as cartoonists from the satirical magazine based in Ivory Coast, Gbich!

Through the eyes of our narrator, twice-exiled cartoonist Willy ZeKid- who also comes on screen at the end of the film to testify first hand- we get a picture of today’s’ African cartooning heroes and their drive and courage that keeps them going, despite the often difficult circumstances they work in.