# Étalon de Yennenga

Étalon de Yennenga (English:Stallion of Yennenga) is an award bestowed to distinguished individuals involved with the Burkinabe's silver screen, awarded by the Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO), in recognition of the grand prize for the Best Film. First commenced in 1972, it is considered as the most prestigious award in Africa cinema.

## History

The 'Étalon de Yennenga' means Stallion of Yennenga refers to Princess Yennenga, the founding myth of the Mossi Empire, the main ethnic group in Burkina Faso. The story of Yennenga dates back to the beginning of the 12th century in the Mossi's Dagomba Kingdom. The soldiers of Dagomba's king, Nedega, were brave and almost always won in any show of force. Nedega's daughter, Yennenga, who was a horse-woman, and adept at using javelins, spears and bows.

## Award

It is shared by Burkina Faso's most popular film makers, Idrissa Ouedraogo. Ouedraogo won the Yennenga prize in 1991 for the film Tilai. The first winner of this prize is the Oumarou Ganda in 1972 with his film Le Wazzou polygame.
In 2005, 19th edition of FESPACO, two new awards titled "Stallion" were awarded. The trophy of the Stallion Award was made by Burkinabe sculptor Ali Nikiméa. The Yennenga Standard Grand Prize then becomes the Yennenga Gold Standard Grand Prize, and the new awards are named Yennenga Silver Standard and Yennenga Bronze Standard.

## List of Winners of the Yennenga Stallion

| Year | Winner |
| 1972 (Ceremony on March 12, 1972) | Le Wazzou Polygame by Oumarou Ganda (Niger) |
| 1973 (Ceremony on February 13, 1973) | A Thousand and One Hands by Souheil Ben Barka (Morocco) |
| 1976 (Ceremony on February 10, 1976) | Muna Moto by Jean-Pierre Dikongué Pipa (Cameroon) |
| 1979 (Ceremony on February 10, 1979) | Baara by Souleymane Cissé (Mali) |
| 1981 (Ceremony on March 1, 1981) | Djeli by Fadika Kramo-Lanciné (Ivory Coast) |
| 1983 (Ceremony on February 13, 1983) | Finyè by Souleymane Cissé (Mali) |
| 1985 (Ceremony on March 2, 1985) | Story of a Meeting by Brahim Tsaki (Algeria) |
| 1987 (Ceremony on February 28, 1987) | Sarraounia de Med Hondo (Mauritania) |
| 1989 (Ceremony on March 4, 1989) | Heritage Africa by Kwaw Ansah (Ghana) |
| 1991 (Ceremony on March 2, 1991) | Tilaï by Idrissa Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso) |
| 1993 (Ceremony on March 4, 1993) | Au nom du Christ by Gnoan Roger M'Bala (Ivory Coast) |
| 1995 (Ceremony on March 4, 1995) | Guimba by Cheick Oumar Sissoko (Mali) |
| 1997 (Ceremony on March 1, 1997) | Buud Yam by Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso) |
| 1999 (Ceremony on March 6, 1999) | Identity Pieces by Mwezé Ngangura (Democratic Republic of Congo) |
| 2001 (Ceremony on March 3, 2001) | Ali Zaoua by Nabil Ayouch (Morocco) |
| 2003 (Ceremony on March 1 $^,$ 2003) | Waiting for Happiness by Abderrahmane Sissako (Mauritania) |
| 2005 (Ceremony on March 5, 2005) | Gold standard: Drum by Zola Maseko (South Africa) |
| 2005 (Ceremony on March 5, 2005) | Silver Standard: The Dark Room by Hassan Benjelloun (Morocco) |
| 2005 (Ceremony on March 5, 2005) | Bronze stallion: Tasuma by Kollo Daniel Sanou (Burkina Faso) |
| 2007 (Ceremony on March 3, 2007) | Gold standard: Ezra de Newton Aduaka (Nigeria) |
| 2007 (Ceremony on March 3, 2007) | Silver standard: Les Saignantes by Jean-Pierre Bekolo (Cameroon) |
| 2007 (Ceremony on March 3, 2007) | Bronze stallion: Daratt of Mahamat Saleh Haroun (Chad) |
| 2009 (Ceremony on March 7, 2009) | Gold standard: Teza by Hailé Gerima (Ethiopia) |
| 2009 (Ceremony on March 7, 2009) | Silver Standard: Nothing But the truth by John Kani (South Africa) |
| 2009 (Ceremony on March 7, 2009) | Bronze stallion: Masquerades by Lyes Salem (Algeria) |
| 2011 (Ceremony on March 5, 2011) | Gold standard: Pegasus by Mohamed Mouftakir (Morocco) |
| 2011 (Ceremony on March 5, 2011) | Silver Stallion: A Screaming Man by Mahamat Haroun Saley (Chad) |
| 2011 (Ceremony on March 5, 2011) | Bronze Stallion: The Ideal Guy by Owell Brown (Ivory Coast) |
| 2013 (Ceremony on March 2, 2013) | Gold standard: Tey (today) by Alain Gomis (Senegal) |
| 2013 (Ceremony on March 2, 2013) | Silver standard: Yema by Djamila Sahraoui (Algeria) |
| 2013 (Ceremony on March 2, 2013) | Bronze stallion: The Pirogue of Moussa Touré (Senegal) |
| 2015 (Ceremony on March 7, 2015) | Gold standard: Fevers by Hicham Ayouch (France , Morocco) |
| 2015 (Ceremony on March 7, 2015) | Silver standard: Fadhma N'Soumer of Belkacem Hadjadj (Algeria) |
| 2015 (Ceremony on March 7, 2015) | Bronze stallion: The Eye of the Storm by Sékou Traoré (Burkina Faso) |
| 2017 (Ceremony on March 4, 2017) | Gold standard: Félicité by Alain Gomis (Senegal) |
| 2017 (Ceremony on March 4, 2017) | Silver standard: L'orage africain: un continent sous influence by Sylvestre Amoussou (Benin) |
| 2017 (Ceremony on March 4, 2017) | Bronze stallion: A Mile in My Shoes by Saïd Khallaf (Morocco) |
| 2019 (Ceremony on March 2, 2019) | Gold standard: The Mercy of the Jungle by Joël Karekezi (Rwanda) |
| 2019 (Ceremony on March 2, 2019) | Silver Standard: Karma by Khaled Youssef (Egypt) |
| 2019 (Ceremony on March 2, 2019) | Bronze standard: Fatwa of Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud (Tunisia) |
| 2021 (Ceremony on October 23, 2021) | Gold Standard: The Gravedigger's Wife by Khadar Ayderus Ahmed (Somalia) |
| 2021 (Ceremony on October 23, 2021) | Silver standard: Freda by Gessica Généus (Haiti) |
| 2021 (Ceremony on October 23, 2021) | Bronze Stallion: A Tale of Love and Desire by Leyla Bouzid (Tunisia) |
| 2023 (Ceremony on March 4, 2023) | Gold standard: Ashkal by Youssef Chebbi (Tunisia) |
| 2023 (Ceremony on March 4, 2023) | Silver standard: Sira by Apolline Traoré (Burkina Faso) |
| 2023 (Ceremony on March 4, 2023) | Bronze stallion: Shimoni by Angela Wamai (Kenya) |