Hugo en Afrique

Stefano Knuchel's documentary about Italian comic book creator Hugo Pratt, is a fascinating study of Pratt's years spent in fascist Ethiopia during the Second World War - a period in the artist's life that has always been shrouded in mystery.

Pratt embarked upon his intense love affair with Africa in 1937 when, at the age of ten, he moved to occupied Ethiopia together with his mother and father. In his early teens he was enrolled in the Italian army. It was during this time that Pratt's creative and pioneering mind gave birth to Lieutenant Koinsky and Corto Maltese, characters who would make him one of Europe's most celebrated animators.

The first documentary dedicated to Hugo Pratt to receive official approval from the Cong S. A. (a company founded by Pratt himself in order to promote his artwork) "Hugo En Afrique" shares with audiences never before seen footage of the artist being interviewed in his Lausanne home by historian Dominique Petitfaux. With these unique recordings as a starting point Knuchel paints a revealing portrait of a great cultural icon.
SABINA ÅBJÖRNSSON

Cast
Kess Wodaje Assefa, Achenef Engdaw, Giuseppe Camuncoli: Producer
Stefano Knuchel: Script
Stefano Knuchel: Cinematography
Ariel Salati: Music
Zeno Gabaglio: Spoken language
French: Subtitle
English