Timité Bassori (born 30 December 1933) is an Ivorian filmmaker, actor, and writer. His only feature-length film, The Woman with the Knife (1969), is considered a classic of African cinema.
Early life and education Of Mandé-Dioula origin, Timité Bassori was born on 30 December 1933, in Aboisso in the extreme south-east of Côte d'Ivoire.
After attending elementary school there in 1949, he entered the Technical College of Abidjan. He completed his studies in 1952 and worked in various commercial establishments.
Wanting to do theatre, he left for Paris, France; first at Cours Simon from 1956 to 1957 then at the Center d'Art Dramatique on rue Blanche from 1957 to 1958.
Career Bassori was president of the Compagnie d'Art Dramatique des Griots, which he founded in 1957 with student friends.
His only feature-length film, The Woman with the Knife (1969), is considered a classic of African cinema. It was restored as part of the African Film Heritage Project, an initiative to preserve 50 African films through the collaboration of the groups FEPACI, UNESCO, Cineteca di Bologna, and Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation.The Woman with the Knife at the San Francisco International Film Fest The film was shown along with 4 other restored films at the 2019 film festival FESPACO.Film Foundation: Martin Scorsese and the African Film Heritage Project Are Bringing Four Vital Films Home
The film Bouka (Roger Gnoan M'Bala, 1988) is based upon his short story "Jeux dangereux" (1974).
Filmography As director The Foresters (documentary; 1963) Abidjan-Niger (documentary; 1963) Amédée Pierre (documentary; 1963) On the Dune of Solitude (1964) The Sixth Furrow (1966) Bush Fires (1967) The Woman with the Knife (1969) Abidjan, the Lagoon Pearl (1971) Bondoukou, Year 11 (1971) Odienné, Year 12 (1972) Kossou 1 (1972) Kossou 2 (1974) The Akati Fellows (1974)Shiri 1992, p. 29
As producer The Woman with the Knife (1969) Black and White in Color (1976) Weeds (1978)Pfaff 1988, pp. 35-36
As assistant director Man from Cocody (1965)Pfaff 1988, p. 35
Literature 1974: Les Bannis du village 1983: Grelots d'or 1986: Les eaux claires de ma source
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