Sekou Doucoure

Rising young African action film star

Interviewed by Aurelien Henry OBAMA

Shiai Magazine: Welcome my brother Sekou Doucoure in Shiai Magazine, can you tell us briefly about your life, what inspired you to become an actor and martial artist?

Sekou Doucoure

Thanks a lot for giving me the chance to express myself in Shiai magazine. My name is Sekou Doucoure. I was born in Bamako, capital of Mali. I do believe I`m an African, and where I was born does not matter. I`ve done some number of theaters: when I was a kid. The movie industry in somehow a family matter for me, because my uncle is the famous francophone movie maker Souleymane Cissé who received multiple international awards and he is highly respected and counted among the world number one movie makers. He also received the Golden Yenenga, which is the most prestigious award at the FESPACO film festival. In 2006, I came to Ghana to pursue my higher studies. Then in 2008, I met Omar de 1^st who is an actor and owner of screenface modeling agency. Then I started as a pose model for some time before I meet the best stunt movie director in Africa, Ifeanyi Onyeabor during a musical clip. He is a producer and owner of IGO motion pictures international. So Ifeanyi Onyeabor featured me in his big time movie ``Who Owns Da City`` in which I played the character "Black", a killer, drug dealer and chief of security of a drug baron. I also played ``Kaykay``, a strong and skillful warrior in the upcoming movie ``Tribe, somewhere in Africa ``.

 

Shiai Magazine: Are you aware of African Martial arts?

Sekou Doucoure

Definitely!!! For the movie ``TRIBE``, I did an intensive training in Taekwondo, Kung fu, horse riding and sword: I`m now a martial art practitioner for the benefit of my movies. However, please note that I’m not a martial artist into movies; I’m rather a movie actor into martial arts. You surely know that the 2 times world champion of Taekwondo is the Malian, Daba Modibo Keita; so yes, I’m definitely aware of African Martial arts.

Shiai Magazine: What does the practices of martial arts brings in your film career and your life in general?

Sekou Doucoure

I personally think that nowadays, the African movie industry is polluted by filmmakers who promote sex, sex and always sex in their movies. I’m not happy about the too much sex and romance they present to the world. Being a martial artist help me to be a true stunt actor. I have a better control of my body, and I can take part in some really challenging movies like “Tribe”. Everybody can kiss in a movie, but not anyone can physically be part of a stunt action like riding horse, jumping from a moving motor bike or even raise the leg to give a kick. Not anyone can go and shoot a movie in the jungle for several months with scorpions, cobras, crocodiles, and so many other dangers. That’s the career of a stunt actor and the practice of martial arts helped me a lot to remove any kind of fear in me. I’m part of the actors who wants to show the whole world that Africa is capable of producing stunt and martial movies that can compete even abroad. That’s the reason why I love working with Ifeanyi Onyeabor who is a producer-director and owner of IGO motion pictures international. He won multiple international awards, and produces mostly stunt movies.

Shiai Magazine: As an African what is your vision of movie industry and particularly action/martial arts genre?

Sekou Doucoure

Meeting Ifeanyi Onyeabor has really changed me and the way I see African movies. Being a master martial artist himself, he always show challenging fights in his movies. I`m glad to be part of this revolution, because the African movie industry is polluted by people who think they can just get up one morning, shoot a whole movie in 5 days and put it on the market. The result is clear: bad picture, bad sound, bad acting, bad everything. It`s time for the African movie makers to bring out movies which can compete on the international market, movies that can receive awards even abroad. I’m happy about the progress some Nollywood and Ghallywood producers are making in other to challenge the big manes of Hollywood and Bollywood.

Shiai Magazine: What do you think can help out promote African martial arts/action movies?

Sekou Doucoure

I think that’s a real problem and one of the reasons why the African movie industry is not really recognized. In Mali, for example, we have outstanding movie makers like my uncle Souleymane Cissé. We also have Cheick Omar Sissoko, who was the minister of culture of Mali and also received multiple international awards including the Golden Yenenga. But, like in many African countries, they are not united. I think that the best way to promote African movies in general is UNITY. Instead, for each African country, to have his movie industry, I support the idea of creating only movie industry in Africa. Someone has started that work already and that person is Ifeanyi Onyeabor. I fully support his project to create one movie industry in Africa, AFRIWOOD. Afriwood has started already. For the movie “Tribe”, Ifeanyi Onyeabor brought to Ghana the youth from 7 African countries to take part in that big time movie. He even brought one of the lead characters from Jamaica! Afriwood is now represented in many African countries, and I strongly urge all the other countries to join!!! Our emblem is “Afriwood, united we stand”.

Shiai Magazine: What is all about the upcoming African martial arts action epic film “The Tribe”?

Sekou Doucoure

Well “Tribe” is one of the biggest African epic action movie projects that ever took place! We used over 250 horses for this project. All the actors followed an intensive training in martial arts and horse riding for over 3 months, before we start shooting. It was a revolution because seven African countries took part in one project. They`re Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroon, Congo, Sierra Leone, Mali (me) and even the character ``Tobitotaya`` was played by a Jamaican. “Tribe” is about some legendary warriors who lived somewhere in Africa in BC. The story is about two kingdoms that are very different because one (the northern kingdom) is very big and powerful, while the second one (the Tribe) is not very big and powerful but have legendary warriors. It’s a story of warriors with the hero leading them with his magic sword. A fighter to survive: a fighter to protect our brothers, sisters and parents: A fighter to protect our land ``TRIBE``. We hope it’ll be one of the greatest, if not the greatest African epic action movie ever produced in Africa by Africans.

Shiai Magazine: Tell us more about the character Kaykay you play in “Tribe”?

Sekou Doucoure

Well, Kaykay is one of the legendary warriors of “Tribe”. He is the one who put the Hero into serious troubles with the King by revealing his secret affair with the crown princess of “Tribe”. He was among the remaining living warriors of “Tribe” taken to captivity to the northern kingdom. That Situation pushed him to help the Hero to fight the enemies in their own territory. Kaykay is also among the very last survivors of the movie.

Shiai Magazine: who is Ifeanyi Onyeabor that you consider as the best stunt director in Africa, did he participated in making of “Tribe”?

Sekou Doucoure

Ifeanyi Onyeabor is actually the Producer-Director of “The Tribe”. He is a Nigerian and owner of IGO motion pictures international. He directed movies like Baby Guard 1&2, Holy Diamond 1,2&3, Love Nwantiti, New Jerusalem 1&2, Silent Book 1&2, Darkest Night, Pretty Woman, The Silent Book, Visitor, Never End, and so many other ones which I won’t have time to write, including some big time movies like “Who Owns Da City” and “Tribe, somewhere in Africa” produced by himself. He won multiple international awards. Like I said earlier on, in terms of stunt movies and regarding his multiple awards even abroad, he is in no contest the best stunt movie director in Africa. He is also the promoter of the idea of creating only one movie industry in Africa, Afriwood. I personally think that one of the best things that ever happened to me is to have met Ifeanyi Onyeabor. Working with Ifeanyi Onyeabor helps me to be really disciplined and cultivate some qualities. To be able to work with his level of director, an actor needs to be highly disciplined and always give the very best of his acting. Because of Ifeanyi Onyeabor, I’ve done things that I’ve never done before, like the experience in helicopter in the movie “Who Owns Da City”, martial arts and being a perfect horse rider for the movie “Tribe”, and there’s more to come!! Like I said earlier on, for the movie “Tribe”, Ifeanyi Onyeabor brought to Ghana the youth from 7 African countries to take part in it. He lodged them at the hotel for over 4 months, feed them, and paid for their training, not talking of the months we spent in the jungle shooting! Just imagine that, more than 100 people! I personally don’t know the African producer who has done that before. So you can image how far he is ready to go in other show the whole world what Africans are capable of doing in terms of movie making!!

Shiai Magazine: What is the role of Khalil MAASI the African American filmmaker, actor and martial artist in the promotion of the upcoming movie “Tribe”?

Sekou Doucoure

Well, the future and Ifeanyi Onyeabor will decide on that. But Khalil MAASI is one of the black American filmmakers who support African unity and African martial arts movies. The movie “Tribe” will definitely make a boom in the whole world when it’ll be out, and anyone who wants to help promote this movie will certainly be welcomed by Ifeanyi Onyeabor.

Shiai Magazine: What are future plans for the movie “Tribe”?

Sekou Doucoure

Well, I think Ifeanyi is in a better position to answer that question, but “Tribe” will be out soon, and an Oscar award is the target.

Shiai Magazine: Do you have any future roles in any upcoming African films?

Sekou Doucoure

Yes, Ifeanyi will actually shoot several outstanding African action movies very soon and he told me that I’ll take part in those projects. The very next project is “Amazons” in which I have a major role, according to Ifeanyi. I’m also one of the 2 main characters in the upcoming African martial arts movie “Dirty risks, live or die in Africa”, a story of martial arts, car race and beautiful girls that will be shot in several countries. I also have a lead role in an upcoming TV series “Noxious Passion”, a story of love, trust, blackmail and hatred in which I will play “Chris”, a Ghanaian that comes back from the USA to find a partner in Ghana. As you can see, I can fit in every kind of movie: action, glamour, and drama, epic, comic. But my favorite is action and stunt!!!

Shiai Magazine: Have you heard about Lost Brother “Waka-waka man” the 1^st International African Martial Arts Movie which will bring cast and crew within Africa, America, Europe and Asia. Do you think that such movie project can valorize the African cinema to international film audience? Do you believe that people across the world can appreciate an African Black hero?

Sekou Doucoure

Of course I do think that “Lost brother” is a great project!! We need such movies to show the whole world that Africans are capable of producing quality and outstanding action movies. I hope projects like “Tribe” and “Lost brother” will push many people and big African institutions to support financially African action movies. I do believe that people across the world will definitely appreciate and idolize an African black hero, the same way they appreciate actors like Van dam and Arnold Schwarzenegger. But like I said, unity is very important!!!

Shiai Magazine: What advice can you give to African child who wants to succeed in life although things are not always easy for him due to poverty and hardship in life?

Sekou Doucoure

Very few people get what they want in life, those who never ever give up!!! Even if things are not easy in Africa, I do believe that we have so many opportunities in our continent that we don’t really have to envy anything from the North. But the problem is that most people are blinded by the strong desire to go and make it happen elsewhere. Young children, if you have a dream, know that “yes you can” make it happen where you are!! Always work hard towards your dream and never let anybody discourage you!!! NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!! That’s the idea I personally follow in whatever I want to do.

Shiai Magazine: Do you have any future projects which you will like to talk about to our readers in Africa and international Black community?

Sekou Doucoure

Well, the future is up to God and filmmakers who would like to use me. My hobby is traveling and I’m just waiting to see where this movie industry will take me again.

Shiai Magazine: Any last words?

Sekou Doucoure

Thanks a lot for allowing me to express myself in your magazine; you can follow my activities on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/DonSekou

Shiai Magazine: Thank you Sekou Doucoure for accepting our interview. We hope that you will visit us in Cameroon “Africa in miniature”, God bless you and your entire family.

Sekou Doucoure

May God bless your efforts and everything you are doing to promote Africa and the African martial arts! I think that Shiai magazine is one of its kind and the first online African martial arts magazine. Such great initiatives must receive financial supports from all those who wants to help promote Africa and its culture.