French-Burkinabe film critic Claire Diao created Quartiers Lointains, a traveling short film programme in 2013, and co-founded the Pan-African Film Magazine AWOTELE in 2015. She has also managed the distribution company Sudu Connexion since 2016. Her essay Double Vague, le nouveau souffle du cinéma français (Ed. Au Diable Vauvert, 2017) received SADC 2018 Beaumarchais Medal. TV presenter and columnist (Canal Plus, TV5 Monde, France O), she has worked for many international film festivals since 2011 (programming, animation). Claire DIAO is a member of the selection committee of the Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and mentor of the Durban Talents programme.