Oumou Diegane Niang 

Born in 1994 in Dakar, Oumou Diégane Niang graduated high school with honors before pursuing journalism and communication, later developing a passion for cinema. In 2017, she met the late Aziz Boye, a prominent figure in Senegalese cinema, and joined the Cinebanlieue collective, dedicated to film training and creation. In 2019, her encounter with renowned director Alain Gomis led her to join the Yennenga Center, where she specialized in production and distribution. Self-taught, she excelled in distribution, notably with Mamadou Dia’s Nafi’s Father, shortlisted for the 2021 Oscars, Philippe Lacôte’s Night of the Kings, premiered at the Venice Film Festival and awarded the Grand Prix at the Fribourg International Film Festival and the Brussels FIF, and Irène Tassembedo’s The Crossing, honored at Fespaco 2021.

In 2023, Oumou Diégane founded Wawkumba Film, a company focused on production, distribution, and international sales. She led the African distribution of Awa Moctar Gueye’s Timis, boosting its festival visibility, and oversaw the international distribution of Pape Lopy’s Sada’s Sheep, a commercial success in West Africa and a Fespaco 2023 award-winner. In 2024, she became an alumna of the CannesMakers program at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, the only African representative in the new talent session for film distribution and international sales. Since then, Wawkumba Film has expanded its collaborations and catalog, managing the distribution of several works, including Mamadou Dia’s Demba, which won the Grand Prix at the Luxor International Film Festival (Egypt) and the Bronze Tanit at the JCC (Tunisia). The film achieved record-breaking box office results in 2024 due to an innovative strategy tailored to local market realities. In 2025, Wawkumba Film added Kevin Aubert’s short film Don’t Wake the Sleeping Child to its portfolio, premiered at the Berlinale and awarded the Jury Prize. In a groundbreaking move, Wawkumba Film introduced this short film to Senegalese theaters, a first for the country, with its premiere selling out.

Currently, mentored by leading figures in Senegalese and international cinema such as Alain Gomis, Rama Thiaw, Alice Kharoubi, and Mamadou Dia, Oumou Diégane manages the international sales of Liti Liti, directed by Mamadou Khouma Gueye and premiered at Visions du Réel. She is also preparing the release of Angèle Diabang’s A Long Letter, an adaptation of Mariama Bâ’s renowned novel. Through her commitment and the motto “Selling the African dream,” she passionately and determinedly promotes the African film industry.