The association
About BATAO
A facilitator for shoots, a bridge between people.
BATAO is the Bureau for Film Production in West Africa. Created in partnership between Wallonia and Senegal, it supports audiovisual productions shooting in Senegal free of charge, without ever replacing the producer and industry professionals.
A clear role, a position we own
BATAO, an official facilitator that never intrudes
We are neither an executive producer, nor a technical service provider, nor a production company.
We are a liaison body, recognised by the Senegalese and Belgian authorities, acting as a single point of contact to guide, inform and connect.
Our mission is to facilitate your journey in Senegal, not to replace it.
A shared project
A project of cultural and economic collaboration
BATAO was born of a partnership between Centre Yennenga, Wallimage, with the support of the Republic of Senegal and Wallonie-Bruxelles International.
Our role: to welcome international productions, encourage co-productions with Senegal, strengthen the structure of the local industry and promote the country's human and natural resources.
In practice, we offer: databases of locations, crew, companies, actors and extras; administrative support (permits, location scouting, logistics); and connections with reliable, local and committed partners.
But always respecting one fundamental principle: you are the one producing. They are the ones doing the work. We help you meet each other.
Our history
A cultural, human and collective adventure
BATAO was born of a shared desire: to build a lasting bridge between international productions and Senegal's know-how. This project is the result of a long process carried out with patience, respect and enthusiasm.
The initial idea emerged as early as 2012, as part of a reflection led by Wallonie-Bruxelles International, which wanted to explore new models of audiovisual cooperation. At WBI's request, Maxime Dechamps, then employed by the film office CLAP, was tasked with launching a first pilot project with the Ouaga Film Lab, alongside Alex Moussa Sawadogo.
This precursor project, focused on Burkina Faso, laid the foundations for a network of film commissions in West Africa. Although hindered by the country's security situation, it helped trace the first outlines of what would become, a few years later, BATAO.
In 2020, as part of the renewal of the permanent joint commission for cooperation between Belgium and Senegal, a new project was launched: BATAO Senegal, co-founded by Wallimage and Centre Yennenga, with the support of Wallonie-Bruxelles International, as part of its economic and cultural cooperation policy.
The project was then designed and led jointly by Maxime Dechamps, from Belgium, and Thierno Ba, for its implementation on the ground in Senegal. Together, they built a collaborative dynamic based on transparency, networking and the circulation of skills.
Since its beginnings, BATAO has been able to count on the support of essential partners: Senegal's Directorate of Cinematography, FOPICA, producer Souleymane Dia, patron of the project, and filmmaker Alain Gomis, founder of Centre Yennenga, whose cultural and artistic commitment is a strong point of reference for the whole industry.
BATAO is neither a production office nor a closed gateway. It is a space for connection, facilitation and emulation between territories and professionals. A platform designed to support shoots with intelligence, fairness and respect for local know-how.
The people behind BATAO
The team
Thierno Abdoul Khadre Ba, project manager in Senegal. Maxime Dechamps, project manager in Belgium, founder of BATAO. Souleymane Dia, consultant, producer, patron of the project. Alain Gomis, founder and director of Centre Yennenga, filmmaker. Jean-François Tefnin, director of Wallimage Tournages. Farah Clémentine Dramani Issifou, coordinator of Centre Yennenga. Alex Moussa Sawadogo, founding member of BATAO.
A question about our role or your project in Senegal?
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