Sotigui Kouyaté

Sotigui Kouyaté was born on July 19, 1936, into an illustrious Mandé griot lineage. After playing professional soccer for Upper Volta's national team and teaching school, Kouyaté founded the Mandeka Theater in 1966, dedicating his life to traditional storytelling, music, and dramatic performance.

Beginning in 1983, Kouyaté formed a legendary creative collaboration with British theatre director Peter Brook, starring as Bhishma in Brook's nine-hour theatrical epic The Mahabharata. Possessing tall, commanding grace and a hypnotic voice, Kouyaté starred in classic African films including Dani Kouyaté's Keïta! L'Héritage du griot. In 2009, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for London River.