Tilaï (The Law), the acclaimed 1990 drama by Burkinabé filmmaker Idrissa Ouédraogo, has been selected for the 2026 edition of Cannes Classics following a new 4K restoration. The film, one of the most acclaimed works in African cinema, will screen alongside restored classics and documentaries celebrating global film preservation efforts. It tells the tragic story of Saga, who returns to his village after two years away to find his fiancée married to his father—a union that renders the couple’s continued love incestuous under traditional law. The film won the Grand Prix at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival and the Étalon d’Or at FESPACO in 1991. The restoration was carried out by the Cité de Mémoire laboratory on behalf of the Institut français–Cinémathèque Afrique, a program dedicated to preserving African film heritage at risk of physical deterioration. Restored from the original negative using both digital and photochemical treatment, the work ensures this landmark film survives for future generations. The screening will be attended by Ouédraogo’s daughter and original co-producer Silvia Voser.
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