Born in Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast, he studied history in Paris and film at the Conservatoire libre du cinéma français (CLCF) and later on in Sweden. From 1968 to 1978, he worked for the Radiodiffusion Télévision ivoirienne (RTI).[1] before creating the 1970 black and white documentary on the traditional dance Koundoum. In 1972 he won the Silver Tanit at the Carthage Film Festival with the short Amanie and several other awards including a FIFEF.