Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda's film Le Damier – Papa national oyé (1996) received important prizes such as the ACCT prize - Agence de la Francophonie, Fespaco 1997 in Burkina Faso, the Reel Black Talent Award in Toronto, Canada in 1997, the Grand Prize at the Festival de Villeurbanne in France 1997, the Quality prize from CNC in France in 1998 and several prizes at the Festival international du Film Francophone at Namur in 1998. Article 15 bis (1999) won a Jury Mention at the Festival du Court métrage at Clermont-Ferrand, France.