Mambaye Coulibaly was born on 2 May 1957 in Kayes. After studying law, he turned to film in 1987.[1] La Geste de Ségou! (1989), for which Coulibaly also wrote the music, was an animated short film inspired by historical events in the Bambara Empire of Ségou.[2] The Ivorian playwright Werewere Liking designed puppets for the film.[3]