Gilbert Bovay, born in Cairo in 1923, was a Swiss-French director and documentarian known for his social commitment. He explored crucial themes such as racist segregation in the United States, the Cuban missile crisis, and Mao's China, with a style that combined political reflection and attention to the human condition. Among his most significant works are Harlem sur Seine (1962), a report on the lives of American jazz musicians in Paris, Impressions d'un voyage en Chine (1965), which analyzes China under Mao's regime, and Le reflux de la Vague (1968), a film about the French May 1968 and its social and political developments. His collaboration with Eni, mediated by Marcello Boldrini and Pasquale Ojetti, allowed him to create documentaries documenting the efforts in developing countries, such as Oduroh (1964). With a cinematic approach that emphasizes the dignity of human labour and international cooperation, Bovay was able to portray decolonization and global challenges, embedding his work within a broader political, social, and anthropological context.