In an interview when asked about his favor style of film to make he responded, "documentary because when you do fiction, people think it's not true.

[2] He studied audiovisual communication at the University of Valenciennes and worked as a film critic for Bwana Magazine and as editor-in-chief at France 3.

In 1983, he directed his first short documentary Schubbah after receiving encouragement from Souleymane Cissé, a famous African director.

Despite receiving high praise from the internationally community, Teno's films were banned from being aired in Cameroon.

In part due the success of directors like Teno, more universities began offering African film studies classes and looking at alternative perspectives of history.