The Beauteous Cinema of Africa

The films also deal with "the tension between tradition and modernity, the still-subservient position of women (who were "much freer in precolonial times than they are now," says Mr. Sembene), the selfishness of the local bourgeoisie, illiteracy, poverty, often the lack of political freedom" (20).  

This theme of tradition and modernity "surface in different forms, according to the sensibilities of individual filmmakers and the varying conditions of Africa's national film industries" (3). 

This shows how Sembene cared about the treatment of women and wanted to express that in his films, which is main point of beauty in his films.

This is the trailer of one of Ousmane Sembene's most recent and possibly his best piece, Moolaade.  This film shows one of Sembene's favorite themes, the strength and bravery of women.  This is a common theme expressed in a lot of his films, which is why i love him so much!  The films deals with "agonies of women in some parts of Africa, but rather than asking you to pity them in their plight, it leaves you envying their bravery and admiring their resolve” (Heroism 7).  The film also deals with tradition and is a "critique of traditional forms of authority and a celebration of the warmth and dynamism of African village life" (2).  

The festival is important to Africans and brings everyone together, and shows that "even in places racked by death, famine, war and disease, culture remains as essential as air” (5).

This picture is a picture someone uploaded to twitter from the protests in Egypt over the Anti-Islam film.  Egypt "reported multiple injuries among protesters in Cairo, where the Egyptian police fired tear gas" (Protests 4).

This shows how serious religion is to people in Northern Africa, and that there are some aspects of film (from the west or Africa) that should not be used, as it can become incredibly offensive, and lead to protests and anger. 

This film sparked so many protests in Northern Africa, and hate towards America.  It offended muslims in Northern Africa and the Middle East and Asia (Anti-Islam Film 1), as the film “appears to depict Islam as a religion of violence and hate, and its Prophet Muhammad as a foolish and power-hungry man" (7).  The director of the film, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, is in hiding, and the actors of the film were not aware that this is what the film would be about (22-23).   

It is really interesting to see how his home country can second-naturedly influence his work!

Ousmane Sembene did not care if he criticized the authorities, and is a huge influence to film-makers internationally for his originality (8-9).

Ousmane Sembene is a Senegalese director, known as the "father of African cinema" (Scott 2).  He explored themes, such as the "the tensions between tradition and modernity" and also he "focused on the lives of ordinary people, frequently women" (3).  Sembene also focused a lot on the characters in his films, and they were equaly as important in the film, as was the depiction of African life (4).  

"You have to be a dreamer to continue to make films in countries where cinemas are closing down and where there is no local finance for film" (7).

Bye Bye Africa directed by Mahamat Saleh Haroun, is so innovative to Africa, as it points out the dying film industry in parts of Africa, and shows how passionate the film-makers in Africa are about film because if you are not than film-making is an impossibility (Scott 7-8).  In the film, Haroun plays himself, and he can see the "changes wrought on his hometown, N'Djamena, by war, AIDS and economic stagnation, he is especially appalled to find the movie theaters of his youth -- old-fashioned dream palaces with names like the Scheherazade, the Rio and the Vogue -- reduced to crumbling desuetude, wrecked by war and displaced by video clubs and satellite dishes" (7).  This shows how important cinema is, and that it shouldn't be taken for granted.  Haroun is so passionate about his films, just like other directors in Africa...film is dying in Africa, and it is important that you know how deep and passionate these directors are in presenting their themes to audiences!!

The films in Africa are funded by the “European Union and the French ministry of culture” and Europe would consider “financing the creation of an African distributor” (4 and 6).

Check out his work..his films are enjoyable and if you get passed the old quality camera and sound, you can see a great movie with subtitles (i know:)) 

Mambety's playful style of his work and the way he goes about his films could be a "shorthand theory" of film in Africa (2).

Djibril Diop Mambéty is literally one of my favorite African directors...He is so visual in his films, and i love how his "lyrical vision expresses a deep pessimism about the liberation its protagonists so desperately crave" (Scott 6)