Cinematheque Ontario presents – Ousmane Sembenen (Feb 5 -13)

Ousmane Sembène

February 5 – 13

Often referred to as “the father of African cinema,” Senegalese filmmaker and novelist Ousmane Sembène was an outspoken opponent of both the former colonial powers and the corrupt, cruel and archaic aspects of his own people’s culture – a complex double critique that made his work vital and controversial for more than four decades.

For complete schedule, ticket pricing and venue, chek the cinematheque ontario website at:

http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca

Recommended are CAMP DE THIAROYE (*****) and MOOLADE(*****).

Below find capsule reviews of three films to be screened:

Moolade (Senegal/France 2004) ***** Top 10
Directed by Ousmane Sembene

MOOLADE (set in a remote Burkina Faso village in Africa) is the word uttered by a strong willed woman, Colle (Fatouma Coulibaly) that calls for the magical protection of 4 girls about to be purified by genital cutting.  Colle has lost 2 daughters from the ritual and is intent on protecting the 4 girls.  Her only surviving daughter whom she had protected as well is angry as she is not allowed to be married without purification by the elders.  The daughter has her eye on the son of an elder returning from studies in France.  Sembene tells his story like a colourful fairy tale (indeed the African village is colourful with green, yellow, red buildings with the habitants donning bright apparel) with an evil ruler and an evil practice that must be stopped so that everyone can live happily ever after.  But tradition, pride and stupidity need by overcome.  Colle is the female knight in shining armour to do the task and what a knight she is.  She would have you cheering (WASA! WASA!) by the end of the film if not in tears admiring her courage.  This is a film about the triumph of the human spirit and director Sembene has crafted one of the best films ever to come out of the African continent.

La Noire de (Black Woman) (France/Senegal 1966) ****
Directed by Ousmane Sembene

The first film by an African director to receive attention and acclaim worldwide, Ousmane Sembène’s debut feature focuses on Diouana (Mbissine Thérèse Diop), a young Senegalese woman who is invited to move to France to work as a nanny for a wealthy couple. She work initially for the couple in Dakkar where she is comfortable looking after their three children.  But when she moves to France with the prospect of a better life, Diouna’s excitement soon gives way to disillusionment as the couple begins to take advantage of her, forcing her to work as a common servant. As it becomes increasingly clear that their mistreatment is linked to her race, Diouana falls into despair. A thought-provoking exploration of racism and the legacy of colonialism, La Noire de. . . opened the door to the West for such acclaimed African filmmakers as Souleymane Cissé, Djibril Diop Mambety and Haile Gerima.
Thus husband is more sympathetic towards her but does little while the mistress shouts at Diouana constantly while complaining how lazy she is..Diouana finally refuses to eat, work and completely breaks down.  Director Sembene captures the depressing plight of a human being caught by loneliness and desperation.  If only Diouana could communicate in French to her employers or be stronger to take control of things!  This simple yet unorgettable

Xala (Senegal/France 1974) ***
Directed by Ousmane Sembene

The film opens with a voiceover over-praising Senegal’s independence from France with scenes of the White ousted from the parliament building while the sons of the land now rule their own people.  But such words are only an indication that the takeover is not going to be as smooth as expected and something is going to go dreadfully wrong.  Written and directed by Sembene, the story of XALA turns to one official, Aboucader Beye, known by the title “El Hadji,” who takes advantage of some of that money to marry his third wife, to the sorrow and chagrin of his first two wives and the resentment of his nationalist daughter. But he discovers on his wedding night that he has been struck with a XALA a curse of impotence. El Hadji goes to comic lengths to find the cause and remove the xala, resulting in a scathing satirical ending.  Sembene’s film is dead serious in the sense that all the characters are serious about their status quo, so much so that everything seems hilarious from an outside observer.  The music, atmosphere and mood of the city are all captured and displayed with all the exoticism of a tourist visiting Senegal for the first time.  The film is even funnier when one sits back and contemplates the events that have occurred.