Ousmane Sembene's Xala

... is on TV this very minute: his 1975 comedy of manners about post-colonial Senegal, the ideals being devoured by corrupt (and idiotic) businessmen.

It also features Star Band de Dakar, which is the outfit that first hired the Youssou N'Dour -- though that was some time after this film.

I've seen maybe two of his films and read two of his novels. Everything has been without fail amazing.

great movie (i think there is some discussion on a Sembene thread somewhere, also). it's v dexterous in being v amusing & simultaneously kinda lacerating & p depressing in its depiction of Senegal & its underclass. was cut, a bunch, before screening in Dakar.

i need to see Black Girl & another that i think was getting love on the Mark Cousins thread recently, the name of which I forget.

Ousmane Sembene

RIP Ousmane Sembène, giant of African cinema

(both on i love film)

I mentioned Yeelen on that thread, which I saw years ago and loved: I think I said it was by OS, but it's not, of course, it's by the Malian director Souleymane Cissé.

The Cousins thread I mean.

"I have two wives. You can have two husbands!"

a masterpiece

Marvelous.

It is way past my bed-time and the fire went out four hours ago -- I am huddled up under a pile of blankets watching these folks sweat and worry in the hot hot sun, and I am loving it.

I could watch the poor little guy it all happened to all my life: Thierno Leye's the actor's name but I don't think he was ever in any other film.

"I have two wives. You can have two husbands!"

ha, i love that guy

The story's not dissimilar to Tod Browning's Freaks, actually, and Sembene certainly deploys the beggars in a similar way -- just as you're feeling sorry for them, or uncomfortable, they're suddenly funny or entertaining; just as you're feeling comfy, or enjoying their company, they're an implacable threat. I like the way the little guy wakes up into himself -- and the truth about all his ridiculous gang -- during the meeting where they vote to exclude him: at first his accusers seem more self-composed and less absurdly slippery than him, and then he, when all is basically lost, he names and denounces the whole of their world, and suddenly their confidence seems like more ridiculous posture.

Anyone seen Black Girl? The thread reminded me that I needed to.

In fact that sense of the movement of stance is there to some extent in almost all the characters -- some of them are really just a lightning sketch of a personality, but it's a strong sketch as well as a faceted one.

xp This my first OS, a bit disgracefully. But when I was writing about African music in the 80s, they were hard to see. Catch-up time.

^ will probably be the next one i catch (or perhaps camp de thiaroye, which came as highly recommended to me as Xala) - is short, also, it's only an hour iirc.

just to self-promo bc it's relevant, i put on a screening of xala a while ago & made a neat poster for it, which googleproofing prevents me from including but which i've linked to (click schlump), in case anyone is a film poster geek.

The story's not dissimilar to Tod Browning's Freaks, actually, and Sembene certainly deploys the beggars in a similar way -- just as you're feeling sorry for them, or uncomfortable, they're suddenly funny or entertaining; just as you're feeling comfy, or enjoying their company, they're an implacable threat

this is interesting, although it feels uncomfortable juxtaposing the two just for their similarities - maybe i'd just have to know freaks better, idk. they're def a really interesting presence in the film, & a pretty hardcore contrast with the splendor of the wedding scene, &c.

Cool Poster!

Recorded this so I'll watch later. Saw it years ago at the bunker that is the Renoir, an inspired 10am Sunday morning screening.

Always wanted to see Freaks will check.

I read one novel of his: God's bits of Wood about a strike at a railroad, and how the wives kind of sustain it. It was from 1960, which I found impressve, although I did struggle with it.

My only other Sembene was his last film (about Female circumcision). Just as impressive was the interview on the DVD.

My recollections about what struck me the first time were about how he plays out the conflict between ancient beliefs and a struggle for a modernity. You know he hates the former but I like how he just shows and uses it to turn it back on the oppressor (who disguises himself in modernity -- we kicked the colonizers out -- but cloak themselves in past beliefs)

Just watched this, its there on youtube. that ending WOW....the clunky acting, editing and direction aside, its a great film nevertheless. funny and caustic at the same time. can anyone tell me why El Hadji's office was a warehouse full of beer cases and such at the beginning though?

been too long tho I can envision that from your mention

How weird I was just pointing this out on youtube to a friend of mine at the w/e.

Bilge Ebiri on the forthcoming documentary:

http://www.vulture.com/2015/02/how-ousmane-sembene-invented-african-cinema.html

Thanks - can't wait to see this.

Ceddo was so inflammatory it was banned in some African countries for its depiction of strife between Muslims and Christians.

Watched Ceddo recently, it has a very complex beginning, basically an argument between several village heads that goes on for nearly 30 mins. Very theatrical.

otoh I know the intentions are good, but its also a process of ossifying the work. I don't think his work would've been forgotten had this doc not existed.

The doc is stodgy, but I see xyzzz's point about the clips showing Sembene taught at NYU.

Sembene season at the BFI. I haven't seen about half of his filmography

Camp de Thiaroye is long, perhaps quite knotty/difficult films that aren't in great condition

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=campdethiaroye2023

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/ArticleMedia/Images/WhatsOn%20images/202308/sembene-intro-event-01.jpeg

About to settle down for Camp de Thiaroye, see how it goes

Mandabi was really good. Sembene is a very funny writer, though there is a lot of anger lurking beneath.

Camp de Thiaroye was wonderful and didn't flinch. It really could be asking a lot of you.

Very well paced, the 2.5 hours or so did not feel like a stretch.

And a bit of a departure, to make a film set during the colonial years, and for it to be a historical event.

The value of a historical film to bring a little known atrocity to the fore is unquestionably high.

From the wiki this was banned in France. I saw an old print. It really deserves a full restoration and more screenings.