
Emitai (1971)
Directed by
Ousmane Sembene
Also Known As:
Dieu du tonnerre (Senegal: French title)
God of Thunder (literal English title)
Hementhal (International: English title) (informal title)
Runtime: 103 min
Country: Senegal
Language: French
Color: Color (Eastmancolor)
Sound Mix: Mono
imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067048/
Plot Outline: As World War II is going on in Europe, a conflict arises between the French and the Diola-speaking tribe of Africa, prompting the village women to organize their men to sit beneath a tree to pray.
This frustrating film is brilliant in concept but intensely awkward in execution. His main themes throughout his career are hammered relentlessly: that male elders invited their oppression and that the society rests on the labor of women. But the philosophical issues are alluded to in passing and the use of non-actors portraying elders should have given far less time to their deliberations. The ending is far too abrupt and thwarts the understanding he was building up to all along. Compare this to his most recent film "Faat Kine" and you will see Sembene's development as a storyteller.
Camp de Thiaroye (1987)
Directed by
Ousmane Sembene
Thierno Faty Sow
Also Known As:
The Camp at Thiaroye
Runtime: Netherlands:147 min / West Germany:150 min (Berlin Film Festival)
Country: Algeria / Senegal / Tunisia
Language: French / Wolof
Color: Color
imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092716/
Plot Outline: In this semi-autobiographical film, black soldiers help to defend France, but are detained in prison camp before being repatriated home.