Sembene Ousmane, ​Black Girl, ​1966, Senegal.

Professor’s assignment:
The idea of the griot or storyteller is a powerful conceptual tool in the articulation
of cinematic practice in some African films. Pick​ ​two directors​ and discuss ​how
the idea of the griot works either similarly, or deviates from the perception of
African filmmaker as griot.

Choose​ ​Sembene Ousmane and his films as first choice, the second director and his films
you can choose one director from below.
Sembene Ousmane, ​Black Girl, ​1966, Senegal.
Sembene Ousmane, ​Xala (The Curse),​ Senegal, 1974, 119 min.
Director and films for you to choose ( only one director films unlimited but just from this list):
Djibril Diop Mambety, ​Touki Bouki​, 1973, Senegal.
Djibril Diop Mambety, ​Hyenas​, Senegal, 1992. 113 minutes.
Ngangura Mweze, Benoit Lamy, ​La Vie Est Belle​.
Nadia Fares, ​Honey and Ashes​, Tunisia, 1996. 1hr 20 min. (Ar/Fr)
Terry George, ​Hotel Rwanda​, 2004, (U.S.)
Raoul Peck, ​Lumumba​.
Gillo Pontecorvo, ​Battle of Algiers​, 1965, Algeria/Ita. 135 min.
Yesterday​ Darrell Roodt, SA, (Zulu), 2004.
Screen:​ ​Gavin Hood, ​Tsotsi​, 2005, SA/UK, 94min. (Zulu/Khosa/Afrikaans)
Anthony Fabian, ​Skin​, 2008. 107min. (UK)
Writing for you reference and cite: (better use these readings, must use the first two at least)
(MUST USE) Francoise Pfaff, “Sembene: A Griot of Modern Times” in Michael Martin,
Cinemas of the Black Diaspora
(MUST USE)Manthia Diawara, “Popular Culture and Oral Traditions in African Film” ​African
Experiences of Cinema​, Ed. Imruh Bakari and Mbye Cham.
Manthia Diawara, “Zairian Production” in ​African Cinema
Manthia Diawara, “France’s contribution to the development of Film Production in Africa” in
African Cinema
Manthia Diawara, “African Cinema Today” ​African Cinema
Frank Ukadike, “African Cinema” ​World Cinema
Richard Porton, Hyenas, ​World Cinema
Nawal el Saadawi,​ The Hidden Face of Eve.​ Zed Books, 1980.
Stuart Hall, “Cultural Identity and Diaspora” ​Identity