Director of 13 films and author of 12 novels, Ousmane Sembène has become known as the “Father of African Cinema.” As this title suggests, Sembène has made a lasting impression on the world of cinema, gaining international recognition as a pioneer in the creation of films in Africa, from an African perspective.
Who was Ousmane Sembène?
Born in 1923, Sembène was raised in Southern Senegal under French colonial rule. Spending much of his time in front of a screen in Senegal’s theaters, his connection to film and the concept of audience grew. Before he was known as the “Father of African Cinema,” he held the titles of mechanic, mason, and eventually soldier at the age of 19 in the French Free Army, during the Second World War. After leaving Africa in 1948, his career in the arts emerged in 1956 with the publication of his first novel, Le Docker Noir, which stemmed from his own experience as a longshoreman in Marseille, France. Following this first attempt to inspire dialogue work, he realized that another form of media may prove more effective in reaching his target audience. Due to higher illiteracy rates, the group in which Sembène was most directly trying to reach was the group that largely did not have access to his work. Thus, this author set off to Moscow to become a director with lessons from the Gorky Film Studio.
Film Career
Once he had gained the necessary technical skills to widen his sphere of influence, he was able to produce his first film, Borom Sarret, in 1963. From there, Sembène continued to direct films, adapting his short stories and drawing from his own personal experiences. By 1966, with the release of his third film La Noire de…Ousmane Sembène became the first African to win the Prix Jean Vigo, and from there the first to sit on the jury of the notable Cannes Film Festival. With his productions, he addressed and criticized a wide range of difficult topics—from culture, to colonialism, to the patriarchy—making him a controversial figure with several of his films banned at one point or another.
A choice that also makes the work of Ousmane Sembène stands out, was his choice to shoot in native African dialects. The first to successfully do so, Sembène’s 1968 production of Mandabi is entirely filmed in Wolof, a primary language of Senegal.
Towards the end of his life, Sembène also used his platform to portray the trials and triumphs of everyday life. More specifically, the director embarked on a project to shoot a trilogy of films centered on this subject, the first titled Faat Kiné (2001), and the second, Mooladé (2004). Unfortunately, before he was able to complete the trilogy, Sembène passed away in Dakar, Senegal in 2007. However, the memory and passion of director and author Ousmane Sembène has been immortalized on screen and in print. An artist that lives on as the “Father of African Cinema,” he has succeeded in his mission of stirring dialogue among an international audience.
Event Details
In the continuation of this dialogue surrounding and inspired by his work, there is an opportunity to view his work with the screening of Sembène’s 2001 film, Faat Kiné (120 min) at the Metrograph in New York City. This piece follows single mother of two and successful gas station manager, Faat Kiné, through her everyday life as she works to maintain her financial and sexual independence in contemporary Senegalese society.
Following the screening of the film, there is also the opportunity to engage with the piece during a discussion hosted by the nonprofit organization Jollof Films. The organization was founded with the mission of celebrating the legacy of African cinematographers by educating, learning, and engaging with their art.
Note: This film contains mature themes and scenes that may be inappropriate for younger viewers.
Sources:
For event:
Metrograph
For article:
Ousmane Sembène Biography
Ousmane Sembène, Cinematic Revolutionary
Review of Faat Kiné
