"Father of African film" passes on

June 11, 2007 1:30 PM

Ousmane Sembene, Senegalese writer and filmmaker, has died.
posted by RogerB (16 comments total)

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posted by chunking express at 1:34 PM on June 11, 2007

I watched La Noire de... in a college class called "Exile and Cinema". I consider it to be one of the first films I have ever truely watched.
posted by muddgirl at 1:39 PM on June 11, 2007

This is a great loss. A brilliant, inspiring man.
posted by putzface_dickman at 2:10 PM on June 11, 2007

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posted by languagehat at 2:19 PM on June 11, 2007

. he made wonderful films.
posted by heatherbeth at 3:00 PM on June 11, 2007

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posted by philfromhavelock at 3:12 PM on June 11, 2007

The only one of his I saw was Moolaade, which I found deeply affecting. I'll watch the rest of his films soon.
posted by Pater Aletheias at 5:12 PM on June 11, 2007

Black Girl did for African cinema what Things Fall Apart did for the African novel.

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posted by Falconetti at 5:47 PM on June 11, 2007

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posted by Wolof at 6:07 PM on June 11, 2007

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I wish to take 'exile and cinema' as muddgirl did.
posted by fizzix at 6:57 PM on June 11, 2007

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posted by pwedza at 9:39 PM on June 11, 2007

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posted by mike3k at 11:47 PM on June 11, 2007

i saw a screening of "guelwaar" about nine years ago. it is an amazing film. i am still looking for a copy on vhs or dvd - does anyone know where i can look? facets.org has it but they want $300 for it.
posted by fac21 at 7:34 AM on June 12, 2007

fac21, I've been looking for Guelwaar too. I think Facets' VHS and/or looking for a library copy are the only possibilities (in the US, at least). Not too much of Sembene's work is available on DVD.
posted by RogerB at 11:38 AM on June 12, 2007

FYI, Black Girl, Mandabi, and Xala are available through Netflix.
posted by muddgirl at 11:43 AM on June 12, 2007

Oh no. His movies are fabulous, and God's Bits of Wood is a great novel! RIP
posted by OmieWise at 8:52 AM on June 14, 2007