Film
Mandabi
- Director
- Ousmane Sembène
- Certificate
- PG
- Running Time
- 92 mins
The father of post-colonial African cinema, Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene was still mading films well into his eighties – notably Moolaade, a heartfelt assault on the barbarity of female circumcision.
1968’s Mandabi – the first feature made in an African language, fact fans – found him in more playful mood. Set in Dakar, it tells the story of Ibrahima (Makhouredia Gueye) and the transformative effect that a 25,000 franc money order from his nephew in Paris has on his fortunes. Word quickly travels about his newfound wealth, while multiple bureaucratic obstacles stand between him and his money. Now restored in 4K, the winner of the Grand Jury prize at the Venice Film Festival is an entertaining character study as well as a sharp satire on post-independence African nations and the shadow cast by colonialism.
The Watershed’s Saturday and Sunday matinee screenings will be followed by a pre-recorded Q&A with Liz Chege, Dr Aboubakar Sanogo and Ivan Mbowa.
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