Friday, June 5, 2009

Moolaadé by Ousmane Sembene

Category: Non-English

Not being so acquainted with African cinema I happened to stumble on this movie by pure curiosity. I thought I was going to be really bored, but boy I was surprised. Ousmane is such a wonderful and passionate director, it's however not seen in his style or cinematography techniques, relying heavily on his own vision he makes films.

This movie is about a ritual called "purification" which is essentially female circumcision. A woman decides to stand up against this by calling forth a "Moolaadé". A ancient mystic power that is signified by a ribbon tied across the entrance to the house. One particular character who stands out aside from the protagonist is a man called Mercenary. His comments seem almost flowing from the directors mouth. This movie is definitely a must see for world cinema fans & enthusiasts. Despite the subject at hand, it has been handled so gently by the director that you have no idea he's making comments about women's rights and Africa.

Recommendation level: 4/5 the only reason why it loses one rating point is because of its length. Get this movie now, at any Crossword/Landmark!

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