It can be argued that African Cinema really came into its own in the 1970’s with the appearance of the man who would be titled The Father of African Cinema, Ousmane Sembene. Not only was Sembene’s work quite prolific for an industry in its infancy, but it was profound in the way he spoke about the African experience in regards to life before slavery and colonialism and the consequences of both of these acts of destruction on the African continent and its peoples.

I did not see my first African movie until I attended university and, although a little embarrassed by this, I can at least claim in my defence that they are simply not given very wide publicity. The producers tend not to have the money to market their movies the way Hollywood does. Consequently, African movies are stuck almost exclusively on the festival circuit and, as a result, a lot of great African films go unseen by wider audiences. It’s important that more people of colour see that African Cinema has been around for a while and is not some new phenomenon.

So, I have decided to highlight 11 classic African movies, in no particular order, for you to watch at your leisure.

1. Black girl (Ousmane Sembene, 1966)

Diouana, a young Senegalese woman, finds herself the victim of racist attitudes in a story that charts her struggle to achieve a better life for herself.

Leaving Dakar for a job in France Diouana is shocked to discover the job is not what she thought nor is she able to have any time to herself to discover the French life she had dreamed of.

As she struggles against the captivity she has found herself in,

Diouana begins to feel her dream of a new life in France slipping away.

2. Hyenas (Djibril Diop Mambety, 1992)

Linguere Ramatou, an aging wealthy woman, returns to her village in Collobane where she has a disturbing proposition for the locals. This tragicomedy is in the vein of Mambety’s often biting critique of capitalist society and consumer culture.

Interestingly, during the production of his previous film, Touki Bouki, Mambéty was arrested for participating in anti-racist protests in Rome. He was bailed out by lawyers from the Italian Communist Party after appeals from Bernardo Bertolucci and Sophia Loren. The experience of later receiving a request from the Italian Communist Party to compensate them for the legal fees spent in his defence served as an inspiration for the character in Hyenas.

3. Ceddo (Ousmane Sembene,1977)

This story depicts the resistance of non-converted Africans (The Ceddo) to the encroachment of Islam and Christianity on their traditional beliefs. In order to enforce their resistance, the Ceddo kidnap the daughter of the king, which leads to a series of events that seal their fate.

The movie earned Sembene a level of infamy in his home country but not because of the conflict depicted in the film. The disagreement was caused by his insistence on using double d in the title rather than a single d as insisted on by the government of the time, highlighting linguistic and ethnic tensions in Senegalese society at the time.

4. Xala (Ousmane Sembene, 1975)

El Hadji, a Senegalese businessman is crippled with erectile dysfunction on the day of his marriage to his third wife.

He suspects it is the work of a curse placed on him by his first two wives, who are angry at his taking a third wife as a show of his social standing.

El Hadji goes through a series of comical acts in order to lift the curse, not suspecting the real culprits. True to form, Sembene’s film is a scathing satirisation and condemnation of the post-colonial African government’s corruption. Unfortunately, it is now seemingly impossible to get a copy of this film but if you can manage to see it I highly recommend it.

5. Yeelen (Souleymane Cissé, 1987)

Nianankoro, a young man whose father is a powerful sorcerer, flees his village when he learns his father intends to kill him.

He travels the desert carrying several magical artefacts he has stolen from his father. However, determined to kill him, Nianankoro’s father is tracking him using a magical totem.

6. Mandabi (Ousmane Sembene, 1968)

This is the first ever film to be made in the Wolof language of Senegal. We travel with unemployed man Ibrahima, as he tries to cash a 25,000 franc money order sent to him by his nephew. Ibrahima has been tasked to give some money to his sister, save some money for the nephew and use some of the money for himself.

Ibrahim is confronted with a bureaucratic nightmare as he attempts to cash the money order to fulfil his nephew’s wishes. The story is an exploration of the perils of being an older generation in post-colonial Senegal. This was Sembene’s first film in colour and, aware of the dangers of ‘exoticisation’, it is interesting to read about the careful consideration he gave to this decision in terms of the effect on the film’s reception outside of Africa.

7. Touki Bouki - Journey of the Hyena (Djibril Diop Mambety, 1973)

Mory, a charismatic cattle herder, likes to ride around on his motorbike with a bull-horned skull mounted on its handlebars. He finds a fellow dreamer in Anta, who shares his dream of escaping to life in Paris, France.

They set out to acquire the money to make their dream come true, only to find raising money for a trip like this is no easy feat and chasing your dream can lead to unexpected consequences.

8. Yaaba (Idrissa Ouédraogo, 1989)

Bila, a young boy in a village befriends an old woman, Sana, who has been accused of being a witch and ostracised by the village.

Not believing the rumours, Bila, is always respectful to Sana and even calls her ‘Yaaba’ (Grandmother). When Bila’s cousin falls ill Sana is accused of having put a hex on the girl to steal her soul.

Yaaba has been described as a tale of the foolishness of adults and the wisdom of children. Whatever your take on it, one thing that can not be denied is that it is an enchanting fable.

9. The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun, (Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1999)

Sili Laam, a young, Senegalese, girl with mobility issues, refuses to be held back. As the only girl selling newspapers, she stands up for herself in the face of the disgruntled boys she outsells. Not only does she stand up for herself, Sili also defends others from injustice.

Djibril Diop Mambéty delivers a story not only about courage and resilience in the face of opposition without the over treacle saccharine most films on the subject would be prone to fall into.

10. Sankofa (Haile Gerima, 1993)

Mona, a present-day African American model, is transported into the past to experience what life was like for the ancestors she has forgotten. In the movie, Mona is forced to confront the horrors of what happened to her ancestors and recognise her obligation to honour them and never forget.

Gerima’s film is a call to the African diaspora to remember the past and ‘return to the source’. It is a statement on the need to remember one’s roots and not forget the connection to the past.

11. Badou Boy, (Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1970)

The story follows the adventures of a young man, Badou Boy, as he hustles the daily grind to survive on the streets of Dakar. However, one cop is convinced that this boy is a menace that needs to be stopped.

As Badou Boy leads the cop on a chase through the shanty towns into the centre of Dakar, the film gives a distinct nod to the silent film era of Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin

while still weaving in a critique of the corrupting influence of the west on Africa.

So, now you have a small sample of classic African Cinema. Why not take a look at any you haven’t seen and get familiar with the work of the old masters? And don’t forget to browse through our other content of academic and fictional works as well as graphic novels by creators of colour. Happy viewing!