> Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1998 10:10:16 -0400
>
>
> xposted from H-AFRLITCINE@H-NET.MSU.EDU
>
> From: Ken Harrow, Michigan State University
> [harrow@PILOT.MSU.EDU]
>
> I recently was able to attend 5 days of the
> Festival des Femmes, the 20th
> anniversary of the Women's film festival at
> Creteil--Paris. The festival featured Hanna
> Shygulla, a competition of women directors from
> all over the world, and African Women
> Filmmakers--my reason for attending.
>
> I missed the opening in which Safi Faye's Mossane
> was given a gala opening; and I missed the last
> 3-4 days of the festival. but the scheduling was
> such that I was able to see many of the African
> women's films.
>
> As for the African women's part of the festival,
> Safi Faye's work was
> featured, and although I missed her, I saw a
> number of her films, including some shorter
> documentaries unavailable in the states. The
> highlight of the entire conference, for me, by
> far, was Safi Faye's older film, Fad Jal, which I
> believe (I hope) is available from women make
> movies. it was just great, a beautiful,
> understated depiction of life and its strains, its
> high moments, etc, in a serer village ( I can't
> "hear" the difference between serer and Wolof; it
> sounded like Wolof to me). some of Safi's other
> films included Racines Noires, Peasant Letter
> (available from Mypheduh--also a fine film), Selbe
> (women make movies has it); Moi, Ta Mere (at the
> festival the only copy was in German, so it was
> cancelled!); and Ambassade Nourrices. I saw the
> latter film on an empty stomach, at dinner time,
> and it was about an hour long tour of ethnic
> restaurants, and their owners, in Paris! with
> close-ups of the food!!
>
> another highlight was the gala showing of Wanjiru
> Kinyanjui's Battle of the sacred tree, during
> which homage was rendered to the dozen African
> women filmmakers (and one Italian) and their work.
>
> the festival did not really care to distinguish
> between African women
> filmmakers, and women like Attali who made a film
> about Africans... well...
>
> in addition, it seemed to me that the organizers
> were not enormously
> discriminating in their choices. I saw a number of
> extremely minor and
> amateurish works that did not deserve showing at a
> major festival. since
> I'm offering criticism, I might as well say that I
> found that despite the
> wonderful work and attitude of the organizers, in
> general the African work was not given the serious
> attention it deserved, the choices were
> remarkably poor in a number of instances, and that
> French culture has many miles to go before it will
> have recognized African artists with the respect
> they deserve.
>
> that said, it was gratifying to get a look at
> Valerie Kabore's short films.
> also, I went into the festival having seen only
> one film by Anne-Laure
> folly, the cal newsreel film women with open eyes,
> which I find flawed.
> the 3 others I saw there really impressed me,
> especially les oubliees, a
> devastating vision of Angola wracked by land
> mines, war, and its hellish
> aftermath.
>
> Tsitsi Dangaremgba's everyone's child was also
> featured, along with Anna
> Mungai's Saikati (I must say, a particularly weak
> film).
>
> there were moments when I saw reportage, as
> Rokhaya Diop's short films on the Black refugees
> from Mauritania (into Senegal), that seemed
> one-sided. The contextualization was not there
> (nor did Folly do much to contextualize Unita's
> role in Angola).
>
> Also showing was Werewere Liking's Regard de fous
> (a filmed adaptation of her play Dieu chose);
> Martine Ilboudo's Messages de femmes, messages
> pour Beijing; some Fanta Nacro films (regrettably
> I missed); three films by Monique Phoba; Sarah
> Malodor's Sambizanga (yes, still being shown!!),
> warrior marks, and a few others also highlighted
> were the actresses Isseu Niang (played in Guelwaar
> and Mossane, as well as Le Mandat) and Zalika
> Souley (played in 1966 in Alassane's work and then
> in Oumarou Ganda's films). There presence lent a
> distinguished air to the festival about 51 films
> were shown. that did not include north Africa (but
> did include white south African and Italian, and
> Caribbean). noted absences: flora m'mbugu
> schelling and salem mekuria, both of whose works
> are far better than many I saw at creteil.
>
> one cannot deny that it was wonderful that African
> women's films were given an important place in the
> festival. however, much of what appeared in the
> press never even mentioned them, and it is not
> enough simply to announce their presence. the work
> of quality that has appeared needs to be featured;
> old chestnuts going back 25 years do not represent
> what is exciting today; and a program titled
> Realisatrices d'afrique really doesn't need an
> Italian director's work to fill it out.
>
> the program included notes by Michael Amarger, who
> also organized the
> African section and made the introductions at
> various showings. he was
> terrific (reminding me of the same quality of work
> in presentations made by Cameron bailey at the
> Toronto film festival in years past).
>
> so, it was definitely nice to have been there, but
> those of you who couldn't make it need not fret
> too much.
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