A good way of thinking about this paper is in terms of a COMPARATIVE perspective,
by exploring connections between the films and other African/non-African films.
Try to think of films which it would be interesting to compare/contrast with
those we're watching in the course (e.g. Sembene's BLACK GIRL vs. Claire Denis's
CHOCOLAT, QUARTIER MOZART vs. a Spike Lee movie, etc.). I think this would be a
good way of situating African film in relation to Euro-American (or other)
film-making, as well as understanding better some of African film's
particularities.
We have quite a few African films in the Film Library which are not scheduled for
the class, and I'd encourage you to find out what's available and maybe explore a
few. I'd be happy to help with suggestions if you can give me some idea of what
kind of topic you're interested in. We won't need to be deciding this until after
spring break, but you should start to think about it now.
In coming weeks, I'll suggest some possible wider topics you might be like to
focus on, but in the meantime, here are a few ideas concerning
TOUKI-BOUKI-related projects which you may be interested in pursuing:
1. Mambety, Godard, and the "African New Wave"
2. Avant-garde aesthetics in 20th century art: collage, montage, bricolage...
3. Motorcycles and modernity in TOUKI-BOUKI and Amadou Seck's SAARABA (Senegal,
1988) [in Film Office]
4. Mambety's hyenas (after screening of HYENES)
-- Martin Roberts
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