About Black Girl

'Black Girl' is a benchmark 1966 film by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène. The deeply emotional and hard-hitting drama tells the story of Diouana, a young Senegalese woman who moves from Dakar, Senegal, to Antibes in France to work for a wealthy French couple. The film focuses on the issue of racial and post-colonial identities and represents the harsh realities of the African diaspora in Europe.

Making / Production

Ousmane Sembène, often referred to as the "father of African film", directed and wrote this thought-provoking movie. The film is considered a striking example of "Third Cinema" and African filmmaking. The narrative combines flashbacks and memories, highlighting both the current painful conditions and the happier times of the past.

Actors

• Mbissine Thérèse Diop as Diouana - She excellently portrays a naive rural woman whose dreams of a better life in the prosperous Europe gets disillusioned with her harsh experiences.
• Anne-Marie Jelinek as Madame - She represents the French bourgeoisie with her perfect interpretation of an indifferent and condescending employer.
• Robert Fontaine as Monsieur - He emphasizes the passive complicity of French colonial legacy through his portrayal of a lethargic and ignorant character.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This is one of the first Sub-Saharan African films by an African filmmaker to receive international recognition.
• Despite its length of just over 55 minutes, the movie is often considered a feature film rather than a short.
• The movie is largely considered a depiction of neo-colonialism, a symbolic exchange of Dakar's slums with French Riviera's luxury apartments.

Quotes

• "In this apartment, Africa seems so far away."
• "I am not a maid, I am a machine"

Music, Soundtrack

• The film features the music of renowned Senegalese musician and composer, Papa Wemba.