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For The Love Of Movies... Can We Talk?Your Top 5 Non-Black American African Diaspora Films (Survey)
Our content and readership are both undeniably heavily African American-centered. Certainly nothing wrong with that. But, the tag-line at the top of this blog does say "Cinema of the African Diaspora," and while we certainly make a concerted effort to cover cinema from the rest of the vast and varied African Diaspora, I'd readily admit that we've got some ways to go in that regard.
Most of the non-Black American cinema we cover are films and filmmakers who've somehow managed to burst onto the international scene, usually via film festivals, or emails we receive alerting us to projects. But we're working towards the day when you'll come to S&A, and it'll be divided by country. So if you wanted to know what was happening on the film scene in Kenya for example, you'd just click over to the "Kenya" section, and all the posts in that area will be specific to that country, etc, etc, etc.
It'll take some time to get there, and manpower (a global effort really, via contributions from readers all over the world, reporting on the local film scene wherever they live).
That's always been the goal for S&A - one massive web-based portal where you can find out about current Diaspora cinema in any part of the world! We'll get there...
In the meantime, I'd like to take a survey that I don't believe we've ever done - as the title of this post states, your favorite non-black American African Diaspora films (films that tell stories primarily about people of African descent, except black Americans); let's say your top 5; and you can go as far back in history as you'd like.
And in anticipation of the number of responses that I think will include this film, I'm going to exclude City Of God. So, any titles other than City Of God.
Eventually, I'll return with a follow-up post which will include the most popular 5 films you folks list, as well as my own list of 5 Diaspora films that I think you should see, if you haven't already.
So, with that, give it a go!
19 Comments
Masha | August 30, 2012 10:31 PM
Of course city of God :) My fav film is Black Orpheus....but is that considered black with a non black director? I know this post is about films... But another one of my fav is Small Island based off of book by Andrea Levy starring naomi Harris and David o... It was a tv miniseries...
Alan Sharpe | August 24, 2012 3:15 PM
While we're at it, I've been trying to find out the name of an African film I saw at the DC International Film Fest years ago. It may have been from Senegal or Mali, I'm not sure. It was a small little film about a family who had relocated to France because of the father's job. I think the main character was a little boy who was afraid of dogs or wolves, but I seem to remember this small little film dealt with family life as African immigrants adjusting to city life in Paris. I saw a movie called "Hyena" listed below, and thought that might have been it, but no, the film I'm trying to remember/find was a domestic drama. Any ideas/suggestions?
Terri Francis | August 24, 2012 5:36 AM
Sugar Cane Alley/La Rue Cases Negres
The Harder The Come
La Noire/Black Girl
Touki Bouki, which you have pictured there and speaking of Josephine Baker, who is prominent on the soundtrack of that film,
Princesse TamTam ... but also The Emperor Jones with Paul Robeson and Maya Deren's fieldwork footage
Oh! Black Orpheus!
Medea | August 24, 2012 12:05 AM
Hyenas (Senegal) Guelwaar (Senegal) Bamako (Mali) Viva Riva (Congo) Surga (North Africa)
jblu74 | August 23, 2012 11:20 PM
No particular order preference intended: Orfeu Negro, Sirga, Kirikou, Rabbit Proof Fence, Yeelen
janie | August 23, 2012 9:58 PM
Beat the drum (SA) Dreams of Dust (not sure where that's from) Mandabi (Senegal) Ties That Bind (Ghana) Viva Riva (Congo)
Kat | August 23, 2012 8:53 PM
Viva Riva
Neziah | August 23, 2012 7:24 PM
1. Harvest: 3,000 Years 2. The Young Girl 3. Black Girl 4. Badou Boy 5. Hyenas
Rel | August 23, 2012 7:08 PM
1. Lumumba
2. The Harder They Come
3. Tsotsi
4. Black Orpheus
5.Battle of the Algiers
Ava | August 23, 2012 5:58 PM
1. Sankofa (Ethiopia)
2. Black Girl (Senegal)
3. Smile Orange (Jamaica)
4. The Harder They Come/Dancehall Queen
5. Babylon (Great Britain)
Honorable mention to: The Girl Who Sold the Sun (short film) and Tsotsi
Kwame | August 23, 2012 5:14 PM
The following is my pick
1 Heritage Africa (Kwaw Ansah Ghana)
2 Love Brewed in the African Pot (Kwaw Ansah Ghana)
3. I Told You So (Ghana Films Corporation, Ghana - Twi with english subtitle)
4. No Time to Die (King Ampau Ghana)
5. I Sing of a Well (Leila Djansi Ghana)
Pardon me for titlting to me Ghanaian roots - I have not seen most movies from the continent that merit the criteria on board though im aware French speaking African countries make some great movies. Also i know about Totsi from SA but i have not seen the entire movie!
Rocket | August 23, 2012 4:30 PM
Here are some I love:
"City of God" Brazil
"Countryman" Jamaica
"Tsoti" South Africa
"Little Senegal" Sengal- Not sure if this one counts. It takes place mostly in New York City. But the storyline is rooted in West Africa.
Kandis | August 23, 2012 3:35 PM
Boy!!
Kelli | August 23, 2012 11:35 AM
Keita (the Heritage of the Griot) (Mali), Yeelen (Mali), Ta Dona (Mali), The Savage (Nigeria), Countryman (Jamaica). I know this said top five, but I must mention Sugarcane Alley (Martinique). Superb film and Besouro (Brazil) - very beautifully done.
Dee | August 23, 2012 11:34 AM
Tableau Ferraille
Madame Brouette
Three Tales from Senegal
Touki Bouki
Yeelen
LeonRaymond | August 23, 2012 11:32 AM
I have to add SUGAR CANE ALLEY!!
kwesi Johnson | August 23, 2012 11:18 AM
Oh, and Touki Bouki.
Kwesi Johnson | August 23, 2012 11:18 AM
Either Raoul Peck's "Death of a Prophet" or "Lumumba". "Kirikou and the Sorceress" is on constant play at my house.
Alece | August 23, 2012 11:01 AM
You probably already know mine but here they are: Black Girl (La Noire de...), Touki Bouki, Fin Ye, A Screaming Man, Come Back, Africa (if it's not limited to African filmmakers). I would like to explore more black films in Latin America so if anyone has suggestions, let me know!