Black Girl (film)
Encyclopedia
Black Girl is a 1966 film by the Senegalese writer and director Ousmane Sembène
, starring Mbissine Thérèse Diop. Its original French title is La Noire de..., which means "The black girl of...", as in "someone's black girl". The film centers on a young Senegalese woman who moves from Senegal to France, to work for a rich French couple. It was the director's first feature-length film. It is often considered the first Sub-Saharan Africa
n film by an African filmmaker to receive international attention.
, Senegal, to Antibes
, France, to work for a rich French couple. In France, Diouana hopes to continue her former job as nanny, and looks forward to a cosmopolitan lifestyle. However, upon arrival in Antibes, the couple begins to treat Diouana more harshly and she is forced to work in the capacity of a servant. Diouana becomes increasingly aware of her constrained and alienated situation. Eventually she commits suicide in her employer's bathroom to escape the harsh reality of her disappointing new life in France.
, racism
and post-colonial identity in Africa and Europe. These themes are highlighted through the recurring appearance of an African mask, which Diouana gives to her employers on her first day of work at the house in Dakar. The mask is hung on the wall in the French couple's Senegalese apartment, along with other pieces of African art
.
Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène , often credited in the French style as Sembène Ousmane in articles and reference works, was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer...
, starring Mbissine Thérèse Diop. Its original French title is La Noire de..., which means "The black girl of...", as in "someone's black girl". The film centers on a young Senegalese woman who moves from Senegal to France, to work for a rich French couple. It was the director's first feature-length film. It is often considered the first Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa as a geographical term refers to the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara. A political definition of Sub-Saharan Africa, instead, covers all African countries which are fully or partially located south of the Sahara...
n film by an African filmmaker to receive international attention.
Plot
Diouana, a young Senegalese woman, moves from DakarDakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
, Senegal, to Antibes
Antibes
Antibes is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.It lies on the Mediterranean in the Côte d'Azur, located between Cannes and Nice. The town of Juan-les-Pins is within the commune of Antibes...
, France, to work for a rich French couple. In France, Diouana hopes to continue her former job as nanny, and looks forward to a cosmopolitan lifestyle. However, upon arrival in Antibes, the couple begins to treat Diouana more harshly and she is forced to work in the capacity of a servant. Diouana becomes increasingly aware of her constrained and alienated situation. Eventually she commits suicide in her employer's bathroom to escape the harsh reality of her disappointing new life in France.
Cast
- Mbissine Thérèse Diop as Diouana
- Anne-Marie Jelinek as Madame
- Robert Fontaine as Monsieur
- Momar Nar Sene as Diouana's Boyfriend
Themes
This film addresses the effects of colonialismColonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and post-colonial identity in Africa and Europe. These themes are highlighted through the recurring appearance of an African mask, which Diouana gives to her employers on her first day of work at the house in Dakar. The mask is hung on the wall in the French couple's Senegalese apartment, along with other pieces of African art
African art
African art constitutes one of the most diverse legacies on earth. Though many casual observers tend to generalize "traditional" African art, the continent is full of people, societies, and civilizations, each with a unique visual special culture. The definition also includes the art of the African...
.