Ousmane Sembene’s last film, and also one of his finest.
Most films, Hollywood or otherwise, tend to lionize traditional values, but Sembene feels no nostalgia for the long-standing mores of this village society and many like it. The elderly men are depicted as insecure fools who will resort to cruel and petty means to keep women in their place; the men even confiscate all of the women´s radios just so they won´t be infected by any strange outside ideas. It´s the loss of their media entertainment that incites the women of the village to open rebellion as much as their protest against FGM. The village chief remains clueless to the end ("Why are these women still bitching?") but the film ends on a triumphant note, and the final cut proclaims the inevitability of progress.
Shot in Burkina Faso, the film features a cast from several nearby countries. Many of the cast members are non-professional actors and some of the performances are a bit spotty. However, the lead actress Coulibaly is a major standout, and Dominique Zeïda, also the second unit director on the film, excels as the worldly merchant Mercenaire.
Video
The film is presented in a 1.78:1 enhanced widescreen aspect ratio. The image quality is fairly sharp though the colors look a bit dull. The interlaced transfer shows some minor instances of combing, but this is a competent if unspectacular transfer.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. Optional English subtitles support the audio track which is in French and Jula.
Extras
This two-disc set has an unusual number of extras for a New Yorker release.
Disc One offers a "Portrait of a Director," a short documentary (12 min) by D. Sentilhes and B. Josse which provides an overview of Sembene´s career as a writer and filmmaker.
Disc Two kicks off with an interesting "Making of" featurette (24 min) that includes on-set footage of Sembene and his crew. A Sembene interview (25 min) provides viewers with further insight into the late filmmaker´s artistic philosophy. Another short featurette (5 min) provides footage of the film´s African premier in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2004.
The extras continue with short interviews with actresses Maïmouna Hélèn Diarra, Lala Drabo, and Aminata Dao (10 min total for all three.) There are also several short features about Female Genital Mutiliation, including two interviews (26 min. total) with FGM activists and a promotional film (7 min) for FORWARD, a British-based activist organization.
The slim insert booklet includes an interview with Sembene by Professor Samba Gadjigo of Mount Holyoke College and some information about FGM activist groups.
Film Value
"Moolaadé" is Ousmane Sembene´s last film, and also one of his finest. "Black Girl" may be his greatest work, but "Xala" (a 1975 comedy about impotence) and this movie are also superior movies. Though "Mooladé" tackles a grim subject in head-on fashion, it is a very entertaining and surprisingly funny film. Don´t miss this one.
Shot in Burkina Faso, the film features a cast from several nearby countries. Many of the cast members are non-professional actors and some of the performances are a bit spotty. However, the lead actress Coulibaly is a major standout, and Dominique Zeïda, also the second unit director on the film, excels as the worldly merchant Mercenaire.
Video
The film is presented in a 1.78:1 enhanced widescreen aspect ratio. The image quality is fairly sharp though the colors look a bit dull. The interlaced transfer shows some minor instances of combing, but this is a competent if unspectacular transfer.
Audio
The DVD is presented in Dolby Digital Stereo. Optional English subtitles support the audio track which is in French and Jula.
Extras
This two-disc set has an unusual number of extras for a New Yorker release.
Disc One offers a "Portrait of a Director," a short documentary (12 min) by D. Sentilhes and B. Josse which provides an overview of Sembene´s career as a writer and filmmaker.
Disc Two kicks off with an interesting "Making of" featurette (24 min) that includes on-set footage of Sembene and his crew. A Sembene interview (25 min) provides viewers with further insight into the late filmmaker´s artistic philosophy. Another short featurette (5 min) provides footage of the film´s African premier in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2004.
The extras continue with short interviews with actresses Maïmouna Hélèn Diarra, Lala Drabo, and Aminata Dao (10 min total for all three.) There are also several short features about Female Genital Mutiliation, including two interviews (26 min. total) with FGM activists and a promotional film (7 min) for FORWARD, a British-based activist organization.
The slim insert booklet includes an interview with Sembene by Professor Samba Gadjigo of Mount Holyoke College and some information about FGM activist groups.
Film Value
"Moolaadé" is Ousmane Sembene´s last film, and also one of his finest. "Black Girl" may be his greatest work, but "Xala" (a 1975 comedy about impotence) and this movie are also superior movies. Though "Mooladé" tackles a grim subject in head-on fashion, it is a very entertaining and surprisingly funny film. Don´t miss this one.
Average user rating (1-5):
Not yet rated.
Not yet rated.