Book Review: African Film – New Forms of Aesthetics and Politics

Written by Sam Mathe
Thursday, 07 July 2011 17:25

“African films, when they are not tainted by Western paternalism, have the potential to reveal authentic African visions of Africa and the world.” This is the viewpoint of the author and a response to a director of French films who recently observed that African cinema has not attained the same level of maturity and sophistication as Iranian, Chinese or other world cinemas.

The impact of foreign funding on the authenticity of African films is at the heart of this multifaceted work that includes reviews, debates, interviews, profiles, academic narratives and personal testimonies that normally arise during press conferences at film festivals. The author, a native of Mali and US-based professor of comparative literature and film, opens his narrative by examining the filmic legacies of the pioneers of African cinema – notably Ousmane Sembene, Diop Mambety and our own Lionel Ngakane.

He then brings the reader to what is the core of this book – current trends, forms, language and aesthetics in contemporary cinema as well as new modes of production and the kind of politics that shapes the big-screen industry. There are profiles of 31 young directors including South Africans Zola Maseko (Drum) and Gavin Hood (Tsotsi). Their cinematic creations and thoughtful observations provide valuable insights into current trends and developments – an important reference work for students of films and movie enthusiasts.

AUTHOR: MANTHIA DIAWARA
PUBLISHERS: PRESTEL