Even though American culture is quite omnipresent in our life through daily Hollywood movies, African culture is not so much.
By being Romanian, or even of another nationality – and not having had a lot of contact with Africa, since not much common history between the 2, one does not have much access to African culture.
Thanks to media, internet, international festivals, latest trendy topics on development issues, African movies or movies about Africa are slowly making their way in the international scene.
Although useful, they are not showing a complete image about a lively, colorful, rich Africa but mostly about the dramas that its people suffer.
On a more personal note, I am highly grateful to the filmmakers who have succeeded to show stories from Africa.
Below you can read/see trailers of some of the African movies I’ve seen or heard about. It is a good start for one that enjoys movies and wants to learn more either about some issues or about different countries in Africa.
If you know more interesting movies on Africa – whether short or long, please let us know by commenting on this post.
Ezra
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923688
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoWwpbbimrM
The story of this movie by his filmmaker: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/newton_aduaka_tells_the_story_of_ezra.html
Ezra is the first film to give an African perspective on the disturbing phenomenon of abducting child soldiers into the continent’s recent civil wars.
Tsosi
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468565/.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYnqbNl7VMM
Six days in the life of a young Johannesburg gang leader (Chweneyagae)
Won an Oscar in the Best Foreign Movie category in 2006.
The constant gardener
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Constant_Gardener_(film)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387131/
A love story evolving around the dirty business of public and corporate diplomacy in Africa. The movie it’s a good start for asking yourself some questions on what is the business of some businesses in Africa.
Hotel Rwanda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_rwanda
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwuXvA589A
Maybe one of the best known movies about one of the most horrifying conflicts in African history.It is a historical drama tellring the story of the 1994 genocide between the Hutu and the Tsotsi
Blood diamonds
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Diamond_(film)
Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtPX2kXhu7I
The title refers to blood diamonds, which are diamonds mined in African war zones and sold to finance the conflicts and profit the warlords and the diamond companies across the world.
Bamako
http://www.bamako-themovie.com/
Trailer: http://www.bamako-themovie.com/trailer.html
Les Brumes de Manengouba
http://www.joost.com/16600lq/t/Les-brumes-de-Manengouba#id=16600lq
Fatima, L’Algerienne de Dakar,
http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie/fatima-l’algerienne-de-dakar/
Other movies that are shown during African film festivals in Europe:
Vivre dans le pays le plus pauvre du monde
Djourou une Corde a ton Cou
Africa Paradis
Kabuli Kid
La petite vendeuse de Soleil
Darwin’s nightmare
Jean, Moussa et le fil de l’eau
Faro, La reigne des Eaux
Enjoy!
