In Black Girl (1966), director Ousmane Sembène shows how a young Senegalese woman in the South of France becomes trapped in a postcolonial existence. You see her dream of a cosmopolitan life slowly turn into isolation. On view at Lab111 in Amsterdam.
A young woman between two worlds
Black Girl follows Diouana, a young Senegalese woman who travels to the south of France to work as a nanny. She dreams of a new life, but soon realizes that reality is different. The family treats her not as an equal, but as a servant. Her freedom of movement shrinks, her voice disappears. Director Ousmane Sembène alternates images of her current situation with flashbacks from Senegal.
Postcolonialism in focus
Sembène reveals how deep-seated colonial racism lurks beneath the surface of French life. Black Girl (1966) was the first feature film by a Sub-Saharan director to receive international recognition, including at the Cannes Film Festival. With limited resources, Sembène sketches a sharp portrait of postcolonial relations in 65 minutes.
A restored classic in Lab111
You will be watching the film in a restored version, allowing the picture and sound to come into their own once again. Lab111 in Amsterdam is screening Black Girl as part of its programming of special and historically significant films. Are you interested? You can find more information about tickets via the link on this page.
