Osuofia in London: cultural Shock

     I watched both parts and was very surprised by the plot development as well as the ending. The opening scene of part one presents a father who failed to provide financial security for his family. He claims to be a hunter, but fails to catch anything. In fact, the only animal he catches is a pigeon in London. His failure as a provider is highlighted by the fact that he lives in a house that is dominated by females and since neither his wife nor any of her children work, he is responsible for supporting the whole family. In addition to that, he is in debt and is unable generate money to pay his debtors.

     Osuofia in London is similar to Pride and Prejudice because both families not wealthy and their daughters present a financial and a social burden. In Pride and Prejudice, the daughter. Lakhi, elopes, escapes, or just goes wondering around with an untrustworthy man, Wickham, who might get her pregnant. In Osuofia in London the father is worried about his daughters for the same reason. In fact, the opening scene clearly demonstrates how they might get attacked or raped any minute. Both families hope to lighten this social and financial burden by marrying their daughters off. While pride and Prejudice succeeds in marrying of some of their daughters, Osuofia in London resolves this problem by receiving a large inheritance and thus increasing the daughters’ chances of finding a husband.

     Osuofia come from a small village and after learning of his upcoming trip to London, expectations are high. The people of this small village expect him to come back with the knowledge and import the economic developments to this poor community. It is interesting to see that the mere idea of someone going to Western country strikes awe and admiration in the villagers’ eyes. The whole community is proud of this unprecedented accomplishment, and this is also reflected on Osuofia’s family. It is clearly demonstrated at school where his daughters is introduced as a different or new personality with a new status and now every student there wants to be her friend.

     Osuofia’s trip or as he calls in “journey” puts his knowledge of London, Trafalgar square and Piccadilly street to the test. He is shocked by the food, the outfits and the manners in general. It looks like the director deliberately intended for Osuofia blend in to a live crowd because that would further show how much an outsider he really is. I can see that in his conversations with the British, especially with comments about London bridge.

     As for the editing, there were many abrupt cuts and sudden changes of scenes. I thought that the music that accompanied the determining scenes was too dramatic. Obviously the film was made on a low budget and it seems that the scene in part two that takes place at night and welcomes Samantha to the village is the same scene used to give a very well to her.

1- the idea of Africans “double crossing” people from their own country is a recurring them both in Xala, El Hadji Aboucader Beye, and  Osuofia in London, Ben’s character. What does that say about the post-colonial Africa? 

 

Pride and Prejudice as a “Negotiation between East and West”

Pride and Prejudice as a “Negotiation between East and West”

The film’s take on jane Austin’s novel has its virtues. As with Sita in the film Fire, Lalita stays true to herself and her beliefs (well most of them) as she comes across the challenges of the Western culture. Unlike Fire’s Jatin and Lakhi who through themselves at and embrace the western culture, Sita and Lalita are selective, they are welling to adjust their perspectives and revise their understanding of life to a certain extent.

Sita rejects her traditional and arranged marriage in favor of a new still unfamiliar and “unnamed” relationship with her sister in law Radha. Lalita is able to revise her first impression of Darcy and overcome her prejudice. Moreover, the film begins with her defending traditional marriage, yet ironically she ends up falling in love not once but twice before getting married. In a strange way both Sita and Lalita suggest a truce between the Eastern and the Western cultures. Rather than rejecting or completely surrendering to the Western cultural invasion. They welcome a certain dose while staying true to their values, which are clear in the way they think and dress.

However, Jatin and Lakhi both gave in to the superiority of the Western culture. This is clearly demonstrated in the way they dress. Jatin is completely consumed by the “other” in the way he dresses, the affair he has, and his mentality in general. Lakhi’s crop top outfits are used to demonstrate the negative impact of the Western culture. Although Lalita does wear jeans and shirts, she keeps away from the trashy outfits. In a way the film’s costumes show how to be selective when it comes to imitating the West.

 

• “Bollywood can be read both as defending itself and Indian values against the West, and as a dangerous courier of Western values to the Indian audience, and it read in both these ways by the Indian popular film press.” How does this concept manifest itself in Pride and Prejudice? Can we make the same claim about Fire?

 

• In what way is the film an examples of escapism?

Fertility, the lack of it or the consequent of having it in Grabavica

 

     

     Films like Xala, Children of Men, Fire, and Grabavica all deal with the issue of sex, reproduction or the lack of it. Each one of these films tackles the issue from a different angel.

     Xala deals with  El Hadji Abdoukader Beye’s inability to consummate his marriage and reproduce members of a new generation. He fails to bring children are able to bask in the shadow of the country’s accomplishment and enjoy its independence. His failure to perform his “manly” duty places him in an unfavorable light. He becomes the target of mock and ridicule. In fact, his third marriage that was intended to signify his wealth and success bring his downfall and exposes the unlawful sources of his fortune.

     In Children of Men, the whole movie revolves around the inability to reproduce at a time when war is consuming the lives of the remaining population. In a world inhabited by “grownups” youth is a rare occurrence to the extent that young people are celebrities. Kee’s miraculous ability to have a baby, becomes the embodiment of hope and salvation for this declining population. The baby provides the world with a second chance to undo its atrocities and start all over.

     Fire also deals with a barren land, a wasteland where youth, beauty, and fertility are wasted. The film seems to imply that in a changing and rapidly developing India, the circumstances are unsuitable for adding a new live into the mixture. Furthermore, it shows that India has to adjust its social structure and acknowledge the needs of the present member. Only them can the time be propitious for adding new members to society.

     Grabavica focuses on the aftermath of war, which is literally present in the character of Sara. Unlike Children of Men, where the baby is associated with hope and positivism. Sare, is a living reminder of the atrocities of war. She illustrates how the past affects the present. To Esma, her daughter is a painful reminder of the rape that she and many other women have suffered during the war. Thus, Sare’s character is a negative and a tragic symbol of war and physical abuse. Both Kee’s baby and Esma’s child are fatherless and are consumed by the forceful act of rape.

     The film presents various examples to stress on the horrors of war for those who survived it, more than those who dead in it. Sexual exploitation is presented in the club, where women earn a living be subjecting themselves to the lust of its customers. The scenes where Esma encounters women who earn money in exchange for sexual favors is significant for two reasons. First, those scenes emphasize the deplorable and demeaning living conditions of any country that begins to gather itself after a war. Secondly, Esma is not worried about herself as much as she is concerned about the future of her twelve-year-old girl that lives in a poor economy. She is unable to provide for her daughter and is haunted by the very likely fact that Sara might end up working in one of those nightclubs. The sexual abuse that Esma encountered stands in the way her ability to form new relationships. However, the kiss at the end of the film might be intended to signify Esma’s regaining of her sexuality.

     The editing of the film was very poor. Some scenes were abruptly cut, while others seem to be forced into the film.          

The Figurative use of the Trench

  The final scene is a very powerful one. It exposes the humanitarian pretenses of the UN as well as the social media, and reveals man’s indifference towards the sufferings of another. It, furthermore deals with the agenda of modern institutions that reduce mankind to a mission, a duty, a report and a mere project; a means to an end.

     No Man’s Land succeeds in using the trench incident as a metaphor for a dilemma for the war between Bosnia and Serbia. The film employs this metaphor as a vehicle to deliver the absurdity of this fight between the two countries. This is clearly demonstrated when the two sides are confused and have no idea which soldier belongs to which group. Ironically, the soldiers themselves are unable to pin down the specific reason that ignited the war. The film is almost implying that there is no reason to begin with, had those two soldier met under different circumstances they might get along just fine and might even become friends. In a couple of scenes, we notice the possibility of a blooming friendship especially that the soldiers share the same land and language. However, the possibility of friendship is soon dissolved by emotions of hatred and animosity that appear illogical and even self-destructive.

    As I was watching the film, one question kept popping into my mind: that type of audience is targeted by this production? Certainly not me. I for one did not “enjoy” watching it, yet I found it informative. I would suggest that it is directed to the two sides involved in the war. It “hopes” to stimulate the minds of those two ethnicities to think or rather rethink the circumstances that led to the war, and if the war was, in fact worth it.                 

Fire, the Residual and Emergent Culture

What an ending!!

Fire, the Residual and Emergent Culture

The film explores Raymond Williams’ idea of the residual and emergent cultures. Many scenes focus on the conflict between what is expected and what is wanted. The scenes also present a clash between duty and desire.

Sita’s role helps shed light on the uselessness of residual culture. As Sita and Radha stand in the balcony, Sita expresses her inability to understand the point of fasting. She points out that Karva Chauth, where married Hindu women fast from sunrise to sunset, is an outdated practice. She only backs up and asks for forgiveness to please Radha. This ritual, which Sita finds meaningless and degrading, aids the film in illustrating the absence of men in women’s lives. In order for Sita and Redha to break their fast, their husbands have to be there to bless them. Ironically, both men are not available and the two women end up abandoning their femininity, filling masculine positions, and replacing men. Sita also objects to her role as a “pet” and refuses to be bossed around like a house worker. Rather than accepting her role and preforming her duties mechanically, Sita stands up against residual culture. This is clearly illustrated in when she takes off her traditional dress, puts on men’s pants and plays loud, modern music. Sita also shatters the traditions of her patriarchal society in many ways. For instance, when she stands up to her “pompous fool” husband, expresses her opinion of him and slaps him back when he slaps her. Another example is when she makes the decision of closing up the store and going out for “fun”. Sita’s ultimate rejection of residual culture comes at the end of the film when she decides to leave and start a new life and a new relationship with Radha.

Sita helps Radha emerge into her true self, she rescues her from the confinements of residual culture where she had to kneel down and touch or kiss her husband’s feet. Sita is presented to be a feminist who supports gender equality, an unfamiliar notion to many cultures. Moreover, she introduces Radha to the emerging notion of women’s self-worth and independent identity. The film’s emphasis on women’s individuality and self-worth is a very bold step in a culture where the ritual of Sati, where some widowed women must burn themselves, or commit suicide, after their husbands’ funeral to prove their love and loyalty, is deeply embedded practice. Sita and Radha’ relationship is also a part of an emigrant culture, this is highlighted when Sita explains that this relationship is novel, has no name, no description and cannot be identified as anything familiar.

In the midst the tug of war between residual and emigrant cultures, Biji takes on the role the hegemonic ideology. Although she is deprived of speech, Biji has the powerful tool of the bell. It is a brilliant cinematic technique that reminds people of the strongly embedded customs and traditions, and warns them against straying and crossing the boundaries of what is common and familiar. Biji represents the silent gazing eyes of a judging society. A society that observes and aims to guide its member to the acceptable path by establishing in them a fear of ridicule. Other times Biji seems like an omniscient all-knowing author who knows the inner working of each character and hold a store full of their fears, secrets and lies. The sound of the bell resounds throughout the film, and even when its not used, the characters hear echoes of it reminding them of the red line that they must never cross. When Ashok, Radha’s husband, has flash back of his past physical intimacy with his wife, he is quickly interrupted by the bell’s ringing and reminded of his vow of celibacy. The bell was not actually ringing, what he hears is the echoes of its sound in his head warning him against breaking this vow. Ashok is a traditional man who honors customs and practices of his culture. This is evident when he chooses to ignore his burning wife and safe the old inherited traditions presented in Biji.

 

• How examples of lack of fulfilment does the film present? How does the film deal with each one of those examples?
• What is the purpose of Julie’s character? Is the film implying that abandoning your own traditions and adopting those of the west is your only way out of this cultural clash and chaos?
• Fire and Children of Men both deal with the issue of fertility and bareness. How does each movie tackle this subject?

 

Children of Men and Camera Movement

     One of the most appealing features of the film is its camera movement. While watching the film, it seems like the camera has a mind of its own. Its lens do not necessarily follow the action of the main characters all the time. At times it seems to wonder around and explore the environment on its own. One prominent example of this is when the camera lingers on the school wall and closes up on the children’s drawings totally ignoring Theo who enters the school building. At other times the camera can be characterized as a spy that sneaks up on the characters and provides the viewers with detailed information. For instance, we get a glance at Jasper’s setting room. The spy-like presence of the camera reveals details of Jasper’s life, the living room is where he entertains guests, listens to music and smokes “a strawberry cough” cigarette” (54:09). It’s is also where he recalls details of Theo and Julian’s relationship and reveals private information about their son who passes away in tragic circumstances. Through the camera’s spy-like shot, we are able to observe Theo as he overhears Jasper’s conversation. The scene was shot in an angel that catches both the living room and Theo, who hears the story quietly and then slips away without being noticed. The camera movement is also amusing because it runs with the characters, shakes and is also splattered with blood. Instead of shooting the scenes at a distance, the lens are involved in the events, rooting for the “good guys” and even escaping with them in the car. The camera is characterized as a curious spy, a caring mother who turns around to see the baby just as Kee was pushing her out.

• How does the news forecast at the opening scene and the children’s laughter at the end affect your experience of the film?

• The film displays many of the worlds political struggles in one country, what do you think he hopes to achieve via this mixture?

• How does the character of Kee help the film tackle the problem of rape and minors?

• Would you regard the film as an optimistic or a pessimist prediction of the future?

• How does the use of photos advance the plot of the film?          

Hidden

This film is quite a different experience. Unlike other films we’ve viewed, there is no physical action that moves the events and develops the story. You might disagree with me, but I noticed that what moves and changes is the psychology of the characters. The French family leads a mundane, predictable existence where they work, dine and sleep.When the mysterious tapes suddenly appear in their grocery bags and on their doorsteps, it stirs their emotions and disturbs their relaxed and dull existence.

The tapes trigger an explosion of dialogue more than anything else. Words like “trust, threat, afraid, dream, feel, worry” begin to emerge. The film also includes sessions of psychological thereby. First, in a medium shot, the mother is her son’s patient, she is  presented in her bed as her son enquires about any recollection of Majid and how she “flet” about him. In a second scene, the husband is the wife’s patient, he sets helplessly on a white couch, his back bent and his eyes look downwards, the wife, presented as a tall figure in black standing above him, questions him about the tape, he confesses, with hands tight on his head, that there is a suspect but is not quite sure. The dialogue turns into an interrogation as tension builds between the couple. In the their scene, the husband creates his own therapy like session as he dims the lights, closes the curtains and goes to sleep. Perhaps he hopes to find an answer to his dilemma in his dreams, after all that is where everything stated. The dialogue also contains sentences like “I am not sure, I am scared, I am threatening you, are you okay? I was worried, you lied, tell me the truth.” Which all reinforce its psychological effect.

The tapes are regarded as a catalyst that moves the characters to reconnect with people and things of the past, such as the husband’s visit to his mother, the tapes and dreams are the husband’s reason to visit to his mother. It is clear that he does not visit that often and fails to strike an interesting conversation with her. The tapes are also the reason for his visit to Majid, whom he does not even recognize. They are the reason why his boss called a meeting. Perhaps the tape and the dreams are an outlet for his hidden past and repressed feelings. Thus the film’s title refers to his hidden past not the hidden tape.

1- In more than once scene, the husband fails to be truthful to his wife and continues lying. With that in mind, if the suicide scene was cut out of the film, would you believe him to be innocent?

2- Sound plays a significant part in guiding the audience’s responses and influencing their opinions, how does the lack of sound of music influence your experience of Hidden?

3- what do you make of the possibility of the wife being unfaithful? Does this subplot flaw smoothly with other events that take place in the film?

4- Compare and contrast the mirror scene in Kala with the mirror scene in Hidden. To what end is the mirror employed in each of them?

5- How would you interpret the Majed’s character and the husband’s? Would you agree that they represent France and Algiers?

Timbuktu, Lacan’s Mirror Stage

A couple of years ago I decided to take a permanent break from attending movie theaters. The reason was that movies are boring, predictable, repetitive and just not worth it. I declared that movie going is a stage that I have proudly passed, or, as my sister says: “it’s something you do to get out of your system and move on.” In fact the last movie that I have attended was in 2012 in a theater located in Kuwait. After viewing last week’s film, Timbuktu, my faith in the film industry might just be restored.

As I was watching the film, I wondered why it was deprived from the same level of Hollywoodian celebration and advertisement. I have never seen, heard, read, or watched anything about it. After reading  Manthia Daiwara’s On Tracking World Cinema: African Cinema at Film Festivals, it turns out that” the lack of public for African Cinema in Africa is a complex issue” (385). The article laments the losing focus on African films in favor of other means of attracting tourists, French in particular, and emptying their pockets.

”[I]t is not just a film festival anymore, it is a Grunde FEte highlighting drummers from Burundi, fashion shows, and business entrepreneurship in the streets of Ouagadougou. It is a festival of the sponsors: the festival cares more about pleasing the French tourists than about African filmmakers. For 5,000 Francs CFA (about twenty dollars), anybody can buy a badge stating that he or she is an invited guest, just like filmmakers. The programming is too political, not to say chaotic, favoring some filmmakers, and excluding others.(387) Furthermore, the article implies that Colonialism is still present in a different form, the county is corrupt and its African citizens are unappreciated and mistreated, for instance: “some filmmakers have to sleep in hotel lobbies. And some hotel managers are corrupt: FESPACO paid full price for rooms, but some of its guests were told that the hotel had no rooms available, so that the same accommodations could be rented to tourists. There are never enough seats in the movie theaters for certain films” (387).

 

Adberrahmane Sissako’s article Timbuktu and its Controversial Reception points out that “[i]n addition to the captivating cinematography and original soundtrack, the film offers a valuable African point of view on a timely conflict in much the same way Newton Aduaka did with Ezra (2007).” I completely agree with this statement. In addition to that, this film is the perfect embodiment of Jacques Lacon’s mirror stage. I say this because the film presents various close ups on the characters’ faces which establishes an emotional and intimate connection between them and the viewers. Close ups on Toya’s face, leads the viewer to establish a close relationship with her. She is admired for her positivty, innocence, kind heart, but mostly her love and respect for her parents. She brings the father water and helps her mother to wash her hair. The viewers’ emotional connection with Toya increase with every close up on her face and smiles. Close ups also help the film covey the nature of Toya’s relationship with her father. The scene where Toya is taking to the young shepherd is a good example of this relationship because the camera closes up on her little innocent face as she exults her father’s virtues and praises him for his skill with a musical instrument. This scene is juxtaposed with another were her father’s death sentence is announced and he is about to meet his fate.

 

Toya’s father, Kidane, is another close up star. In the scene were his is questioned and his sentence announced the camera closes up on his face as tears run down his checks and hold that close up shot long enough for us to establish eye contact with him. According to the Lacanian mirror stage, we recognize him a mirror in which we see ourselves and connect with Kidana’s tragedy. The brilliance of close ups lays in the character’s refrain from gazing at the camera, but at the same time the close up lasts long enough for the us to establish eye contact thus connecting with the character and reconnecting with ourselves. The lack of close ups can also demonstrate their power, Kidana enjoys the privilege of close ups while those who Islamic extremists endeavor, who endeavor to sharia law, are deprived from it. Therefore, no emotional connect or sympathize is created in their favor.

 

Q- Manthia Daiwara On Tracking World Cinema: African Cinema at Film Festivals argues that “most of the filmmakers in the last category confront social problems such as sex education, poverty, polygamy, and corruption in post-independence Africa. They draw on elements of popular culture like song and dance, oratory, traditional theater, and popular stars. Their films are about the African public sphere, where entertainment is linked to hidden messages about how to be smart in the city, honesty as a virtue, and the failure of African systems to improve the lives of the citizens” (394-395). Where do you see that in Kala, Karmen Gie, and Timbuktu?

 

Q- Manthia Daiwara On Tracking World Cinema: African Cinema at Film Festivals explains that “ FESPACOs credibility is threatened by two important factors. First,

it is no longer a secret that the films from North Africa receive only secondary

prizes, reserving the big ones such as Etulon de Yenengu, and the Oumarou Granda

Award to French co-produced sub-Saharan African films. Tunisian cinema is

experiencing its golden age, with directors such as Nouri Bouzid and Ferid

Boughedir, but they have been silenced at the last two FESPACO along with

brilliant directors from Morocco and Egypt. Is it possible that Tunisian cinema’s

explorations of a new film language that dares to include homosexuality and

eroticism have dissuaded FESPACO from celebrating it? (389).”

 

Is this a revelation to anybody?

Isn’t the aim of a film is to present a realistic image of the world and the timey issues they struggle with? Why is homosexuality still a determining factor of whether FESPACO celebrates a film or overlook it?

Q- Adberrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu and its Controversial Reception describes a scene where “Islamist recruits announce the implementation of Sharia law using megaphones, going street by street, and speaking in local languages. Women—even fishmongers—must wear veils, socks, and gloves, while men are told to roll up their pants legs in the style of the Taliban (271).” How does this scene help you understand the hidden message of the film?

 

Karmen Gei

Aphorisms, the poetic language of Karmen Gei.

     Viewers cannot watch Karmen Gie and overlook the use of aphorisms. The film’s dialogue is dominated by those short sentences that offer observations and advice about universal human concerns, most prominently about happiness.

Aphorisms are dispensed from the mouth of the film’s central character, Karmen Gei. She is depicted as an irresistible yet promiscuous woman who tends to have short and sweet relationships with men and women throughout the film. She is also a hot tempered outspoken female, who uses both her tongue as well as body to express herself. Assigning the aphorisms to Karmen is significant because they sum up her relationships and, at the same time, reflect traits of her character. Like Karmen, aphorisms are always terse as well as trenchant, demonstrating maximum comprehension in minimum expression.

Karmen employs aphorisms to serve as her life motto, declaring over and over again that “love is a rebellious bird, and no one can tame it. If it does not feel right to him, it’s really no use to call him.” Because aphorisms are vague, general and open to various interpretations, a specification of their truth conditions is especially difficult. Aphorisms have a persuasive force to silence the addressed subjects by inviting them to reflect and translate the speaker’s intention. Aphorisms are characterized by a dubious generalization and have a mysterious physiological impact on the film’s characters. For instance, Karmen recites the same aphorism to the wife of Lamine when she pleads to have her husband back. Lamine’s wife finds the words of Karmen sufficient and does not argue further. The aphorism Katmen utter is vague, puzzling, and can be very much misleading. The viewers wonder if it holds a true or a false promise of releasing Lamine. Such poetical techniques can function as subjective principles that put forth a number of endless, inconclusive possibilities.Thus the same life motto appears again as Karmen approaches her sleeping mother, as if she wanted to justify her long absence and explain her misbehavior and misconducts.

These brief, definitive, personal and philosophical aphorisms are further demonstrated in the scene where Karman approaches her mother and wakes her up. Karmen’s mother is one of the few characters, if not the only character, who can keep up with Karmen and dispense aphorisms of her own. She warns her daughter about the dangerous path she has chosen to take. However, instead of the cliché dialogues of shouting and screaming that give raise to generation clashes, the mother calmly explains that: “the wind pushes the leaf into a hole, but it doesn’t push it out,” to which Karmen replies: “their love is a spark that doesn’t set the forest afire.” What is most ironic about aphorisms is that any interpretation of them will deepen their mystery rather than reveal an ultimate solution, conclusion and a final, mutual understanding. The viewers realize that this mother-daughter confrontation can go on endlessly as each of them comes up with her own philosophical views.

One final aphorism is worth mentioning is when Karmen crashes a wedding of a police officer pointing to him the exploitation of the country and warning him that “The eagle soars through the sky. Ramatou, the little bird, flies under his wing. You are evil. I say you are evil. You’ve swallowed up the country. We’ll eat your guts. . . you’ve swallowed up the country! But it will stick in your throat!” Her ability to speaker her mind is perhaps why people love and celebrate her presence “Karmen Gei invites you . . . to love and freedom. Massigi tells you: The wind that uproots the baobab, doesn’t stop the bird from flying.”

1- Instead of focusing on the faces, close ups tend to focus on body parts. How does that help to advance the film’s plot?

2- To what extent did the costumes play part in delivering the film’s ideas?

3- How does the film employ sound to reveal certain themes of the film?

Xala, Social Consciousness.

 

 

The film introduces the following idea: a person’s social existence within a society determines his social consciousness. Defining a person’s social class can be a determining factor for his awareness of it. The lower and middle classes are usually more socially conscious that the upper class.

Xala explores the social classes of the post-colonial Senegalese republic. The film focuses on the upper class society, presented in El Hedji Abdou Kader Beye, his wives and children. Member of the upper class are self-involved and unaware of the poverty and sufferings, and tragic conditions of those around them.

In his first wife’s house, El Hedji Abdou Kader Beye governs with an iron fist. He stands for the ideologies of a patriarchal society and insists on being obeyed. His first wife, Hadja, is an obedient, patient woman, she stands for the traditions and teachings of the Islamic society that perhaps were practiced prior to the French invasion. Their daughter, Rama, symbolizes modern African, her character also highlights the gap between the old and new generations. Unlike her mother, Rama is able to express her opinions and speak her mind. This is clearly demonstrated when she objects to her father’s third marriage and gets slapped for it.

In her second wife’s house, however, El Hedji, is weak and submissive. He is unable to slap Oumi, who scolds him for deciding to marry a third and, moreover, asks for money. His second wife’s house represents the colonized Senegalese where the citizens are mistreated and the country exploited. It becomes clear that both El hedji and Oumi have cultivated a fetish for the French lifestyle. This fetishism is manifested in their loss of Identity. They both try behave, dress, and speak in French. Oumi’s marriage to El hedji is a marriage of convenience and as soon as El hedji is bankrubbed, Oumi leaves him.

The lower class is presented by the “human rubbish”, as they are continually referred to. Due to their deplorable social condition, the deformed beggers have developed a negative social awareness, and are out to get vengeance. Xala sheds light of the fact that post-colonial Senegalese fails live up to the people’s expectations. There is discrepancy between desire and achievement, a dichotomy between expectation and experience. Moreover, the film expresses a disillusionment with the Senegalese government and suggests that its corrupt and indifferent towards its citizens.

The final confrontation between the beggars and El hedji hopes to bring some social awareness to both him and the viewers.The leader of the beggers explains: “[h]adja, you not know much about life. Don’t you know that prisoners are happier that peasants?” another echoes with: “[t]hat’s the truth.” He continues” than fishermen and workers. Prisoners have food, lodging and medicine and don’t pay taxes.” “What I have bebecome. . .  it’s your fault. You appropriated our inheritance. You falsified our names and our property was seized. I was thrown in prison. I am of the ebye family. Now I will get my revenge.” The film aims to create some awareness and unifying the Africans, in general, and the Senegalese, in particular. Xala also mourn the tragic conditions of the country and implies that is Senegalese means: our boat, then, unless we unite, the boat is sinking.

1- What is the significance is including supernatural elements presented in “witch doctors”?

2- What aesthetic elements do you recognize in Xala?

3- How are costumes employed to advance the plot of the film?