Event Archive

Wednesday, October 5th 2005
Xala with Frances Harding


Frances Harding	Frances Harding

Xala was BIFS' first screening of an African film. Frances Harding from the School of Oriental and African Studies was on hand to lead the post-film discussion. Frances brought her specialist insight into the political and aesthetic dimensions of the film and was able to explain a great deal of the symbolism within the film that was lost on much of the audience.

She talked about the historical context of the film, and the problems of colonialism and African identity that Sembene satirizes in Xala. We also discussed the key theme of fetishization and how Sembene compares the fetishization of Western imports (eg Evian bottles, Mercedes Benz) with that inherent in ritual and superstition (e.g. the impotence charm).

Another aspect of the film that was picked up in the discussion was the pace of the film that Frances explained was traditionally present in the style of many African films - although there are now many more African films adopting a much faster paced approach.

Film Notes

Director: Ousmane Sembene. Senegal 1975. 123 mins.

Duke of York’s. 6.30pm.

In 1973, Ousmane Sembene’s novel Xala (a Wolof word for temporary sexual impotence), depicting a culturally, politically, and economically impotent African ruling elite, was published. Xala the film based on his own novel followed. The film tells the story of a Muslim businessman and the misfortune he suffers when he is unable to consummate his third marriage. His efforts to cure himself lead him further towards humiliation and ruin. A biting ironic satire about post-colonial Senegal and critical of the new ruling elite aping their former rulers, the film upset the government considerably and it was highly censored before its release in Dakar. However, the film aroused the public's interest, playing to full houses in Senegal and to critical acclaim at film festivals around the world.

Our guest speaker is Frances Harding, who lectures on African cinema at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. Her research focuses on the art of performance in theatre, and on film and television in Africa. She will introduce the film and lead the post-film discussion at The Open House.