SCREENING IN THE BERNARD OSHER FOUNDATION AUDITORIUM
“This is not just a treatise on post-colonialism and class. Sembène boldly uses his female characters to comment on Senegal’s chauvinist patriarchy.”
123 minutes. Not Rated. Directed by Ousmane Sembène. In French and Wolof with English subtitles. DCP.
An adaptation of Ousmane Sembène’s own 1973 novel, Xala offers a hilarious, caustic satire of political corruption under an inept patriarchy. On the night of his wedding to a third bride, government official El Hadji Abdoukader Beye (Thierno Leye) is rendered impotent. After suspecting that one of his other wives has placed a curse (xala) on him, and after enlisting a local marabout for a cure, El Hadji must face the possibility that he deserves the infliction for his part in the embezzlement of public funds and for helping to keep Senegal in French hands. When even uglier reasons are revealed behind his loss of manhood, El Hadji endures a final ignominy from a group of disenfranchised citizens that he has conveniently overlooked. Adeptly combining elements from African folklore and popular cinema, Sembène uses Xala to indict the immoral hubris of entitled male authority figures and Senegalese sellouts.
ADDITIONAL SCREENINGS in this series:
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles: Saturday, June 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles: Sunday, June 15 at 12 p.m.
The Passenger: Saturday, June 28 at 3 p.m.
The Passenger: Sunday, June 29 at 12 p.m.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Saturday, July 12 at 3 p.m.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail: Sunday, July 13 at 12 p.m.
Grey Gardens: Saturday, August 9 at 3 p.m.
Grey Gardens: Sunday, August 10 at 12 p.m.
Dog Day Afternoon: Friday, August 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Jaws: Coming to Congress Square Park for a free September screening!
Barry Lyndon: Saturday, September 20 at 2:30 p.m.