French 341SE - Courses in Francophone Studies: 'Africa Beyond the Mirror: The Cinema Ousmane Sembene'

Born in 1923 in Senegal, the writer/filmmaker Ousmane Sembène is one of the rare witnesses of the three key periods of contemporary African history: the colonial period; the period of struggle for political and economic independence; and the period of effort to eliminate neocolonialism through the rehabilitation of African cultures. This course is entirely devoted to the works of Ousmane Sembène and will explore the key moments of his life, his activism in European leftist organizations, his discovery of writing, and most of all the dominant features of his film work.

Prereq: 12 credits in French including two courses at the advanced level, or permission of department chair and instructor.