Double bill of African dramas written and directed by Ousmane Sembene. 'Black Girl' (1966) follows Sengalese woman Diouana (Mbissine Diop) as she travels to France in search of a better life. But as she starts work as a maid in the south of the country, the reality of her new life leads to her feeling disillusioned, isolated and without a way out. The short 'Sarret' (1969) follows a day in the life of a poor horse cart driver (Ly Abdoulay) in Dakar. After he is requested to take one of his customers to a wealthy, white neighbourhood, the cart driver finds his livelihood at the mercy of the law.
Product details
Aspect Ratio
:
4:3 - 1.33:1
Rated
:
Suitable for 15 years and over
Language
:
French
Package Dimensions
:
17.2 x 13.6 x 1.4 cm; 100 g
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings, help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
The quality of this release is without question. The transfer/restoration appears fabulous and the extras are satisfying. The film itself remains powerful and certainly delivers a potent rejoinder to those who claim colonialism was benevolent or paternalistic. I do feel that perhaps budget or experience prevented Sembene from elaborating further or experimenting with the post-tragedy narrative. However, it is still an important and engrossing piece of African cinema.
The fact I only heard about this movie less than a month ago, and bought the blu ray should give you an indication on how powerful this 1 hour film is. Criterion did an amazing job restoring the orginal film in its entirety. Black and white never look so good🙏🏾. One Of Sembenes Finests pieces of work
I saw this film 40 years ago.It still burns in my mind.Diouana, a nice girl from a poor country,wants a better life,which she believes will be"En France." She has only the vaguest idea what's in store for her & does not understand the value of what she leaves behind-including her boyfriend-a nice guy.En France, Diouana's employers mean well, however they eventually have to face that Diouana has given up but cannot go home. Images of a clean bathtub after a suicide, the boyfriend's photo in a suitcase, the child & the mask - will never go away.
Black Girl is as the previous reviewer described it. Barom Sarret is a different movie from a year before. It is shorter than La Noire De.... It is cruder, but more succinct, and, I believe, superior to Black Girl. Both movies are excellent, and worthy of purchase, that they appear together on one disc is particularly generous.
The delivery was as announced when I placed the order. The only thing I did not like is the pure quality of the video. I understand that the two movies are old ones, they date back to the 60's. But I would expect some workout to restore the quality of the original versions.