A Journey Through Sight and Sound’s Top 100 Films and Their African Complements (63 to 67) — Akoroko

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63 – “Casablanca” (Michael Curtiz, 1942) and “Soleil Ô” (Med Hondo, 1970): Both explore the themes of migration, identity, and the effects of colonialism, albeit from vastly different perspectives and contexts.

“Casablanca” is a Hollywood classic set in Morocco during World War II. It presents a romanticized and somewhat exoticized view of Northern Africa through the lens of Western characters. The city of Casablanca serves as a backdrop for a dramatic love story and the complex political dynamics of the time.

“Soleil Ô”, on the other hand, is a Mauritanian film that tells the story of an African immigrant in France who faces racial discrimination and struggles to find work. The film is a critique of colonialism and the treatment of African immigrants in Europe.

In this sense, “Casablanca” and “Soleil Ô” can be seen as two sides of the same coin. While “Casablanca” presents a Western perspective of North Africa during a time of war, “Soleil Ô” presents an African perspective of Europe during a time of post-colonial migration. Both films, in their own ways, explore the effects of colonialism and the complexities of identity on foreign soil.

63 – “Goodfellas” (Martin Scorsese, 1990) and “Samba Traoré” (Idrissa Ouedraogo, 1993): Ouedraogo’s Burkinabé drama revolves around two men who rob a gas station in the middle of the night. One of them is killed, and the other, Samba, escapes with a suitcase full of money. He returns to his village with his newfound wealth and attempts to start a new life. He opens a bar and gets married, but he cannot escape his past and lives in constant fear of being caught by the police, as his neighbors start to question where he came from. The film explores whether one can truly escape a shady past and return to a normal life.

Martin Scorsese’s monumental crime film “GoodFellas,” on the other hand, is based on the non-fiction book “Wiseguy” by Nicholas Pileggi, which tells the real story of Henry Hill, a former mobster who became an FBI informant and revealed the secrets of the Mafia.

Both films indeed portray characters who are drawn into the world of crime and face the consequences of their actions. In “Samba Traoré,” Samba tries to escape his past and start a new life in his village, but his past actions continue to haunt him. In “GoodFellas,” Henry Hill rises in the ranks of the mob, only to later betray his friends and become an informant. Each broadly highlights the allure of a life of crime and the high price paid for these choices.

63 – “The Third Man” (Carol Reed, 1949) and “Al Asfour” (“The Sparrow,” Youssef Chahine, 1976): This was much more of a challenge than I expected it to be. Thus, a compromise was made in the interest of time.

Both films explore themes of morality, corruption, and the complexities of human nature in societies affected by wars; post-War Vienna in “The Third Man,” a story of an American writer, Holly Martins, who finds himself embroiled in a web of deception and crime while investigating the death of his friend Harry Lime; and on the eve of the Six-Day War in “The Sparrow,” which follows a young police officer stationed in a small Egyptian village whose inhabitants are forced to contend with the harassment of a corrupt businessman. The police officer crosses paths with a journalist who is investigating what appears to be a scandal involving the theft of weapons and war machinery by high officials.

Additionally, both films feature memorable performances that bring depth and complexity to their respective characters. In “The Third Man,” Orson Welles delivers as the enigmatic Harry Lime, while “The Sparrow” showcases the talent of Mahmoud el-Meliguy as the local sheik and Salah Kabil as the police officer.

Their historical and cultural contexts sharply contrast. Moreover, there’s the anti-Soviet undercurrent in Reed’s classic versus the nuanced portrayal of Egyptian politics in “The Sparrow,” with its themes of resistance and solidarity.

Ultimately, they engage viewers with their compelling narratives, striking visuals, and strong performances.

66 – “Touki Bouki” (Djibril Diop Mambéty, 1973) and “Gito, l’ingrat” (Léonce Ngabo, 1992): Mambéty’s feature debut’s uniqueness, as demonstrated through its bold and innovative approach to storytelling, and its significant impact on the world of cinema, is well documented.

The contrast between “Gito l’ingrat,” a Burundian film, and “Touki Bouki” in terms of the characters’ journeys provides a compelling exploration of the African/diaspora experience. In “Gito l’ingrat,” the protagonist returns home to Burundi from France, bringing with him a sense of superiority and a disdain for his rural roots. This contrasts sharply with “Touki Bouki,” where the characters are eager to leave their rural life in Senegal behind and dream of a glamorous life in Europe.

This juxtaposition presents a nuanced view of the push-and-pull factors that influence migration, the allure of the “foreign,” and the complex relationship people (especially displaced or disillusioned people) have with their homeland. It also underscores the conflicts that arise when having to navigate between different cultural identities, as well as the struggle to reconcile one’s dreams and aspirations with brutal realities.

These films, in their own unique ways, contribute to the discourse on identity, change, and the rural-urban divide in post-colonial Africa.

67 – “The Gleaners and I” (Agnès Varda, 2000) and “Fad’jal” (Safi Faye, 1979): Faye’s docu-fiction takes viewers on a captivating journey to a village in Senegal, offering an immersive exploration of the community’s culture, history, and challenges.

In a manner reminiscent of Varda’s approach in “The Gleaners and I,” Faye blends reality and fiction to create a defying cinematic experience. Just as Varda engaged with the concept of gleaning and the lives of those who scavenge for survival, “Fad’jal” intimately portrays the daily struggles and triumphs of the villagers as they navigate a world shaped by drought, famine, and migration.

Through the voices of the village elders, who share their wisdom and narrate the village’s story through oral folklore, “Fad’jal” encapsulates the essence of African storytelling and the importance of preserving cultural heritage. The film captures the villagers’ resilience and resistance against colonialism and modernization, reflecting the themes of resilience and resourcefulness that Varda explored in her own documentary.

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