#Senegal #Anniversary: Ousmane Sembène’s final film before his death was MOOLAADÉ. Released in 2004, it turns 20 this year.
It’s a milestone anniversary linked to its 2004 Cannes Film Festival premiere, where it won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
MOOLAADÉ’s 20th anniversary comes a year after Sembène’s centennial (2003), which was marked by celebrations of his cinematic journey, bookended by feature films BLACK GIRL (LA NOIRE DE…) and MOOLAADÉ, both offering profound explorations of the lives and struggles of African women.
As MOOLAADÉ turns 20, a film often cited as one of his most accessible, telling the story of women standing against the practice of female genital mutilation, its message remains urgent and vital.
The film centers on a group of girls in a small village who seek “moolaadé” (protection) from Collé (played fervently by Fatoumata Coulibaly), a woman who stands against the traditional practice of female genital mutilation.
Sembène’s approach to this delicate subject was both empathetic and empowering, focusing not on victimhood but on resistance and the power of change from within the community, led by African women.
Throughout his career, Sembène consistently focused on female characters as central figures in their own right. From BLACK GIRL to films like XALA (1975), GUELWAAR (1993), and FAAT KINÉ (2000), he depicted women as complex characters grappling with societal norms, asserting their independence, and challenging patriarchal structures.
As his final film, MOOLAADÉ represents the culmination of Sembene’s exploration of these themes. And two decades later, it remains relevant, resonating with ongoing global conversations about equity and bodily autonomy.
MOOLAADÉ is surprisingly not available for streaming. However, it can be purchased as a deluxe two-disc DVD set with special features, released in 2007 by New Yorker Films.
Throughout the year, in celebration of its 20th anniversary, and as Sembène’s last film, I will revisit MOOLAADÉ within various contexts.
Here’s a trailer.