Just like any teenager the young Egyptian Abdo is in search for his identity. One difference is, however, that his coming of age happens to be in the midst of the Egypt revolution: a time of bloody hostilities. Abdo finds his mission in street fights and soccer stadiums. On the Tahrir square he is a convinced revolutionist, while in the stadium he joins the worldwide ultra-movement. But what happens to the youthful striving for change when there is no point in anything, the revolution has come to an end and soccer is banned? Abdo also is an enthusiastic amateur film maker. His camera makes us witness streetfights as well as his everyday life, showing homeless people, underground travelers or garbage collectors. His video diary gives the viewer insight into Abdo’s life, who grows up in the turmoil of the revolution. The impact of the Arabic spring on his individual story exemplifies how
the radical changes in society affect his generation.
Black girl
In his pioneering film the great Senegalese author and director explores the complex dynamics of the immediate post-colonial period through the simple, devastating story of a young woman. Diouana lives in Dakar and works as nanny for a rich French family. When her employers move back to France, they take Diouana with the. While she looks forward to a new cosmopolitan lifestyle, she soon realizes what it means to be an African. She is like a piece of property in the hands of her employers – the black girl who belongs to…
LA NOIRE DE… is considered the first sub-saharan film by an African filmmaker to receive international attention. It won the Prix Jean Vigo at Cannes as well as many other awards. While it has its own unique style, it draws much inspiration from French New Wave, with brilliant black & white images and an unconventional narrative. The main actress Thérèse M’Bissine Diop later said that she was socially ostracized by people in Senegal and even her own family for having played in the film.