Many critics agree that the primary characteristic of Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane SembΓ¨ne's work is its sociopolitical commitment. βββ
Intro topic Β·
Filmmaker Ousmane Sembène's work and its political focus
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Characteristics of Sembène's films ·
Influenced by socialist realism, designed to educate, adapted to West African culture
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Key characteristic Β·
Films draw on African oral tradition
Possibly the main point, though not yet clear
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Example connections Β·
between Sembène's films and African oral tradition
Sembène uses West African tree motif and trickster characters
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Generalize connections Β·
between Sembène's films and African oral traditions
Sembène and African oral tradition both use archetypes (i.e., stock characters) that represent broader ideas and challenges
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Another connection Β·
Dilemma tales
Stories where the outcome of the plot is open to audience interpretation
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One more connection Β·
Conflict between polar opposites leads to change in characters' perspectives
Sembène uses this to deliver his political messages
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Contrast perspectives Β·
between critics and author
Critics say Sembène's focus on polar opposites is due to Marxist (i.e., socialist) influence; author says it's due to West African influence