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Lesotho | Liberia | Madagascar | Malawi | Mali | Mozambique | Namibia | Niger | Nigeria | Rwanda | Senegal | Sierra Leone | Somalia | South Africa | Sudan | Swaziland | Tanzania | Togo | Uganda | Zaire | Zambia | Zimbabwe | Audiotapes
Ancient & Classical Civilizations
Middle East and North Africa videography
African cinema videography
- African film & video resources outside of UCB (via U. Pennsylvania)
Films and Documents About Women in Africa (via UCB African American Studies Dept.)
- Africa.
- 8 part series by Basil Davidson. The story is unfolded on location all over Africa, showing life as it is today, plus archive film and dramatized reconstructions. Two programs per cassette, each an hour long. 1984.
Different But Equal (Part 1). Describes how some of the world's greatest early civilizations had their origins in the heart of black Africa and discusses some of their artistic, technical and scientific achievements. Video/C MM452
Mastering a Continent (Part 2). Looks at two important developments in early African society, the growth of cattle keeping and agriculture. Focuses on the activities of three communities, the Pokot in Northern Kenya, Sukor in Nigeria and the Dogon of Mali. Video/C MM452
Caravans of Gold (Part 3).Traces the trade routes which stretched from Africa to Asia and southern Europe long before the arrival of the white man in Africa. The coming of the Portuguese in 1498 marked the beginning of the collapse of these trading networks and the demise of the great civilizations which they supported. Video/C MM453
The King and the City (Part 4).Explores the structure of medieval African kingdoms and visits Kano in Nigeria, where a king still holds court in his 15th century palace, and ancient rituals continue to command the respect of the people. Video/C MM453
The Bible and the Gun (Part 5). Looks at the impact on African society of three different groups; slave traders, missionaries and colonialists. Video/C MM454
This Magnificent African Cake (Part 6).Traces the major developments of African history between the 1800's and 1945. Looks at the different ways colonial rule was established and the emergence of nationalist movements, focusing on Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mozambique. Video/C MM454
The Rise of Nationalism (Part 7). Follows the course of the major independence struggles beginning with the situation in the Gold Coast and concluding with the fight for majority rule in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Video/C MM455
The Legacy (Part 8).Explores the problems and successes of the African states in the aftermath of colonial rule. Includes interviews with several African statesmen. Video/C MM455
- Africa
- A series presenting Africa through the eyes of its people, conveying the beauty and diversity of the continent and the compelling personal stories of those who shape its future. Originally broadcast Sept. 9-Oct. 28, 2001 on the PBS program: Nature.
Episode 1. Savannah Homecoming. Witness the spendor of East Africa's golden plains set against the backdrop of age-old animal migrations in this story of two women and their journeys between bustling cities and rural landscapes. DVD 4329
Episode 1. Desert Odyssey. A nine-year old boy embarks on his first camel caravan through the Sahara Desert following a time-honored Tuareg tradition as they make a 1,500 mile, six-month trek that provides an opportunity for commerce and serves as a voyage of discovery. DVD 4329
Episode 3. Voices of the Forest. The dense rain forest of Central Africa's Congo River Basin is home to the Baka people and a complex variety of plants and animals. But the logging of its old-growth timber by outside interests could endanger the rain forest, threaten Baka villages, and have an adverse impact on local businesses. DVD 4330
Episode 4. Mountains of Faith. Discover Ethiopia's rugged beauty and ancient traditions as a young entrepreneur goes on his annual pilgrimage from the cosmopolitan capital to his family's rural village. Then join another young man as he embarks on a spiritual journey deep into the Horn of Africa. DVD 4330
Episode 5. Love in the Sahel. Near the edge of the wind-swept Sahara, two young men participate in age-old rituals. Despite their different backgrounds, both youths have the same goal: To make a successful passage into manhood and become full-fledged members of their respective communities. DVD 4331
Episode 6. Restless Waters. In the midst of Africa's fertile heartland, on Lake Victoria, a man risks his family's savings for a chance at a better life, while 500 miles away, in the Kilombero Valley, another family's fortune is at the mercy of the elements. DVD 4331
Episode 7. Southern Treasures. Since apartheid's dramatic downfall in 1994, South Africans from all walks of life have embarked on a remarkable journey in search of a new future. Witness their efforts through the eyes of young women seeking new careers, miners struggling in a changing industry and indigenous peoples reclaiming a storied past. DVD 4332
Episode 8. Making of Africa. Join the National Geographic project's director, producers, cameramen and researchers as they travel to sixteen countries in a three-year effort to meet the challenge of documenting the fascinating people and wildlife of Africa. DVD 4332
- Africa and the United States.
- Africa, a continent of 55 nations is literally defined by dichotomy, a land of famine, human rights abuses and failed nation states but also of untapped wealth and the setting of one of history's greatest nonviolent revolutions, the transition to Black majority rule in South Africa. These dichotomies are reflected in American foreign policy which seems caught between constructive engagement and benign neglect. Carol Lancaster, Dept. Asst. Sec. of State for African Affairs and Susan Rice, Asst. Sec. of State for African Affairs discuss American foreign policy in relation to Africa. Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, 1998. 26 min. Video/C 5822
- Africa Come Back: The Popular Music of West Africa (Repercussions: A Celebration of African Influenced Music; 7)
- From Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, this film traces the ties that bind the music of coastal Africa to the music of Europe and the Caribbean. Spirited performances move through a variety of Afro-European fusions to the tough and exhilirating sounds of urban Jamaican popular music, including reggae and deejay. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1984. 60 min. Video/C 7356
- Africa Dreaming.
- Contents: Sophia's homecoming / directed by Richard Pakleppa ; produced by Bridget Pickering (28 min.) -- Sabriya / written and directed by Abderrahmane Sissako; produced by Dora Bouchoucha Fourati (28 min.) -- So Be It / written, directed and produced by Joseph Gai Ramaka (28 min) -- The Gaze of the Stars / directed by Joao Ribeiro; produced by Pedro Pimenta
Four television shorts produced in four different African countries to be shown on the African television series Africa Dreaming. In Sophia's Homecoming (Namibia) a woman who has worked as a domestic returns home to a terrible discovery: the ruptures caused by apartheid can never be repaired. In Sabriya (Tunisia) a modern woman disrupts the patterned mosaic of male Maghrebi society. So Be It (Senegal), based on a play by Wole Soyinka, follows the destruction of a well intentioned foreign doctor confronting fear, rage and powerlessness in a remote Senegalese village. The Gaze of the Stars (Mozambique) is a story about machismo in Mozambique, so powerful that it drives away whatever it loves. 1997. 112 min. Video/C 5400
- Africa Speaks!
- Narrator, Lowell Thomas. Documentary account of Paul Hoefler's photography expedition through central Africa in 1928-1929. Containing many varied and interesting shots of African tribes and wildlife, the film footage from it was later interpolated into many jungle-themed adventure movies. Originally released as a motion picture in 1930. 60 min. DVD 7411 [preservation copy]; Video/C MM536
- The Africans.
- Explores history, culture, and politics of Africa. Includes discussions of the influences of Islam and the West. 9 parts. 1986. 58 min each. Video/C 945
This series available for online viewing (Requires initial registration at site)[Requires Windows Media player]
The Nature of a Continent (Part 1) Examines Africa as the birthplace of mankind and discusses the impact of geography on African history, including the role of the Nile in the origin of civilization and the introduction of Islam to Africa through its Arabic borders.
A Legacy of Lifestyles (Part 2) Explores what constitutes family in African culture. It examines matrilineal, patrilineal, and polygamous traditions as well as the impact of modern cities on family ties.
New Gods (Part 3) Examines the factors that influence religion in Africa, paying particular attention to how traditional religions, Islam, and Christianity co-exist and influence each other.
Tools of Exploitation (Part 4) The impact of the West on Africa and the impact of Africa on the development of the West are contrasted with an emphasis on the manner in which Africa's human and natural resources have been exploited before, during, and after the colonial period.
New Conflicts (Part 5) Explores the tensions inherent in the juxtaposition of these three African hages, looking at the ways in which these conflicts have contributed to the rise of the nationalist movement, the warrior tradition of indigenous Africa, the jihad tradition of Islam, and modern guerilla warfare.
In Search of Stability (Part 6) Gives an overview of the several means of governing in Africa. Examines new social orders to illustrate an Africa in search of a viable form of government in the postindependence period. Compares African military regimes, one-party states, Marxism in Mozambique and the styles of the presidents of Tanzania and Zaire.
A Garden of Eden In Decay (Part 7) Identifies the problems of a continent that produces what it does not consume and consumes what it does not produce. Shows Africa's struggle between economic dependence and decay. Examines economic and agricultural failures and successes in Algeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe.
A Clash of Cultures (Part 8) Discusses the conflicts and which emerge from the coexistence of many African traditions and modern life. Explores the question of whether Africa can synthesize its own heritage with the legacies of Islam and the West. compromises
Global Africa (Part 9) Discusses African contributions to contemporary culture, including the significance of the African diaspora, particularly in North America. Also examines the continuing influence of the superpowers on the affairs of Africa.
- Africans in America
- A four part series portraying the struggles of the African people in America, from their arrival in the 1600s to the last days before the Civil War. 1998. 90 min. each installment1998. 90 min. each installment. See MRC African American videography for series contents
- Afro@digital
- Looks as the information technology revolution which has become a daily reality in many African countries where the Internet, mobile telephones and digital video cameras are being used with extraordinary creativity. Visits a marabout who explains he no longer replies by letter to questions but uses his mobile phone and email to transmit his advice. Another illustration of the digital revolution in Africa is the rise of internet cafes and cyber teahouses. In some towns in Senegal and the Congo, increasing numbers are connecting to internet using a laptop computer with a mobile phone. 2003. 53 min. DVD 3942; also VHS Video/C MM869
- AIDS in Africa
- Describes the harsh reality of the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe, the hardest hit by the disease in Africa. Three successive reports address the hardships of a society composed of mostly the very old and the very young, and the grim future facing a nation deprived of its core adult population. Archbishop Desmond Tutu joins in the discussion of this monumental tragedy. Episodes from the television program, Nightline, originally airing Mar. 8-10, 2000. Reporter, Ted Koppel; correspondent, Dave Marash. Dist.: Films Media Group. 58 min. DVD 4904
- Baboona (Mr. and Mrs. Martin Johnson's Baboona: An Aerial Epic Over Africa
-
Early 20th century naturalists and explorers, Martin and Osa Johnson journey across Africa in 1935 in two amphibious airplanes, encountering and filming African natives and many forms of wildlife including lions, rhino, elephants, and especially a large population of baboons. A prime example of the type of popular, wildly exploitative travel film made in the US between 1920 and 1950. 73 min. Video/C MM304
- Bahia, Africa in the Americas.
- Elements of African culture are powerfully expressed in the food, art, dance, and most importantly, the Candomble (Umbanda) religion of the Afro-Brazilian majority of the state of Bahia. 1988. 58 min. Video/C 4360
- Black Athena.
- Reviews evidence that the culture of ancient Greece had its origins in Africa and the East and that the West should recognize what it owes to Black and Eastern cultures. 1990. 60 min. Video/C 2162
- Champagne Safari
- This archival rarity presents the extravagant safari through Africa taken by actress Rita Hayworth and her husband Aly Kahn, in the early 1950's. Traveling by private plane, jeep, limousine and rickshaw, the celebrated couple stops in Tanganyika, Uganda, Kenya and the Belgian Congo among other locales. The film, a fascinating record of neo-colonialism and gaudy excess, offers a rare glimpse into two worlds: old time Hollywood and colonial Africa. 1952. 60 min. Video/C 9472
- Closing the Gap: The Round Table Process in Action.
- Demonstrates the Round Table Process of the UN Development Program (UNDP) which assists developing countries in planning and managing their technical cooperation. As examples shows assistance projects primarily in Africa. Written and directed by Bernard Edmonds. 1990. 27 min. Video/C MM593
- Chinua Achebe (A World of Ideas with Bill Moyers).
- Moyers interviews Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe who discusses the West's often inaccurate portrayal of Africa and how it is the African storyteller's obligation to be the collective memory of the African people. 1989. 28 min. Video/C 1575
- Chinua Achebe: African Literature as Celebration.
- Uncompromising yet nonpartisan in his views on politics and writing, Chinua Achebe -- author, editor, and literary critic -- ceaselessly explores the collision of European and indigenous African cultures. In this lecture the well-known ambassador of African literature, delivers a thought-provoking introduction to the world-class writing that has come from Nigeria and other African countries during the latter half of the 20th century. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1990. 52 min. Video/C 6900
- Chinua Achebe: The Importance of Stories
- An interview with the first great African novelist writing in English, the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. He discusses his personal views as an African and how his identity has shaped his writing. 1996. 57 min. Video/C 4625
- Chinweizu.
- Chinweizu reads poems and prose from the African oral and written tradition and he discusses the African humanities and literature. 1989. 49 min. Video/C 1687
- Colonial Africa: Films from British Central Africa, 1940s-1960s.
- Short feature films, comedies and documentary films produced in British Central Africa from the 1940s to 1960. Contents: l. Lux toilet soap commercial (Container title: Mary's lucky day) (b&w, si. with music, 11 min) -- 2. The box / Central African Film Unit (1948, col., si., 22 min.) -- 3. New acres / Central African Film Unit ; director, Henry Berriff ; producer, Dick Rayner (b&w, sd., 14 min.) -- 4. We were primitive / Southern Rhodesia Information Service (1947, b&w, sd, 19 min.) -- 5. Five messengers / Central African Film Unit (1948, col., si., 31 min.) -- 6. Freedom from fear / Central African Film Unit (1960, b&w, sd., 15 min.) -- 7. Rhodesia and Nyasaland news / Central African Film Unit (b&w, sd., 10 min.). 122 min. Video/C 8162
- Congorilla (Mr. and Mrs. Martin Johnson's Congorilla: Adventures Among the Big apes and Little People of Central Africa
- Follows the fourth trip of naturalists and explorers Martin and Osa Johnson to Africa as they travel in two amphibious airplanes, encountering and filming gorillas, giraffes, lions, rhino, elephants, crocodiles, hippo and other birds and animals of the Serengetti Plains, Kenya and the Congo and pygmies and other native inhabitants. A prime example of the type of popular, wildly exploitative travel film made in the US between 1920 and 1950. 1932. 67 min. Video/C MM306
- Diaspora Conversations: From Goree to Dogon
- Actor Danny Glover and director Manthia Diawara travel through West Africa from Goree to Dogon, creating conversations that link different sides and accounts of the African diaspora. Traversing through various locales of West Africa, the film explores the historical questions that both confront and facilitate community. A film by Manthia Diawara. Dist.: Third World Newsreel. 2000 47 min. Video/C 9821
- The Digital Dump: Exporting Re-use and Abuse to Africa
- Exposes the ugly underbelly of what is thought to be an escalating global trade in toxic, obsolete, discarded computers and other e-scrap collected in North America and Europe and sent to developing countries by waste brokers and so-called recyclers. In Lagos, while there is a legitimate robust market and ability to repair and refurbish old electronic equipment including computers, monitors, TVs and cell phones, the local experts complain that of the estimated 500 40-foot containers shipped to Lagos each month, as much as 75% of the imports are "junk" and are not economically repairable or marketable. Consequently, this e-waste, which is legally a hazardous waste is being discarded and routinely burned in what the environmentalists call yet "another" cyber-age nightmare now landing on the shores of developing countries. 2004. 23 min. DVD 8252
- Discovering the Music of Africa
- Describes music and rhythms of Africa, especially Ghana, and how they are used both as music and means of communication. Demonstrates the complex rhythmical music of the bells, rattles and the drums; shows several traditional dances. 198? 22 min. Video/C 6549
- Economic Recovery in Africa
- Originally produced in 1998. Dist.: Films Media Group.
West Africa, the Fabric of Reform. The Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Mali are West African countries that are undergoing economic reform. With the help of the International Monetary Fund, they are overcoming such obstacles as corruption, overregulated markets, and government overspending that have stunted the economic growth of this region for decades. This program presents the IMF and the application of economic theory in Africa, with all of its unique problems. 32 min. Video/C 7348
East Africa, Pathway to Growth. Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda are overcoming the legacy of central planning and charting a course from poverty to prosperity. Taking control of their own destiny, these countries have embarked on a voyage of economic recovery which depends on peace, political stability and commitment to reform, and the support of the international community, in which the International Monetary Fund is crucial. 47 min. Video/C 7347
- Envisioning African Futures: DystopianPredictions and Humanitarian Projects. (Emeritus Lecture Series in Anthropology; 1997)
- Contents: Introduction / S. Brandes (8 min.) -- Introduction /John U. Obgu (21 min.) -- Introduction (3 min.) -- Envisioning African futures / L. Malkki (56 min.). Hosts/commentators: Stanley Brandes, John U. Ogbu.
Anthropologist Liisa Malkki presents "an array of visions of the future in Africa; scenarios and anticipations of the future that are also laden with visions of what the problems are and how they might or might not be solved." Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, Seventh annual emeriti lecture honoring professor emerita Elizabeth Colson, October 20, 1997. 88 min. Video/C 5386
- Everyone's Child.
- Through the tragic story of one Zimbabwean family devastated by AIDS, the film makes an eloquent call for action on behalf of Africa's millions of orphaned children. The film was produced in direct response to the prediction that by the year 2000 there will be over 10 million AIDS orphans on the African continent. At the same time, the film focuses attention on millions of other children left homeless by civil wars or abandoned because their parents could not support them. 1996.
83 min. Video/C 5253
- Face of the Gods.
- Robert Farris Thompson, curator. Tour of an exhibition which explores the altar as a focus of ritual and art. Organized by The Museum for African Art, New York, the exhibition examines artistic traditions transmitted from Africa to the Western Hemisphere during the last two centuries through altars and over 120 works of sculpture, pottery, and textiles. Altar configurations are traced from sources in West and Central Africa, principally the Yoruba and Kongo, that gave rise to distinctive aesthetic traditions in New World countries such as Brazil, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and the United States. 1994. 55 min. Video/C 3332
- Family Across the Sea.
- Film examines how scholars have uncovered the remarkable connections between the Gullah people of South Carolina and the people of Sierra Leone and how the Gullahs incorporated many aspects of African culture including the language into the daily life of the plantations. Film concludes with a delegation of Gullah people traveling from the United States to Sierra Leone to trace the roots of their heritage. 1991. 56 min. Video/C 3782
- Fire Eyes
- Explores the socio-economic, psychological and medical consequences of the ancient custom of female circumcision which is routed in deep cultural mores and performed on more than 80 million women worldwide. In this film, several women who have experienced this "rite of passage" voice varying points of view on perpetuating the practice. Testimony from doctors detail the various forms of female circumcision and the horrendous ob/gyn problems that result. 1994. 60 min. Video/C MM113
- The Flying Doctors of East Africa (Die Fliegenden Arzte von Ostafrika)
- Shows an independent group of physicians in remote areas of East Africa, and the difficulties they encounter in treating the African patients, who prefer local traditional remedies. A film by Werner Herzog. 44 min. DVD 6501; Video/C 8714
- The Forgotten Roots (La Raiz olvidada)
- Details the history of Mexico's often-overlooked African populations. Drawing on interviews and archival imagery, the film takes us from the slavery of the colonial era to today's Afro-Mexican communities in Guerrero, Oaxaco, Campeche, Morelos and Veracruz. It argues that Mexico's famous mestizaje includes the important contibutions of African groups, as well as Spaniards and Indians. 1998. 49 min. Video/C MM399
- Freedom Now, 1947 (The People's Century )
- In 1947, 160 years of British rule came to an end as India became the world's largest democracy, inspiring the fight for freedom on another continent. This film talks with the people who witnessed and participated in the struggle for independence in India and Africa. While Mohandas Gandhi showed the world how the masses could successfully defy their imperial masters, his example spurred others on: European empires in Africa and Asia began to crumble, and in short order, Ghana, Kenya, Algeria, Mozambique, and dozens more would win their freedom. 1998. 56 min.Video/C 5553
- Garifuna Journey
- Presents the rich culture and fascinating trajectory of the Garifuna of Belize--descendents of Carib Indians and Africans who successfully resisted slavery. This celebratory documentary presents their history from both the outsider and insider vantage points, the result of a collaboration between the Chicago filmmakers and the Garifuna community. Testimonials by members of the Garifuna are intercut with scenes of cooking, dancing, eating, expressions of their spirituality and other rituals. A documentary by Andrea E. Leland and Kathy L. Berger. Dist.: New Day Films. 1998. 46 min. Video/C 5622
- Germanin: Die Geschichte einer kolonialen Tat
- A production recounting in patriotic terms Germany's work in Africa to find a cure for sleeping sickness. Originally produced in 1943. In German without titles. 96 min. Video/C 7328
- Le Grand Blanc de Lambarene (The Great White Man of Lambarene).
- A docudrama revisionist perspective on Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and secular saint of the colonial era. Shot on the site of Schweitzer's hospital in Gabon, the film reveals a man blinded to the people around him by his own spiritual self-absorption and arrogance. 1995. 89 min. Video/C 4558
- Guinea Worm: The End of the Road.
- Examines the efforts of Dr. Donald Hopkins and others who are leading the fight to eradicate the Guinea worm, a water-borne parasite which lodges in the lower extremities of the human body, matures, and then burrows out through the skin. Once prevalent throughout Asia, Africa, and the Americas, 100 million people in India, Pakistan, and western Africa are still at high risk of suffering this disease. c1992. 115 min. Video/C 6855
- Hopes on the Horizon.
- Chronicles the rise of pro-democracy movements in six African countries during the 1990s: Benin: a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy -- Nigeria: a human rights movement challenges the military -- Rwanda: Historians build a platform for dialogue -- Morocco: Women's rights activists reform the traditional religious family code -- Mozambique: Agricultural cooperatives advocate economic reform and land rights -- South Africa: A township unites to promote quality education. 2001. 115 min. Video/C 7855
- In and Out of Africa.
- During the colonial period in the 1920's, European interest in collecting African art stimulated a transnational trade between Africa and the West. Today this multi-million dollar trade lies largely in the hands of Muslim merchants. This is the story about one merchant. 1992. 59 min. Video/C 2753
- The Life and Times of Sara Baartman: "The Hottentot Venus".
- A documentary film on the life of a Khoi Khoi woman who was taken from South Africa in 1810 and exhibited as a freak across Britain. The image and ideas for "The Hottentot Venus" (particularly the interest in her sexual anatomy) swept through British popular culture. A court battle waged by abolitionists to free her from her exhibitors failed. In 1814, a year before her death, she was taken to France and became the object of scientific research that formed the bedrock of European ideas about black female sexuality. In English and French with English subtitles. c1998. 52 min. Video/C 6374
The Return of Sara Baartman
- Life Story of an African Inyanga.
- This docu-drama portrays the selection and life-long education of an Inyanga, an African healer who dispenses traditional herbal remedies. The film examines the preparation and the use of traditional medicines, the diagnosis and treatment of patients, and the metaphysics and cosmology of African beliefs regarding the powers of the Inyanga. 1986. 27 min. Video/C 5223
- Le Malentendu Colonial (A Colonial Misunderstanding)
- The filmmaker looks at European colonialism in Africa through the lens of Christian evangelism as the model for the relationship between Africa and western countries today. The history of German missionaries in Namibia in the 19th and 20th centuries is discussed by African and German historians and theologians, revealing how colonialism destroyed African beliefs and social systems and replaced them with European ones. A film by Jean-Marie Teno. 2004. 73 min.
- Mama Benz, an African Market Woman (God Gave Her a Mercedes Benz)
- The colorful markets of Africa are often dominated by strong older women, who control prices and determine who can buy their goods. These women are affectionately referred to as Mama Benz because each one has a chauffeured driven Mercedes Benz. This film focuses on one woman who presides over the cloth market in Lome, Togo. 1993? 48 min. Video/C 9146
- Maragoli.
- Based on field research done by Joseph Ssennyonga (1974-76) as part of a cross cultural study of population growth and rural poverty, organized by T. Scarlett Epstein, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, England. 1976. 60 min. Video/C 1690
- Marriage of Marimu = Arusi ya Mariamu.
- Dramatization reflecting traditional African cultural patterns, focusing on healing with herbal remedies. 1985. 36 min. Video/C 3580
- Naked Spaces: Living is Round.
- A film by Trinh T. Minh-ha. Exquisitely photographed, rich in detail and texture this film explores the daily rhythms and ritual life in the rural environment of six West African countries. This sensuous and philosophical journey explicitly challenges documentary and ethnographic film language, throwing into question prevailing formulas for visual ethnographic studies. 1985. 135 min. Video/C 6235
- No Easy Walk.
- Ethiopia. Traces the history of Ethiopian independence and national sovereignty beginning with the defeat of Italian colonial domination in 1896. Also examines Ethiopia's role in advancing anti-colonialism and the struggles for independence throughout Africa. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1867 Kenya. Traces the history of Kenya's opposition to white rule beginning with the arrival of the first European settlers in the 19th century. Focuses on the Mau-Mau rebellion of the early 1950's and the key roles played by the Kikuyu people and their leader Jomo Kenyatta. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1868 Zimbabwe Traces the struggle of the Zimbabwean people for independence from European colonists from the defeat of the first armed rebellion in 1896 through the guerrilla war in the 1970's Includes interviews with Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Ian Smith, and other Zimbabweans, black and white. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1869
- Ota Benga: A Pygmy in America
- This documentary relates one of the saddest episodes in the history of American racism when a pygmy, Ota Benga, was taken from the Congo in 1904 and subsequently exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair and the Bronx Zoo. Features archival film and animation, and one sequence filmed in color in 1999. c2002. 17 min. Video/C 9316
- Out of Africa. (Portrait of the Caribbean)
- A sense of Africa pervades the Caribbean, but in Haiti it feels like Africa itself. The history and culture of Haiti and Jamaica are compared. 1992. 45 min. Video/C 3193
- Repercussions: A Celebration of African Influenced Music.
- For other installments of this series, see African American music . Dist.: Films Media Group.
Born Musicians: Traditional Music from the Gambia. Traveling from remote villages to Gambia's capital, Banjul, this program focuses on the music of the Mandinkas and their jalis, the society's hereditary professional musicians. Displaying the delicate beauty of such instruments as the 21 string harp-lute and the xylophone and the expressive singing of the instrumentalist's wives, Gambian music is presented as an essential part of ceremonial occasions. 1984. 60 min. Video/C 7350
The Drums of Dagbon. Dagbon, a 500-year old kingdom in Northern Ghana, has an elaborate royal hierarchy in which each member has his own orchestra of "talking drums." This program, filmed on location, explores the ritual use of drum music at every milestone of life in the villages. The roles of the master drummers, born into their calling and rigorously trained from childhood as guardians of their culture, are also examined. 1984. 58 min. Video/C 7351
On the Battlefield: Gospel Quartets Spirituals have been described both as the literature of American slavery and as the jewels that slaves brought out of bondage. Today, the harmony, percussive precision, and evangelical fervor of gospel music have made it a hit around the world. This program examines the influence of African music on the gospel sound and spotlights venerable gospel groups concluding with a Sunday gospel quartet celebration. 1984. 60 min. Video/C 7352
- The Return of of Sara Baartman.
- Chronicles the return of the remains of Sara Baartman, a Black woman who had been exhibited as a freak in early nineteenth-century Europe. Her remains were returned to South Africa from France, where they had been kept at the Museum of Man (Musee L'Homme). On April 29, 2002, Sara's remains were officially handed back to the South African people at an emotionally charged ceremony at the country's Embassy in Paris and, on August 9 (National Women's Day), she was ceremonially buried on the banks of the Gamtoos River. 2002. 52 min. Video/C MM400The Life and Times of Sara Baartman
- Rhodes (1996)
- A biography of Cecil Rhodes who arrived in Africa at the age of eighteen to join the diamond rush but soon conceived another ambition: to bring the entire land under British rule. By the time he was thirty, Rhodes was one of the wealthiest men in the world and ten years later, a new country had been created and named for him, Rhodesia. A candid vision of the birth of apartheid, and the bitter wars that divided a country and devastated its people. Originally produced for PBS television in 1996. 336 min. Video/C 5519
- Rise Up and Walk: The Life and Witness of the African Indigenous Churches
- Explores the origins, beliefs and practices of a variety of independent African Christian churches, showing how they interpret and live the Christian faith in the context of their own pre-Christian religious and cultural traditions. 1981. 55 min. Video/C MM569
- The Role of Congress in Foreign Policy.
- Representative Howard Wolpe of Michigan discusses the problems of political education in the U.S. and the role of Congress in foreign policy in light of his experience with the House Subcommittee on Africa. 1983. 59 min. Video/C 643
- Sankofa.
- Sankofa is an Akan word that means, "We mustgo back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we cameto be who we are today." Written, directed andproduced by Ethiopian-born filmmaker HaileGerima, SANKOFA is a powerful film aboutMaafa-the African holocaust. Done from anAfrican/African-American perspective, this storyis a vastly different one from the generallydistorted representations of African people thatHollywood gives us. This revolutionary featurefilm connects enslaved black people with theirAfrican past and culture. It empowers Blackpeople on the screen by showing how Africanpeoples' desire for freedom made them resist,fight back, and conspire against their enslavers,overseers and collective past through the visionon Mona, who visits her ancestral experience on a new world planation as Shola.We share the life she endures as a slave and experiences her growingconsciousness and transformation [description from web site]. 1993. 125 min. Video/C 999:1596
- Cham, Mbye Baboucar.
"Art and Ideology in the Work of Sembene Ousmane and Haile Gerima."
Presence Africaine: Revue Culturelle du Monde Noir/Cultural Review of the Negro World, vol. 129 no. 1. 1984. pp: 79-91.
Gilliam, Dorothy. "Rallying Around 'Sankofa.' "(Haile Gerima's film about slavery) (Column) Washington Post v116 (Sat, Nov 6, 1993)
James, Caryn. "Sankofa." (movie reviews)
New York Times v143 (Fri, April 8, 1994):B11(N), C8(L), col 1, 11 col in.
Kruger, Barbara. "Sankofa Film-Video Collective and Black Audio Film Collective." (The Collective for Living Cinema, New York) Artforum v27, n1 (Sept, 1988):143 (2 pages).
Murphy, Anthony C. "Sankofa: Distributive Justice." (Haile Gerima's film gets new opportunities for international distribution from Mypheduh Films, Washington, D.C.)American Visions v9, n5 (Oct-Nov, 1994):10.
Sterritt, David. "Sankofa." (movie reviews)
Christian Science Monitor v86, n211 (Fri, Sept 23, 1994)
Stratton, David. "Sankofa." (movie reviews)
Variety v350, n7 (March 15, 1993):64.
Tassy, Elaine.
"'Sankofa' Takes a Different Route to Theaters."(independent producers Haile Gerima and Shirikiana Aina used creative financing to distribute'Sankofa' motion picture) Los Angeles Times v113 (Tue, Jan 25, 1994):D4
Thompson, Ben."Sankofa." (movie reviews)Sight and Sound v4, n7 (July, 1994):53 (2 pages).
Woolford, Pamela. "Filming Slavery: A Conversation with Haile Gerima."Transition: An International Review, vol. 64. 1994. pp: 90-104.
- Scattered Africa: Faces and Voices of the African Diaspora.
- A documentary examining the African Diaspora, from the violent scattering of African people away from their continent of origin to their contemporary participation in a global community. The film focuses on the enormous -- though largely unknown and unacknowledged -- contributions of Africans and their descendants to the wealth and power of the Americans, and portrays elements of African culture that characterize everyday life throughout the Americas today. Dr. Sheila Walker and other scholars and community leaders from such diverse countries as Argentina, Uruguay, Surinam and Brazil discuss their own discovers of their heritage and the scattered transnational community that is the contemporary African Diaspora. 2002. 50 min. Video/C 9315
- Second Nature
- More people means more trees -- this is the unexpected finding of an Oxford University research project in this West African country. The researchers found that the most thickly forested parts of the savannah regions are inevitably to be found surrounding human settlements. When villages are deserted the trees disappear and the savannah shrubland takes over. The evidence from photos taken in tthe 1950s backs their findings. Originally presented as a segment on the television program Earth Report. 1998. 26 min. DVD 5944
- Sharing is Unity = Ushirika Ni Umoja.
- Documentary which emphasizes the sense of community that still remains in contemporary African village life. First work is a dramatization reflecting traditional African cultural patterns, focusing on healing with herbal remedies. The second work is a documentary which emphasizes the sense of community that still remains in contemporary African village life. 1985. 22 min. Video/C 3580
- Simba.
- Records Martin and Osa Johnson's expedition to East Africa, the chief purpose of which was to capture on film rapidly disappearing African wildlife as well as East African peoples (Samburu, Dorobo, etc.) and their customs. Includes extensive footage of elephants, giraffes and lions. Also shown is the lion-spearing ceremony perfomed by the Lumbwa (part of this sequence was filmed by Carl Akeley and Alfred J. Klein). The film opens with an introduction by Martin and Osa Johnson. Originally released in 1928. Filmed in East Africa during the second Martin Johnson African Expedition, 1923-1928. Introduction recorded in New York, ca. 1932. Video/C 7326.
- A Son of Africa.
- A docudrama based on the book, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Oloudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vaasa the African, which was the first influential slave autobiography. When it was published in 1789, it fueled a growing anti-slavery movement in the U.S. and England. This production employs dramatic reconstruction, archival material and interviews with scholars. Equiano's narrative begins in the West African village where he was kidnapped into slavery in 1756. He was shipped to a Virginia plantation and then later sold again to a British naval officer. Here he learned to read and write, became a skilled trader, eventually bought his freedom and married into English society where he became a leading abolitionist. 1996. 28 min. Video/C 4464
- Study in Africa: New Opportunities for American Students
- An overview of several U.S. study programs at a variety of African campuses including interviews with African university faculty, administrators and students. American students studying in Africa answer a number of questions. 1997. 27 min. Video/C 9264
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Realm of Reversals.(Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 19-20)
- Prog. 19. The legacy of colonization: Ivory Coast, the legacy of colonialism. Gabon, a future in oil?--Prog. Understanding sickness, overcoming prejudice: Kenya, understanding sickness. South Africa, this land is my land.
A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Ivory Coast, the Legacy of Colonialism explores the history and current economic development of the Ivory Coast. Gabon, a Future in Oil? analyzes a failed attempt at economic growth and a poorly developed infra-structure in Gabon, who's future may lie in petroleum development. Kenya, Understanding Sickness investigates the roots of disease in Kenya. South Africa, This Land is My Land examines the new land-reform policies in post-apartheid South Africa. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4321
This series available for online viewing (Requires initial registration at site)[Requires Windows Media player]
- Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella.
- A film-portrait of the Afro-Cuban master drummer, Francisco Aguabella. Born in Cuba, he immigrated to the U.S. in 1957 where he made outstanding contributions to Latin popular music while maintaining his roots in traditional Afro-Cuban religious drumming. Film explores Aguabella's role both as a sacred drummer and a figure of historical influence in Latin Jazz, Pop and Fusion. Included are many interviews with musicians who have worked with him an have been influence by his music. A film by Les Blank. 1995. 35 min. Video/C 4067.
- Through African Eyes.
- When first seen in the Western world in 1900, African art was viewed as strange and exotic. Yet these works, the booty of colonial wars, would influence Picasso, Matisse, and Modigliani and change the course of 20th century art. This film, while recognizing this impact, introduces noted experts who explain the importance of reappraising African art within its own cultural context. Then local Malian inhabitants in a Bamana village and the walled city of Djenne comment on the function of art and the role of the artist in their society. 1995. 47 min. Video/C 4700
- The Value of Life AIDS in Africa Revisited.
- 30 million Africans have HIV/AIDS. In the summer of 2003, two years after the release of his documentary "Race against time," United Nations' HIV/AIDS envoy Stephen Lewis returns to Africa, comparing the status of AIDS-afflicted people in 2001 and 2003. There is hope that the epidemic can be helped with new generic antiretroviral drugs on which Canada is expected to pass legislation. 2004. 52 min. DVD 4956
- Warrior Marks.
- A film by Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. A poetic and political film about female genital mutilation. Includes interviews with women from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Gambia, the United States, and England. 1993. 54 min. Video/C 3348
- Walker, Alice. Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women / Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. 1st ed. New York: Harcourt Brace,
c1993.(UCB Bancroft GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Grad Svcs XMAC.W18.W37 Modern Authors Collection; UCB Main GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Moffitt GN484 .W35 1993)
- Hamilton, Amy.
"Warrior Marks." (includes related articles)off our backs v23, n11 (Dec, 1993):2 (5 pages).
Minor, Diane. "Warrior Marks: Joyous Resistance at Walker Film Debut." (documentary film by Walker) National N O W Times v26, n2 (Jan, 1994):7.
Simonds, Cylena."Missing the Mark." (female mutilation in movie 'Warrior Marks')Afterimage v21, n8 (March, 1994):3.
- Western Sahara, the Last Colony(Africa: Search for Common Ground; 7)
- Part of a series profiling formal efforts by various Sub-Saharan African countries to peacefully resolve contemporary conflicts. The first film deals with the territory of Western Sahara which has been embroiled in conflict, as Morocco has fought the Polisario Front's movement to gain independence in the region. Meanwhile, the future of the Saharawi people, living in exile in refugee camps in Algeria and hoping to return to their homeland, remains unclear. The second film deals with white Afrikaner farm families who are moving north to Niassa, causing fear and suspicion among peasant farmers in the region. In this film two farmers, one a white Afrikaner, the other a Mozambican villager, meet to discuss how they can live together in an integrated society which benefits both. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5350
- With These Hands: How Women Feed Africa.
- A documentary presenting the stories of three women from three African countries: Burkina Faso, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Each woman tells in her own words of the struggle to feed her family. 1987. 33 min. Video/C 1896
- Wind of Change: The End of Colonialism in Africa
- Discusses nationalism in black Africa through the experiences of the Gold Coast, French Guinea, and the Belgian Congo, the first colonies to gain independence after World War II. Also considers the effects on Africa of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union. Features commentary by UN dignitary Sir Brian Urquhart, historians Mahmood Mamdani and Jean Fremigacci and authors William Blum and Keith Kyle. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2002. 57 min. DVD 2029
- Women's Football in Africa
- Looks at the history and difficulties, challenges and successes encountered by women's soccer teams and players in Africa. 2004. 21 min. DVD 3679
- Wonders of the African World.
- Written and presented by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 1999. 120 min. each installment.
Parts 1 and 2: Gates embarks on an epic journey through Egypt and Sudan in search of Nubia, an ancient African civilization which once rivaled Egypt. Part 2: On travels along the coast of Kenya and Tanzania to the legendary island of Zanzibar, Gates investigates the intriguing historical puzzle: Who are the Swahili people? Video/C 6655
Parts 3 and 4: Part 3: Gates travels through the old kingdoms of Asante and Dahomey in modern Ghana and Benin to unravel the real story of the transatlantic slave trade. Pt. 4: For over 1600 years, Ethiopia was a Christian kingdom. Gates' journey takes him to churches, mountain monasteries and royal shrines and finally to Aksum. Video/C 6656
Parts 5 and 6: Pt. 5: Gates sets out on a journey through modern Mali, following ancient trace routes from the goldmines of the south to the legendary city of Timbuktu. Pt. 6: Traveling from South Africa to Zimbabwe, Gates explores a 1000 old African city and heads for the medieval stone citadel of Great Zimbabwe. Video/C 6657
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Angola
- Bridges of Trust. (Africa: Search for Common Ground; 4)
- Part of a series profiling formal efforts by various Sub-Saharan African countries to peacefully resolve contemporary conflicts. Examines three decades of war which has left Angola a deeply divided country. Mutual fear and mistrust make it difficult for people on both the MPLA and UNITA sides as they struggle to achieve reconciliation in their nation. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5347
- Destructive Engagement.
- Shows how the civil war in South Africa affects the neighboring countries of Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, in billions of dollars of damage to buildings and in terms of human pain and suffering of these countries' populations. 1987. 52 min. Video/C 1262
- Cuba/South Africa After the Battle.
- In 1975, the first Cuban soldiers went to Angola to help defend that newly independent government from invasion by South African troops. After nearly 14 years of bitter conflict, the Angolan War ended, Namibia was established as an independent state, and Cuban and South African troops have returned home. This documentary examines the politics of the war from both sides and features remarkable combat footage,archival material and interviews with Cuban and SouthAfrican soldiers. Dist. Cinema Guild. 1990. 58 min. Video/C 5224
- A Paz e Que o Povo Chama(Africa: Search for Common Ground; 10)
- Part of a series profiling formal efforts by various Sub-Saharan African countries to peacefully resolve contemporary conflicts. Musicians from both sides of the Civil War in Angola meet to create a song for peace. We go behind the scenes to see the making of the Peace Song and video. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5353
- Rostov-Luanda
- A film by Abderrahmane Sissako. Sissako spent a year in Rostov on the Don and there became friends with a young man from Angola. This film chronicles the director's search for a friend of the past. In this personal retrospective, Sissako encounters present-day Angola and traces the great lines of Africa's recent history. 1997. 60 min. Video/C 6594
- Seeds of Death in Angola [Sound Recording]
- Seeds of Death in Angola concerns the continuing damage done by the 9 million mines which were planted in Angola during the past 30 years of fighting. These mines continue to maim and kill daily, mostly women and children, while there are only a few de-mining groups active in the country. 1995. 32 min. Sound/C 1279
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Benin
- Dance, Voodoo, Dance (Benin).
- Among the many ethnic groups of Benin, two in particular stand out as practitioners of the ancient rites of voodoo. This program explains who the voodoo practitioners are as well as the mythical origins of their cult; it also shows the music and dance of these two groups. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1992. 15 min. Video/C 3028
- Femmes Aux Yeux Ouverts = Women with Open Eyes (Library of African Cinema).
- Profiles contemporary African women in four West African countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Benin. We meet a woman active in the movement against female genital mutilation, a health care worker educating women about sexually transmitted diseases, and businesswomen who describe how they have set up an association to share expertise and provide mutual assistance. 1994. 52 min. Video/C 3728
- Laura the Taxi Driver (Benin).
- Laura is the first woman to stake her claim under the law to what had been exclusively a male preserve; driving a taxi. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1992. 13 min. Video/C 3024
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Burkina Faso
- Femmes Aux Yeux Ouverts = Women with Open Eyes (Library of African Cinema).
- Profiles contemporary African women in four West African countries: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Benin. We meet a woman active in the movement against female genital mutilation, a health care worker educating women about sexually transmitted diseases, and businesswomen who describe how they have set up an association to share expertise and provide mutual assistance. 1994. 52 min. Video/C 3728
- Hado (South series).
- Hado Gorgo Leontine is a 60 year old grandmother and farmer in Burkina Faso and the leader of a 22 piece touring orchestra that travels the country performing traditional songs a well as her own compositions. 1991. 13 min. Video/C 3033
- A Plague Upon the Land (Washington, D.C.: The World Bank, [1984]).
- Discusses the source of river blindness or onchocerciasis in the Volta River Basin of West Africa. Describes symptoms, social and economic problems caused by the disease, and the measures being used to attempt to control it. 1984. 24 min. Video/C 3687
- Rabi(Developing Stories).
- A modern day fable using traditional African story-telling techniques about a young boy in Burkina Faso who acquires a pet tortoise which speaks to him so eloquently about his abuse that the boy eventually sets it free. This African parable seeks to highlight humanity's dislocated relationship with the natural world. 1992. 60 min. Video/C 3866
- Red Hat, Where Are You Going?
- An analysis of the socio-political position of traditional chiefs in Burkina Faso, this documentary examines the role of Mossi chiefs in the West African nation. Using interviews with chiefs and their critics, and archival footage, the film looks at how the chiefs have navigated political change, and at how they interact with both the government and people today. 2000. 47 min. Video/C 9622
- Sankara (Southseries).
- Profiles Thomas Sankara, the late President of Burkina Faso, assassinated by troops loyal to Blaise Compaore, his second in command and life long friend. 1991. 20 min. Video/C 3049
- The Soul Eaters
- Examines the challenges facing women in Western Africa, who are held responsible for unexplained deaths in their communities, and are accused of engaging in witchcraft and sorcery. In Burkina Faso, a "soul eater" is typically a woman who is past child bearing age, someone who may not have children, or someone who exhibits behavior that is somehow 'socially unacceptable'. Driven from their villages, often with no place to go, these women are marginalized from society, and many are unable to ever return to their homes. A production of the Witness Project which uses video technology to investigate human rights abuses. 2001. 7 min. DVD 3239
Witness web site
- Story if Ilene [Sound Recording]
- The Story of Ilene examines the life experiences of a Burkinabe woman who was circumcised and the work of the National Commission to Combat Female Genital Mutilation established in Burkina Faso which is waging a campaign to have the practice banned. 1995. 32 min. Sound/C 1279
- Thomas Sankara.
- A film by Balufu Bakupa-Kanyinda. Captain Thomas Sankara was the leader of the Burkinabe Revolution. This film is a biographical profile of the revolutionary, the improvements he generated in his country and the new socio-political dimension he instituted in Burkina Faso. Dist.: ArtMattan Productions. 1991. 26 min. Video/C 5752
- Thomas Sankara: The Upright Man
- A biography of Thomas Sankara, a charismatic army captain who became the first president of Burkina Faso after a popularly-supported coup. During his four years in office before being assassinated, he instituted a wide range of progressive social and economic reforms. A film by Robin Shuffield. 2006. 52 min. DVD 9207
- To Be a Woman in Burkina Faso.
- The lot of women in Burkina Faso is not any easy one. They work in the fields without adequate recompense and have the added work of child care, home care and cooking. Women working in the cities' factories are hardly better off. Polygamy is accepted and is considered a way of sharing the burdens of work. The future will be better only when women are better educated, have the same job opportunities as men and have their own reasonable source of income. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1992. 14 min. Video/C 3023
- Voices of the Orishas
- This is an ethnographic documentary which demonstrates the survival and strength of the Yoruba cultural and religious heritage in the contemporary life of Caribbean African-Hispanics. The program was filmed in Havana among practicioners of Santeria, and documents a ritual ceremony that features dancing, singing, praying and drum beating, invoking the twenty-two Orishas, or deities of the Yoruba religion. 1993. 37 min. Video/C 5518
- Warrior Marks.
- A film by Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. A poetic and political film about female genital mutilation. Includes interviews with women from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Gambia, the United States, and England. 1993. 54 min. Video/C 3348
- Walker, Alice. Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women / Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. 1st ed. New York: Harcourt Brace, c1993. (UCB Bancroft GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Grad Svcs XMAC.W18.W37 Modern Authors Collection; UCB Main GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Moffitt GN484 .W35 1993)
- Hamilton, Amy. "Warrior Marks." (includes related articles) off our backs v23, n11 (Dec, 1993):2 (5 pages).
Minor, Diane. "Warrior Marks: Joyous Resistance at Walker Film Debut." (documentary film by Alice Walker) National N O W Times v26, n2 (Jan, 1994):7.
Simonds, Cylena. "Missing the Mark." (female mutilation in movie 'Warrior Marks')Afterimage v21, n8 (March, 1994):3.
- With These Hands: How Women Feed Africa.
- A documentary presenting the stories of three women from three African countries: Burkina Faso, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Each woman tells in her own words of the struggle to feed her family. 1987. 33 min. Video/C 1896
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Burundi
- Burundi: Reconciliation Radio (Africa: Search for Common Ground; 3)
- Examines Rwanda and Burundi where hate radio has been used to incite ethnic violence. But now in Burundi, radio is also being utilized as a means of building understanding and promoting reconciliation. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5346
- In the Wake of War.(Life; 4)
- Thousands of refugees from Burundi are returning to their homeland convinced that the bitter civil war may be coming to an end. Using traditional mediation systems and peacemakers Burundi is introducing innovative peace and reconciliation projects. The aim is to start a grass roots movement to bring a lasting peace to Burundi and its long-suffering citizens. This program examines the future for Burundi, for power sharing and for a rapprochement between warring factions. Directed by James Heer. 2005. 24 min. DVD 3975
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Cameroon
- Afrique, Je te Plumerai (Africa, I'm Going to Fleece You) (Cameroon, 1992)
- A film by Jean-Marie Teno A sardonic essay on the history of colonialism in Cameroon, and by extension, on the African continent. Focuses on historical as well as contemporary European cultural domination, particularly in the publishing and media industry. French with English subtitles. In French with English subtitles. 88 min. 999:669
- Baka: People of the Forest
- Depicts a journey to a rain forest in southeastern Cameroon, home of the Baka people. The camera follows a family -- father, mother, and two young sons -- for an intimate look at everyday life in a hunter-gatherer society. Viewers join the Baka by day as they harvest honey, catch fish, and use forest plants to make medicines and see them by night as legends are passed on and as a family prepares for the birth of a baby. Originally produced in 1988. 61 min. Video/C 9539
- Birth of a Democracy (South series).
- Looks at Cameroon's current political climate, and gathers the thoughts of Cameroonians from all social strata and economic backgrounds. A revealing collage of the birth of a uniquely African democracy is presented. 1991. 25 min. Video/C 3044
- Cameroon: Little Mothers of the Bush (Growing Up Young series).
- The story of two little girls who belong to the Falli tribe of Northern Cameroon. The children of this tribe are physically advanced beyond what is normal for their age in other cultures. It is the obligation of the little girls to care for the infants of the family and to help in the fields and with the cooking. Dist.: Films Media Group. 991. 26 min. Video/C 3031
- Chief! La Tete Dans les Nuages(Head in the Clouds)
- Chef!: The filmmaker locates the roots of Africa's authoritarian regimes in the patriarchal family, reinforced by traditional kingship and the colonial experience. He made a visit to his ancestral village, Bandjoun, in the Ghomala speaking region of Western Cameroon, where he planned to film dances dedicating a monument to King Kamga Joseph II, the filmmakers' great grand uncle, but the ceremony soon turned into a celebration of one-man rule, in particular Cameroonian President Paul Biya's.
La tete dans les nuages: Teno investigates the ties between unaccountable government and an unproductive economy. The government controlled formal sector, like its colonial predecessor, is essentially parasitical. An informal sector has emerged parallel to it which increasingly supplies the daily subsistence needs of the people. Irene, for example, works at the Ministry of Education for an unreliable and inadequate salary; she earns the money she needs to eat from selling beignets in the market. She also belongs to a tontine or "credit union" which offers its members a pool of capital to draw on for business ventures. Such clubs, ubiquitous among African market women, help fill the economic and social vacuum left by the decay of traditional society and the unresponsiveness of the formal banking sector. 1999. 96 min. Video/C 6593
- Destination--Cameroon.
- Describes daily life in Cameroon as experienced by Peace Corps volunteers who live in the communities of Andek, Ambam and Bogo. 1995. 20 min. Video/C 4735
- The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:
- Cameroon, Zaire, Tanzania (Video/C 3530); Chad, Cameroon (Video/C 3531); Ivory Coast, Botswana, Republic of South Africa (Video/C 3532) (for complete listing of contents and times, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance).
- Mr. Foot (South series).
- A light hearted look at Cameroon's national obsession - soccer.
1991. 20 min. Video/C 3054
- Sisters in Law
- A documentary record of a courtroom in Kumba, Cameroon, where a female prosecutor and judge work to put an end to their community's tacit acceptance of child abuse, wife beating and rape. With fierce compassion, the tough-minded state prosecutor Vera Ngassa and court president Beatrice Ntuba dispense wisdom, wisecracks and justice in fair measure. Directed by Kim Longinotto and Florence Ayisi. 2005. 104 min. DVD 5460
- La Tete Dans les Nuages
(Head in the Clouds) SEE Chief!
- To Touch the World
- This video takes viewers to the home of returned Peace Corps volunteer Thurman Mattiesen where he discusses his Peace Corps experience in Cameroon. 1996. 10 min. Video/C 5866
- West Africa, The Fabric of Reform(Economic Recovery in Africa)
- The Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Mali are West African countries that are undergoing economic reform. With the help of the International Monetary Fund, they are overcoming such obstacles as corruption, overregulated markets, and government overspending that have stunted the economic growth of this region for decades. This program presents the IMF and the application of economic theory in Africa, with all of its unique problems. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1998. 32 min. Video/C 7348
Central African Republic
- The Silent Crisis(Life; 5)
- Explores the economic and social crises facing the Central African Republic by examining the country's ill-equipped health system. A landlocked former French colony of just under four million people, the Central African Republic is one of the least developed countries in the world but appeals for aid have fallen largely on deaf ears. Only a handful of aid agencies continue to work there, and the amount of aid it gets is pitiful compared to other sub-Saharan countries. In 2003, it received just $12.9 USD per person. President Francois Bozize confirms that health is the country's top priority. Bozize has pledged to restore the country's national unity and security, but foreign governments have been slow to respond to his repeated requests for assistance and support. Directed by Amanda Feldon. 26 min. DVD 8393
- To the top
Chad
- The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:
- Cameroon, Zaire, Tanzania (Video/C 3530); Chad, Cameroon (Video/C 3531); Ivory Coast, Botswana, Republic of South Africa (Video/C 3532) (for complete listing of contents and times, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance).
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Formerly Zaire)- Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death
- Describes how King Leopold II of Belgium turned the Congo into his private colony between 1885-1908. Under his control, the Congo became a labor camp of shocking brutality where people were starved and tortured in the name of harvesting rubber. Written and directed by Peter Bate. Dist.: ArtMattan. 2004. 90 min. DVD 5180
- Heart of the Congo: Rebuilding Life in the Face of War
- Amid threats of violence, corruption, and a legacy of colonial dependency, aid workers in the Congo help refugees who have lost everything. They seek to strengthen villagers' will, essential for a self-sufficient future. Heart of the Congo is a film about courage, perseverance and ways in which humanitarian aid makes a lasting difference. Director, Tom Weidlinger. 2004. 57 min. DVD 4606
- In Search of Stability (The Africans)
- Gives an overview of the several means of governing in Africa. Examines new social orders to illustrate an Africa in search of a viable form of government in the postindependence period. Compares African military regimes, one-party states, Marxism in Mozambique and the styles of the presidents of Tanzania and Zaire. 1986. 58 min. Video/C 945
- Jump Over the Atlantic (Salto al Atlantico)
- This film traces the similarities and cultural continuities between a small Afro-Venezuelan settlement in Barlovento (Estado Miranda, Venezuela) and the Belgian Congo in Africa, where people were captured as slaves in the nineteenth century. Showcases the everyday and traditional cultural practices that the two groups share: music, dance, and musical instruments, many words, food, dress, crafts, healing herbs and even hairstyles. A film by Maria Eugenia Esparragoza. 1990. 28 min. Video/C MM396
- The JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance:
- Cameroon, Zaire, Tanzania (Video/C 3530); Chad, Cameroon (Video/C 3531); Ivory Coast, Botswana, Republic of South Africa (Video/C 3532) (for complete listing of contents and times, consult GLADIS under series title: f se JVC Video Anthology of World Music and Dance).
- Kinshasa, When Everything Falls Apart. (Africa: Search for Common Ground; 2.)
- Part of a series profiling formal efforts by various Sub-Saharan African countries to peacefully resolve contemporary conflicts. Examines traditional methods of conflict resolution through a tribal court in Kinshasa. 1997. 26 min. Video/C 5345
- Lumumba (2000)
- Directed by Raoul Peck. Cast: Eriq Ebouaney, Alex Descas, Maka Kotto, Theophile Moussa Sowie, Andre Debaar. Dramatizes the life of Congolese revolutionary, Patrice Lumumba, who led his country to independence from Belgium in 1960. He served for less than a year as the first elected prime minister, until he was brutally assassinated. 115 min. DVD 1592
- Lumumba: Death of a Prophet.
- This film recounts Lumumba's 200 day rule culminating well-financed and organized force in the country--the military. In French with English subtitles. 1992. 69 min. Video/C 2751
- Clark, Andrew F..
"Lumumba: Death of a Prophet." (movie reviews)
American Historical Review v98, n4 (Oct, 1993):1156 (3 pages).
Holden, Stephen. "Lumumba: Death of a Prophet." (movie reviews)
New York Times v142 (Wed, Sept 30, 1992):B4(N), C18(L), col 4
"Lumumba: Death of a Prophet." (Video Recording Review) The Journal of Negro History Wntr 2001 v86 i1 p88(2)
UC users only
- Mbira Music: The Spirit of the People
- A music documentary. 1990. 52 min. PAL format Video/C 3204
- Mobutu, King of Zaire: An African Tragedy
- The definitive visual record of the rise and fall of Joseph Desire Mobutu, ruler of Zaire (the Congo) for over 30 years. Drawing upon 140 hours of rare archival material found in Kinshasa, and 50 hours of interviews with those once close to him, it tells the story of the man at the heart of Central Africa's post-colonial history. 1999. 3 videocassettes A film by Thierry Michel. 52 min. each Video/C 7200
- Nganga Kiyangala: Congo Religion in Cuba
- An examination of the history and practices of Nganga, the Bantu based belief system of the slaves brought to Cuba from the Congo region of Africa. Nganga is one of the sects in Cuba which are more than Christian in belief, rituals, music and dance. Some of the differences between the Lucumi (Yoruba/Santeria) and Abakua beliefs are also discussed. In Spanish with English subtitles. 1991. 34 min. Video/C 6403
- Ota Benga: A Pygmy in America
- This documentary relates one of the saddest episodes in the history of American racism when a pygmy, Ota Benga, was taken from the Congo in 1904 and subsequently exhibited at the St. Louis World's Fair and the Bronx Zoo. Features archival film and animation, and one sequence filmed in color in 1999. c2002. 17 min. Video/C 9316
- The Peacekeepers
- Provides an intimate and dramatic portrait of the struggle to save a failed state. Follows the determined and often desparate maneuvers to avert another Rwandan disaster, this time in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the DRC). We are with the peacekeepers in the "crisis room" as they balance the risk of loss of life on the ground with the enormous sums of money required from uncertain donor countries. And we are with UN troops as the northeast Congo erupts and the future of the DRC, if not all of central Africa, hangs in the balance. Directed, photographed, and written by Paul Cowan. Dist.: National Film Board of Canada. 2005. 84 min. Video/C MM932
- Sorcerers of Zaire.
- Explores the life of the rural Chokwe tribe of southwestern Zaire, where hardship and starvation are a way of life. To assure that their modest food supply is distributed fairly, the Chokwe use a complex system of reprisals in which sorcerers are hired to resurrect ancestral ghosts to haunt those who hoard goods, causing them sickness and death. Focuses on four patients and two healers, following them through their traditional medical treatments. Also shows the rigorous initiation ritual in which masked dancers help prepare boys for manhood. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1993. 51 min. Video/C 5003
- Strange Beliefs.(Strangers Abroad: Pioneers of Social Anthropology; 6)
- Sir Edward Evans-Pritchard was the first trained anthropologist to do work in Africa, where he lived among the Azande in Zaire and studied their belief in witchcraft and later worked with the Neur tribe in the Sudan. 1990. 52 min. Video/C 3856
- Wind of Change: The End of Colonialism in Africa
- Discusses nationalism in black Africa through the experiences of the Gold Coast, French Guinea, and the Belgian Congo, the first colonies to gain independence after World War II. Also considers the effects on Africa of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union. Features commentary by UN dignitary Sir Brian Urquhart, historians Mahmood Mamdani and Jean Fremigacci and authors William Blum and Keith Kyle. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2002. 57 min. DVD 2029
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Egypt
- SEE: Middle East videography
- SEE ALSO: Ancient and Classical Civilizations
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Eritrea/Ethiopia
- Black Gold
- After oil, coffee is the most actively traded commodity in the world with $80 billion in retail sales. But for every $3 cup of coffee, a coffee farmer receives only 3 cents. Most of the money goes to the middlemen, especially the four giant conglomerates which control the coffee market. Tracing the path of the coffee consumed each day to the farmers who produce the beans, Black Gold asks us to 'wake up and smell the coffee', to face the unjust conditions under which our favorite drink is produced and to decide what we can do about it. In particular, It follows Tadesse Meskela as he tries to get a living wage for the 70,000 Ethiopian coffee farmers he represents. Filmed, directed, and produced by Marc Francis & Nick Francis. 2006. 78 min. DVD 6628
- The Coffee-go-round. (Life; 4)
- Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world -- a major cash crop for many poor, developing countries trying to trade their way out of poverty. Coffee experts say demand is increasing world-wide, yet many of the world's coffee growers say they are in the middle of a crisis. This documentary visits Ethiopia, the cradle of coffee, and speaks to players in the international coffee trade to find out how individual coffee growers can survive the boom and bust of the global coffee market. Produced and directed by Joost de Haas. 2005. 26 min. DVD 3959
- Consuming Hunger.
- "If the Vietnam conflict was a "television war," then the starvation in Ethiopia was a "television famine." Our thoughts and feelings about it and responses to it have been completely shaped by television MRC". 1987. 29 min.. Video/C 2173:1-3
- The Dream Becomes a Reality: Nation Building and the Continued Struggle of the Women of the Eritrean People's Liberation Front
- Interviews with women who were treated as equals during the struggle for Eritrean independence about their current employment and social conditions. Most have continued to work in their professions or vocations although the traditional cultural forces make full sexual equality impossible. A documentary by Eva Egensteiner. c1995. 48 min. Video/C MM820
- Eritrea, Women Combat Prejudices (Africa: Search for Common Ground; 12)
- Part of a series profiling formal efforts by various Sub-Saharan African countries to peacefully resolve contemporary conflicts. Examines three generations of Eritrean women who tell their story of Eritrea's fight for independence and reflect upon changes in the country since independence, specifically the battle between traditional and contemporary ideas about the role of women. 1997. 25 min. Video/C 5355
- Falashas.
- A study of the history, customs and way of life of the Black Jews of Ethiopia and of efforts to help them emigrate to Israel. 1987. 27 min. Video/C 1997
- Forbidden Land.
- Eritreans have been fighting for independence from Ethiopia for over 30 years. This video discusses the struggle for liberation which culminated in a successful coup in May, 1991. 1990. 56 min. Video/C 2617
- Hamar Trilogy.
- The Women Who Smile The first program in a trilogy focusing on the Hamar, an isolated people of Southwestern Ethiopia. In this film Duka, a young unmarried Hamar girl, learns what awaits her in life from the older women of her tribe. Their often humorous conversations range from pregnancy and growing old to relationships with men. Although the men are dominant, the women are not servile. Shows harvest celebrations and the blessing ceremony for a new baby. 1990. 50 min. Video/C 4513 Two Girls Fo Hunting. The second program in a trilogy focusing on the Hamar, an isolated people of Southwestern Ethiopia. This film shows Duka and her friend, Gardi, as they prepare to marry men they have never met. The film follows Duka, from the build-up to the marriage, from the all night vigil with girlfriends, to farewells when the bride is taken away at dawn to the village of her husband's family, the arrival in the village and the preparation of the prospective bride for the ceremony by the mother-in-law. 1990. 50 min. Video/C 4514 Our Way of Loving. The third program in a trilogy focusing on the Hamar, an isolated people of Southwestern Ethiopia. This film shows Duka, now a mother with two young children. Her life is dominated by caring for them and her husband, Sago. Although Sago and Duka seem to have an affectionate marriage, he beats her when provoked. She accepts this behavior for she believes it is a man's way of loving. Film also shows the ceremony of Sago's cousin's initiation into manhood. 1994. 50 min. Video/C 4515
- No Easy Walk.
- Ethiopia. Traces the history of Ethiopian independence and national sovereignty beginning with the defeat of Italian colonial domination in 1896. Also examines Ethiopia's role in advancing anti-colonialism and the struggles for independence throughout Africa. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1867 Kenya. Traces the history of Kenya's opposition to white rule beginning with the arrival of the first European settlers in the 19th century. Focuses on the Mau-Mau rebellion of the early 1950's and the key roles played by the Kikuyu people and their leader Jomo Kenyatta. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1868 Zimbabwe Traces the struggle of the Zimbabwean people for independence from European colonists from the defeat of the first armed rebellion in 1896 through the guerrilla war in the 1970's Includes interviews with Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, Ian Smith, and other Zimbabweans, black and white. 1987. 60 min. Video/C 1869
- The Right to Choose. (Life, Part 8)
- Nibret is eleven -- and they're marrying her off to a man she's never met. Forced marriage isn't unusual in northern Ethiopia -- it helps to cement ties between families and establish land rights. This program reports on the dissonant voices arguing for change in Ethiopia -- and calls for reproductive health care and primary education for women and looks at widespread discrimination and violence against women. c2000. 24 min. Video/C 7768
- Rivers of Sand
- Portrays the people called the Hamar who live in the scrubland of southwestern Ethiopia. Points out that in this society, men are masters and women are slaves. Shows how this sexual inequality affects the mood and behavior of the people. A film by Robert Gardner. Originally produced as a motion picture in 1973. 83 min. DVD 5507; Video/C 4485
- Sidet: Forced Exile.
- Presents the stories of three Ethiopian women who each sought refuge in the Sudan. Tells how they have managed to survive displacement and creat lives for themselves in exile. c1991. 60 min. Video/C 3352
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Gabon
- The Gabonese Forest: Sustainability of the African Forest: The Way Forward.
- An overview of the forestry industry, ecology and conservation efforts in the forests of Gabon. 1994. 33 min. Video/C 4982
- Le Grand Blanc de Lambarene (The Great White Man of Lambarene).
- A Docudrama revisionist perspective on Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and secular saint of the colonial era. Shot on the site of Schweitzer's hospital in Gabon, the film reveals a man blinded to the people around him by his own spiritual self-absorption and arrogance. 1995. 89 min. Video/C 4558
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Realm of Reversals.(Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 19-20)
- Prog. 19. The legacy of colonization: Ivory Coast, the legacy of colonialism. Gabon, a future in oil?--Prog. Understanding sickness, overcoming prejudice: Kenya, understanding sickness. South Africa, this land is my land.
A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Ivory Coast, the Legacy of Colonialism explores the history and current economic development of the Ivory Coast. Gabon, a Future in Oil? analyzes a failed attempt at economic growth and a poorly developed infra-structure in Gabon, who's future may lie in petroleum development. Kenya, Understanding Sickness investigates the roots of disease in Kenya. South Africa, This Land is My Land examines the new land-reform policies in post-apartheid South Africa. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4321
This series available for online viewing (Requires initial registration at site)[Requires Windows Media player]
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Gambia
- A Sense of Freedom: A Story of Democracy and Progress in Africa.
- Examines AFrica's smallest country, the Gambia, as one of only a few successful multi-party democracies on the continent. African journalist Hilton Fyle surveys the social and economic reasons underlying this success, featuring interviews with President Jawara and other government leaders, foreign and domestic investors and businessmen, and the leader of the political opposition. 1992. 57 min. Video/C 5217
- Warrior Marks.
- A film by Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. A poetic and political film about female genital mutilation. Includes interviews with women from Senegal, Burkina Faso, Gambia, the United States, and England. 1993. 54 min. Video/C 3348
- Walker, Alice. Warrior Marks: Female Genital Mutilation and the Sexual Blinding of Women / Alice Walker and Pratibha Parmar. 1st ed. New York: Harcourt Brace, c1993. (UCB Bancroft GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Grad Svcs XMAC.W18.W37 Modern Authors Collection; UCB Main GN484 .W35 1993; UCB Moffitt GN484 .W35 1993)
- Hamilton, Amy.
"Warrior Marks." (includes related articles)
off our backs v23, n11 (Dec, 1993):2 (5 pages).
Minor, Diane.
"Warrior Marks: Joyous Resistance at Walker Film Debut." (documentary film
by Alice Walker)
National N O W Times v26, n2 (Jan, 1994):7.
Simonds, Cylena.
"Missing the Mark." (female mutilation in movie 'Warrior Marks')
Afterimage v21, n8 (March, 1994):3.
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Ghana
- Future Remembrance: Photography and Image Arts in Ghana
- Documentary about the role of photography, photographers and the art of image making in Ghana. Meet the photographers, sculptors and painters who tell us in their own words about the economic, social, cultural, aesthetic, and spiritual motivations of their work. A film by Tobias Wendl and Nancy du Plessis. Dist.: Documentary Educational Resources. 2005. 55 min. DVD 9058
- A Garden of Eden In Decay (The Africans)
- Identifies the problems of a continent that produces what it does not consume and consumes what it does not produce. Shows Africa's struggle between economic dependence and decay. Examines economic and agricultural failures and successes in Algeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe. Video/C 945
- The Enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, April 1999
- Footage of the crowning of King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II of the Ashanti Kingdom, Ghana. The ceremony is known as the Enstoolment. 90 min. PAL format. Video/C 9266
- The Great Health Service Swindle.(Life; 5)
- Explores why Ghanaian nurses have been leaving their country to work abroad, and what this "brain drain" means for the Ghanaian health care system. One widely quoted source says almost two thousand nurses left the country between 1995 and 2002. The exodus is set to continue as nurses opt to leave a crumbling health system to earn more abroad. In the UK, some nurses can earn more in a day than they could in a month back home. Spending on health in Ghana has gone up but its value has declined because of inflation. While most of that money goes to wages, patients have to pay because the health service operates on a "user pays" principle, the so-called "cash and carry" system. The stresses of this system is one reason health workers leave. Filmed & directed by Kim Hopkins. 2005. 26 min. DVD 8389
- Healers of Ghana.
- Explores the traditional medical practices of the Bono people of central Ghana and how their healers are accommodating the conflict between the arrival of Western medicine and their religious beliefs. Traditionally, Bono tribal priests undergo a painful spiritual possession, during which deities reveal to them the causes of illnesses, which plants to use to treat them, who is perpetrating witchcraft, and which villagers might be endangering society through improper behavior. 1993. 58 min. Video/C 5002
- Jaguar.
- A film by Jean Rouch. A documentary of three men from Niger who leave Niger to seek wealth and adventure in the coastal cities of Ghana then called the Gold Coast. Film portrays conditions that existed in West Africa in the 1950's when it was possible to travel freely and there was an exhilarating sense of opportunity in the air. 1950's. Dist.: Documentary Educational Resources. 93 min. Video/C 3459
- Les Maitres Fous.
- A film by Jean Rouch. This film documents the Haouka cult, a religious movement which was widespread in Niger and Ghana from the 1920's to the 1950's. Shows them living and working in Accra and participating in a primitive tribal ceremony. Dist.: Documentary Educational Resources. 1986. 29 min. DVD 3911; vhs Video/C 3460
- The Rise of Nationalism (Africa series).
- Follows the course of the major independence struggles beginning with the situation in the Gold Coast and concluding with the fight for majority rule in Zimbabwe and South Africa. 1984. 60 min. Video/C MM455
- Stage-shakers! Ghana's Concert Party Theatre
- Documents Ghana's concert party theatre by showing backstage preparation, live performance footage, and interviews with performers. Historically the Ghanaian concert party, is a theatrical form that uses humor and music to tell stories conveying moral lessons. This contemporary form reveals the concert party as a dynamic form of entertainment that is in step with popular fashion, music, song, dance and social issues. Written, videotaped, and edited by Kwame Braun. 2001. 103 min. DVD 8599
- Testament.
- Directed/written by John Akomfrah. This moody, sympathetic film looks at political history not in terms of ideology but at the way individual lives are affected. Twenty-two years ago a young woman fled Ghana after a military coup toppled the regime of Kwame Nkrumah, to which she had given her wholehearted support. Now she, a British TV journalist, returns to her homeland to shoot a documentary. The film continually intersperses scenes of the past with the present, and with each flashback the past is revealed and observed from different perspectives as the layers of memory are peeled away. 1988. 80 min. Video/C 5081
- This Magnificent African Cake (Africa series).
- Traces the major developments of African history between the 1800's and 1945. Looks at the different ways colonial rule was established and the emergence of nationalist movements, focusing on Senegal, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Mozambique. 1984. 60 min. Video/C MM454
- Witches in Exile
- Introduces four women who have taken refuge in the Kukuo witches' camp and who represent a cross section of the 'witch' population of Northern Ghana today. Presenting a step by step journey on how a woman becomes stigmatized as a "witch," they are overwhelmingly older women who are no longer of value for bearing children or performing fieldwork. They are characteristically accused of killing family members or causing crop failures or natural misfortunes to which traditional folklore attributes supernatural causes. Forced into isolated witches camps, they must struggle to survive under primitive conditions. Produced and directed by Allison Berg. 2005. 79 min. DVD 5275
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Guinea
- Allah Tantou, a la Grace de Dieu (Allah Tantou, God's Will Be Done) (Guinea/France, 1991)
- Director: David Achkar. Examines the life of the filmmaker's father, a diplomat under the Sekou Toure regime, who later disappeared into the Guinean gulag. Film reevaluates the turbulent decade of African independence and discusses its relevance to the new political order on the continent. In French and Soussou with English subtitles. 62 min. 999:674
- Donka: X-Ray of an African Hospital (Radioscope d'un hopital Africain)
- This film follows daily life in the largest public hospital in the Republic of Guinea, Donka Hospital in Conakry. Donka hospital typifies the financial crisis affecting the entire African health sector. Today, without assistance from governmental or international relief agencies and compelled to develop its financial autonomy, the hospital practices a paying health care policy designed to cover running costs. The financial strategy is applied at a high social and human cost, as access to treatment diminishes for many Guineans, compromising the very notion of public health services. 1996. 59 min. Video/C 999:674
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Guinea-Bissau
- The Blue Eyes of Yonta (Udju Azul di Yonta) (Library of African Cinema)
- Uses the device of a young woman's search for the author of a love letter to explore the political and social environment in the former Portuguese overseas province of Portuguese Guinea, now the independent country of Guinea-Bissau. 1994. 92 min. Video/C 999:1371
- Wind of Change: The End of Colonialism in Africa
- Discusses nationalism in black Africa through the experiences of the Gold Coast, French Guinea, and the Belgian Congo, the first colonies to gain independence after World War II. Also considers the effects on Africa of the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union. Features commentary by UN dignitary Sir Brian Urquhart, historians Mahmood Mamdani and Jean Fremigacci and authors William Blum and Keith Kyle. Dist.: Films Media Group. 2002. 57 min. DVD 2029
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Ivory Coast
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Realm of Reversals.(Power of Place: World Regional Geography; 19-20)
- Prog. 19. The legacy of colonization: Ivory Coast, the legacy of colonialism. Gabon, a future in oil?--Prog. Understanding sickness, overcoming prejudice: Kenya, understanding sickness. South Africa, this land is my land.
A telecourse designed to build understanding of geography by examining eleven regions of the world and their interconnections. Each program contains case studies which characterize an individual region. Ivory Coast, the Legacy of Colonialism explores the history and current economic development of the Ivory Coast. Gabon, a Future in Oil? analyzes a failed attempt at economic growth and a poorly developed infra-structure in Gabon, who's future may lie in petroleum development. Kenya, Understanding Sickness investigates the roots of disease in Kenya. South Africa, This Land is My Land examines the new land-reform policies in post-apartheid South Africa. 1995. 58 min. Video/C 4321
This series available for online viewing (Requires initial registration at site)[Requires Windows Media player]
- West Africa, The Fabric of Reform(Economic Recovery in Africa)
- The Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, and Mali are West African countries that are undergoing economic reform. With the help of the International Monetary Fund, they are overcoming such obstacles as corruption, overregulated markets, and government overspending that have stunted the economic growth of this region for decades. This program presents the IMF and the application of economic theory in Africa, with all of its unique problems. Dist.: Films Media Group. 1998. 32 min. Video/C 7348
- The Word Universe: A Journey to West Africa
- An American visits his African friend, who has fled with his family from their home in Liberia to the Ivory Coast. Film examines the personal costs of the civil war raging in Liberia upon the refugees. Producer/director, Mark Keegan. 1995. 91 min. Video/C 4278
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Peoples of the Kalahari Desert
- Bitter Melons.
General/Overviews
