Exploring African Women’s Cinematic Practice as Womanist Work

Exploring African Women’s Cinematic Practice

as Womanist Work

Beti Ellerson

Black Camera

An International Film Journal
Indiana University Press
Volume 14, Number 2, Spring 2023
pp. 364-403

https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/3/article/883821

The womanist work in African women’s cinematic practice empowers, supports and promotes women in tandem with upholding the fight for racial, ethnic, social, political, and economic justice in their society and throughout the world. A selection of women’s voices contextualizes the notion of a womanistic standpoint as a conceptual framework that embodies their cinematic vision. Based on excerpts from interviews, critiques, citations, filmmakers’ statements, and intentions presented as leçons du cinéma, in their own voice, women tell their stories about filmmaking, their cinematic vision, their deci- sion-making, lessons learned.

Voices of a selection of African women in cinema doing womanist work.

Anita Afonu, Hachimiya Ahamada, Asmara Beraki, Mahen Bonetti, Isabelle Boni-Claverie, Leyla Bouzid, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Omah Diegu, Assia Djebar, Freida Ekotto, Nadia El Fani, Jihan El Tahri, Françoise Ellong, Taghreed Elsanhouri, Annette Mbaye d’Erneville, Safi Faye, Anne-Laure Folly Reimann, Claude Haffner, Mariama Hima, Jacqueline Kalimunda, Iman Kamel, Marthe Djilo Kamga, Musola Cathrine Kaseketi, Rumbi Katedza, Judy Kibinge, Matamba Kombila, Sarah Maldoror, Annette Kouamba Matondo, Beatrix Mugishagwe, Jacqueline Nsiah, Branwen Okpako, Ngozi Onwurah, Joyce Osei Owusu, Monique Mbeka Phoba, Karima Saïdi, Horria Saïhi, Alimata Salambéré, Zulfah Otto Sallies, Masepeke Sekhukhuni, Neveen Shalaby Khady Sylla, Mariama Sylla, Rama Thiaw, Mame Woury Thioubou, Najwa Tlili, Agatha Ukata, Zara Mahamat Yacoub, Rahel Zegeye