African actresses: representation, activism, agent of change

African actresses: representation, activism, agent of change

The African Woman on screen recalls the initial visual engagement with the film leaving the viewer to contemplate the actor’s role and the filmmaker’s intent. While African women as actors were not always embraced by their societies, especially during the nascent period of African cinema in the mid-1960s, they have been dedicated artists, playing an important role in the evolution of African cinema. Nonetheless, actresses have been gradually accepted as artists, as African societies became more receptive to the moving image and recognized the role of African filmmakers as visual storytellers. Moreover they understood that films are doing important cultural work and may be used as a tool, both to visualize the society as it is, for better or for worse, and in a forward-thinking manner, as an idea, to envisage Africans as they would like to be. While there is a more expansive range of roles for women, screen representations as a whole have yet to portray the full span of realistic representations of African women’s agency and the empowering experiences of their lives. Perhaps this tendency is due in part to the relatively small production of films from Africa—hence, the pool of subject matter is limited; as well as the growing popularity of films for entertainment or that are based on formulaic themes, none of which constructs the female character as a whole human being. Beyond these challenges, however, historically African women and many men have endeavored to represent the woman as an agent of change and a source of empowerment, and as an active participant in the world, worthy of exploration and reflection.

The African Women in Cinema Blog provides a range of themes related to the African woman as actress. Following is an ongoing list of articles:

Homage to Maimouna Helene Diarra

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/10/homage-to-maimouna-helene-diarra-1955-2021.html

Zalika Souley nous a quitté

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/07/zalika-souley-nous-quitte.html

Aissa Maiga

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/02/aissa-maiga-black-women-on-screen.html

Dolapo Adeleke’s Just in Time 

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/02/dolapo-adelekes-just-in-time-on-netflix.html

To be a black actress in France

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2020/02/etre-actrice-noire-en-france-dejouer.html

First General Assembly of African Actresses

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/12/first-general-assembly-african-actresses.html

Cannes 2019: Maimouna Ndiaye member of Jury

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/05/cannes-2019-maimouna-ndiaye-member-of.html

Ai Keita Yara in Sarraounia by Med Hondo 

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/03/ai-keita-yara-dansin-sarraounia-byde.html

#Metoo at Fespaco

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/02/memepaspeur-nothing-to-fear-metoo.html

Black Camera: On-screen Narratives, Off-screen lives

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/05/black-camera-on-screen-narratives-off.html

Black is not my profession - 16 Black French actresses collectively publish a book

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/05/noire-nest-pas-mon-metier-16.html

Influential Woman: Aissa Maiga

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2013/07/influential-women-aissa-maiga-actress.html

Reflections on African Women on and off screen

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflections-on-african-women-on-and.html

Report on Afrikamera

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2012/11/report-on-afrikamera-2012-women-on-and.html

Teaching African Women in Cinema and Art

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2014/09/teaching-african-women-in-cinema-art_2.html

Agatha Ukata research women in Nollywood

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2011/11/agatha-ukata-researching-women-in.html

Leandre Alain Baker Talks about his film Ramata

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2011/06/leandre-alain-baker-talks-about-his.html

African Women in Cinema Confront FGM

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2011/02/african-women-in-cinema-confront-fgm.html

Yahima Torres as Sarah Baartman

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2010/11/yahima-torres-talks-about-her-role-as.html

Pascale Obolo: Visible Woman

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2010/07/pascale-obolo-visible-woman.html

Alexandra Duah of BlessedMemory

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2010/09/alexandra-duah-of-blessed-memory.html

Therese Mbissine Diop: Pioneer

https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2010/04/therese-mbissine-diop-pioneer-in.html

In front of the camera: Trailblazing actresses Thérèse M’Bissine Diop of Senegal and Zalika Souley

In Front of the Camera

Thérèse M’Bissine Diop and Zalika Souley

Tracing the history of actresses in African cinema, the two pioneers, Thérèse M’Bissine Diop of Senegal and Zalika Souley of Niger come to mind, both with debut performances in two African film classics released in 1966: La Noire de… by Ousmane Sembene and Le Retour d’un aventurier by Mustapha Alassane, respectively.

Their careers and life paths have similarities but also stark differences. Thérèse M’Bissine Diop has appeared in one other African film since her debut in La Noire de…, Emitai, a film also by Sembene, made in 1971. Nonetheless, her standing as a pioneer continues to be immortalized, as La Noire de…, this classic Sembenian work, is the subject of endless studies. While Zalika Souley, the “bad girl” of early cinema of Niger starring in numerous films, is all but forgotten. During a conversation with her in 2004, I discovered that at the time she was living very modestly in the United States. In contrast, my interview with Thérèse M’Bissine Diop in Paris in 1998, revealed a comfortable living where she pursues her passion, tapestry-making. In spite of her descent into anonymity, Souley was elected as the president of L’Association des Actrices Africaines/The Association of African Actresses, created in 1989, in recognition of the role she played in asserting the value of women in the world of African cinema. More recently in 2004, Rahmatou Keita also from Niger paid homage to Zalika Souley in her debut film documentary Al’lèèssi, an African Actress.

In Al’lèèssi... Rahmatou Keita reveals the challenges that Zalika Souley had to confront in the 1960s; at a time when her controversial roles were viewed as contrary to the principles of a good Muslim woman. Al’lèèssi... juxtaposes the acts of a dutiful Muslim woman who shows abiding faith in God, to film excerpts of her diverse roles. However, at the time, both in her screen character and private life, Zalika Souley went against the societal conventions of womanhood. She walked about Niamey, the capital, wearing jeans, which still today is provocation for insults. In Oumarou Ganda’s 1970 film, Wazzou polygame, her character in a jealous rage, commits murder. In the 1973 film, Saitane also by Ganda, she is a woman gone astray. In the conservative environment of Niger, where people associated her screen character with reality, she was severely ostracized. Thérèse M’Bissine Diop notes a similar public hostility towards her in the 1960s. After the release of the film La Noire de…, she was shunned, even by her own mother. Diop eventually left Senegal and has lived in Paris since the 1970s.

Despite the early negative public reception of African actresses, women continued to choose acting and have become increasingly accepted in their societies. While acting is rarely a viable career in Africa, women have nonetheless expressed satisfaction in contributing to the growth and visibility of African cinema.