African Women's Cinematic Love Stories and Other Matters of the Heart

African Women's Cinematic Love Stories and Other Matters of the Heart

 

To talk about love in Rwanda is to be able to tell stories that people hold dear, that are poetic and funny while at the same time posing a fundamental question: How do we love each other after a genocide?--Jacqueline Kalimunda

Mahen Bonetti, founder and director of the New York African Film Festival had this to say about love stories from Africa: “When thinking of Africa," she says, "the definition of love is vague or absent. The word love is always overshadowed by crisis—AIDS, drought, warfare. So when thinking of the continent of Africa, one does not think of the word love in relation to the emotions and tension that accompanies the concept."

Hence African women's cinematic love stories relate the myriad sentiments on the continuum of expressions of the heart:  the taboo, desire, obsession, forbidden love, longing, passion, jealousy, revenge, courtship, first love, sexualities.

Ekwa Msangi's Farewell Amor attempts to explore this affective characteristic which Mahen Bonetti finds lacking in representations of the African experience. She has this to say about her interest in the theme of love in her film Farewell Amor: …I want to explore the theme of black love in this film, and specifically how it pertains to African people. Probably for religious reasons (among many others), the ways in which love, longing and relationship is discussed and portrayed in African film is very limiting. I’m hoping to expand to scope with this film.

In her film Vers la tendresse (Towards tenderness), Alice Diop reveals the experiences of four young men who while speaking openly, are either locked in the sexual and romantic representations they have internalized or are on the verge of breaking out of them. Similarly, Leyla Bouzid's Une Histoire d'amour et de désir (A Tale of Love and Desire), Leyla Bouzid wanted to go beyond the clichés that show representations of men of North African origin with a very virile, visible masculinity on display. She wanted to relate the experiences of a shy young man with a passion for literature and a pure vision of love.

Notes to continue...

A selection of articles about cinematic loves stories and other matters of the heart on the African Women in Cinema Blog:

Holy Fatma: Please Love me Forever
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/11/francetv-libre-court-holy-fatma-please.html

Leyla Bouzid: A Tale of Love and Desire
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2021/09/a-tale-of-love-desire-leyla-bouzid-falila-gbadamassi.html

Désirée Kahikopo: The White Line
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2020/12/ecrans-noirs-2020-white-line-la-ligne.html

Ekwa Msangi: Farewell Amor
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2016/04/tanzanian-american-ekwa-msangi-launches.html

Before the Vows by Nicole Amarteifio
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2019/10/ndiva-womens-film-festival-2019-before.html

Dorcas Gloria Ahouan-Gonou : Le fruit defendu | The Forbidden Fruit
http://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/06/mis-me-binga-2018-dorcas-gloria-ahouan.html

Rafiki by/de Wanuri Kahiu : Cannes 2018 - Un Certain Regard (Kenya)
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2018/04/rafiki-byde-wanuri-kahiu-cannes-2018-un.html

Zin’naariya ! | The Wedding Ring | L’Alliance d’or by/de Rahmatou Keïta (Niger)
http://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2017/02/luxor-african-film-festival-2017_28.html

Jacqueline Kalimunda : Love in Rwanda | De l'amour au Rwanda
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2017/02/jacqueline-kalimunda-love-in-rwanda-de.html

Single Rwandan / Celib Rwandais by/de Jacqueline Kalimunda analyse/analysis by/par Viviane Azarian
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2015/06/single-rwandan-celib-rwandais-byde.html

Nijla Mu’min’s Jinn, A Film About Identity, Islam and First Love
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2016/07/nijla-mumins-jinn-film-about-identity.html

When Alice Diop takes us "towards masculine tenderness"
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.fr/2016/03/when-alice-diop-takes-us-towards.html

Hermon Hailay: Price of Love | Le Prix d’amour
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2015/02/fespaco-2015-hermon-hailay-price-of.html

Experiments with love: young South African women filmmakers
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2015/10/experiments-with-love-young-south.html

Difficult Love by Zanele Muholi
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.fr/2015/09/difficult-love-by-zanele-muholi-and.html

Constance Ejuma, producer-filmmaker-actor, discusses Ben & Ara
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2014/11/constance-ejuma-producer-filmmaker.html

Marie Kâ : L’Autre Femme | The Other Woman (Senegal)
https://africanwomenincinema.blogspot.com/2013/11/marie-ka-lautre-femme-other-woman.html

Report by Beti Ellerson

Guest curator Mahen Bonetti. Shades of Love: Romance in Contemporary African Cinema | Les nuances de l'amour : la romance dans les cinémas africains contemporains

This film series, Shades of Love: Romance in Contemporary African Cinema at MFAH, is organized by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas in collaboration with the Menil Collection and its exhibition The Progress of Love, on view December 2, 2012–March 17, 2013.

Guest film curator for the series is Mahen Bonetti, founder and director of the New York African Film Festival. “When thinking of Africa," she says, "the definition of love is vague or absent. The word love is always overshadowed by crisis—AIDS, drought, warfare. So when thinking of the continent of Africa, one does not think of the word love in relation to the emotions and tension that accompanies the concept. The films in this program cover passion, jealousy, revenge, yearning, scheming, intimacy, courtship, gallantry, sexual encounters—with a definite African flavour.”

Selection of Films

 

Restless City (2011) Andrew Dosunmu

A Love During the War (2005) Osvalde Lewat-Hallade

Awaiting for Men (2007) Katy Léna N’diaye

Love Brewed in an African Pot (1980) Kwaw Ansah

Faat Kiné (2001) Ousmane Sembène

Hyenas (1992) Djibril Diop Mambety

White Wedding (2009) Jann Turner

Sex, Okra and Salted Butter (2008) Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Surrender (2000) Celine Gilbert

 

 

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Les nuances de l'amour : la romance dans les cinémas africains contemporains

Cette série de films, Les nuances de l'amour : la romance dans les cinémas africains contemporains (Shades of Love: Romance in Contemporary African Cinema) organisée par The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston au Texas, en collaboration avec la collection Menil et son exposition, The Progress of Love (Le Progrès de l'amour) a lieu du 2 décembre 2012 au 17 mars 2013.

La curatice invitée de cette série, Mahen Bonetti, fondatrice et directrice du New York African Film Festival remarque que :

"En pensant à l'Afrique, la définition de l'amour est vague, voire absente. Le mot "amour" est éclipsé par "crise": le SIDA, la sécheresse, la guerre. Donc, en regardant le continent africain, on ne pense pas au mot "amour" par rapport aux émotions et la tension qui accompagne ce concept. Les films sélectionnés pour cette série en revanche reflètent la passion, la jalousie, la vengeance, le désir, les manigances, l'intimité, la cour, la galanterie, les rapports sexuels--avec une saveur africaine."

La séléction de films

 

Restless City (2011) Andrew Dosunmu

Un amour pendant la guerre (2005) Osvalde Lewat-Hallade

En attendant les hommes (2007) Katy Léna N’diaye

Love Brewed in an African Pot (1980) Kwaw Ansah

Faat Kiné (2001) Ousmane Sembène

Hyènes (1992) Djibril Diop Mambety

White Wedding (2009) Jann Turner

Sexe, gombo et beurre salé (2008) Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Surrender (2000) Celine Gilbert