Black Girl
Director: Ousmane Sembène
1966 / 65min / DCP
Sembène adapted one of his own short stories for his directorial debut, the winner of the Prix Jean Vigo and by many reckonings the film that announced sub-Saharan African cinema to the wider world. Dreaming of a new life in France, Senegalese housemaid Diouana (Mbissine Thérèse Diop) follows her employers from Dakar to their home in the Antibes, where she finds herself treated with a new tone of high-handed authority, and slowly, silently—save for what we hear of her inner life via French-language voiceover—succumbs to the stultifying effects of deepening depression.
Distributor: Janus Films
Introduction by Historian and Columbia University Professor Thomas Dodman on Saturday, April 11th
Save $7 on tickets
Become a Metrograph Member for as little as $5/month to enjoy Member pricing and exclusive access to pre-sales
Already a member?
