March 10, 2022
Around the World: Africa
It feels criminal to place such a massively diverse continent into one category. Just know that there is so much more than what I bring to the table and even what fans of African cinema may present. There are far too many African films that can and deserve to be seen, but there’s nothing wrong with starting off with these: Black Girl (1966)
This drama follows Diouana, a Senegalese woman led by false promises of work in France. A relatively short film with a runtime of just under an hour, this is one of the most powerful critiques of colonialism and its effects on the people of Africa. This work of art manages to show that the problem may be over on paper, there is still much more work to be done. Watch now on HBO Max.
Who Killed Captain Alex? (2010) 
This action comedy shows the deadly conflict exploding between the dreaded Tiger Mafia and a small group of soldiers in Kampala, Uganda. Director Nabwana I.G.G. managed to make one of the most unusual yet entertaining movies despite being made in the slums of Uganda with a budget of about $85…and all dedicated to his grandmother. Granted, one could say that this movie objectively sucks, but who cares when it succeeds fantastically in its primary goal: to entertain? Watch now for free on YouTube.