Africa Cinémathèque

Date: 03 October
Time: 18H00

Open Window Film Arts, in collaboration with the French Institute of South Africa, Alliance Française de Pretoria and IFCinéma, present a selection of six films by African filmmakers, on Monday 3 October and Monday 10 October (three films on each night).

The Little Girl Who Sold the Sun – Djibril Diop Mambety (1998) Senegal – 45min Dakar’s boy newspaper vendors are a familiar sight. But when Sili, a 12-year-old girl who walks on crutches and begs to support herself and her blind grandmother decides to try her hand at selling newspapers, she finds herself in a harsh, ruthless world. Yet as well as going through painful experiences, she makes friends with another humble folk. Restored in 2K in 2018 in partnership with Waka Films (Silvia Voser) and La Cinémathèque Afrique.

Le Retour du Aventurier – Moustapha Alassane (1966) Niger – 34 min Jimmy returns to his village in Niger from a trip to the USA, bearing gifts of cowboy outfits for his friends. Draping themselves in the myths of the American West, they adopt new names – Black Cooper, James Kelly, Casse-Tout, and Reine Christine instead of Kali, Ibrahim, and Boubakar – and start acting out their Wild West fantasy, laying waste to the neighborhood, to the fury of the villagers. Restored in 2K in 2019 in partnership with the CNC in collaboration with Argos Films.

Le Franc – Djibril Diop Mambety (1994) Senegal – 45min Marigo is a musician. Ever since his landlady confiscated his instrument, a condom, in lieu of his rent arrears, his dreams have revolved around getting it back. He manages to get hold of a national lottery ticket. To keep it safe until the draw, he glues it to his door and covers it with a poster of one of his childhood idols. On the night of the draw, Marigo cannot believe his luck: the winning number is the one on his ticket! He has visions of himself as a millionaire with a thousand congomas, an orchestra, a private aeroplane. The only snag is, the ticket is stuck to the door. Marigo prises the door from its hinges and carries it to the lottery office. Restored in 2K in 2018 by Eclair in partnership with Waka Films (Silvia Voser) and La Cinémathèque Afrique.

Open Window: @openwindowinstitute + @openwindowfilmartsbts
French Institute of South Africa: @ifasculture
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