Moolaade (2004)
99 %
Reviews Counted: 70 Fresh: 69 Rotten:1 Average Rating: 8.3/10
Consensus:
A vibrant, powerful, and poignant glimpse into the struggles of women in modern Africa.
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Theatrical Release: Oct 15, 2004 Limited
Synopsis: African cinema's founding father, 81-year-old Ousmane Sembene, continues to be its most fiery, provocative spirit. Extending the strong feminist consciousness that marked his previous triumph Faat Kiné (as well as such earlier classics as Black Girl and Ceddo), Moolaadé is a rousing... [More]
Genre: Foreign Films
Starring: Fatoumata Coulibaly, Maimouna Helene Diarra, Salimata Traore, Dominique T. Zeida, Mah Compaore
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Reviews
The eightysomething Sembene delivers a powerfully acted and colourfully shot polemic. A perceptive observation of daily life in an African village that celebrates female bravery and solidarity.
Comment
10/22/07
This masterwork by Ousmane Sembene, the 81-year-old father of African cinema and one of Senegal's greatest novelists, is the second film in a trilogy celebrating African women.
10/22/07
Top Critic
Ousmane, who wrote and directs, gives strong flavors to his characterization of village life and its peoples. But as drama the film mostly serves to illustrate the two sides of this crucial social debate in Africa.
10/30/06
Top Critic
Poetic, provocative and unstoppably powerful. But, depressingly, it probably won't change a thing.
04/01/06
Every character is a symbol for Sembene to realize his humanistic visions in a folklore type of cinema.
03/06/06
Though Moolaadé doesn't shy away from the task of educating its viewers about the brutality of 'purification,' it works equally well as a tribute to righteous defiance wherever it surfaces.
09/26/05
It's certainly clear where the director stands on the issue, but underneath is a far richer film about the complex issues of globalization and the values of tradition.
07/21/05
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07/08/05
Solemnity rarely taints Sembéne's films; his anger and indignation are invariably tempered by his warmth, humour and generosity of spirit.
06/07/05
Sembene provides not only a fascinating glimpse into the culture of tropical Africa, but also a powerful account of the social turmoil which bubbles beneath the surface.
05/31/05
“Moolaade” works as a stirring parable for any community where progressive citizens and regressive policies collide.
05/27/05
Moolaade is an amazing film -- colourful, in-your-face, thick with intense conversation -- and because of the subject matter, it's simultaneously fascinating and repellent to watch.
04/22/05
Top Critic
Tackles a seriously important issue without losing the vibrant energy of everyday life.
04/06/05
A film made with anger and passion that is in parts infuriating, inspiring and heartbreaking.
03/23/05
There's a lot to admire in Moolaade, including the way in which the filmmakers lay out the premise and necessary story details within the first 10 or 15 minutes.
03/18/05
A righteously angry movie, [but] also a joyous movie, because Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene ... fills every moment with song and color and life.
03/18/05
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MOOLAADE premieres in the USA at the 42nd annual New York Film Festival ...
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