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Critics Consensus: A vibrant, powerful, and poignant glimpse into the struggles of women in modern Africa.
Critic Consensus: A vibrant, powerful, and poignant glimpse into the struggles of women in modern Africa.
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All Critics (74) | Top Critics (30) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (1)
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.
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.
This is an impassioned and uplifting film.
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.
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.
A story told in music, vivid imagery and ritualistic movement.
Thrilling and alive and far more entertaining and exciting and easy to watch than just about any message movie you have ever seen... a cinematic triumph of the highest order.
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.
Poetic, provocative and unstoppably powerful. But, depressingly, it probably won't change a thing.
Every character is a symbol for Sembene to realize his humanistic visions in a folklore type of cinema.
Tthe most exuberant films ever made about female circumcision.
Solemnity rarely taints Sembéne's films; his anger and indignation are invariably tempered by his warmth, humour and generosity of spirit.
Ousmane Sambène makes a daring and important statement against female genital mutilation and speaks for the necessity of change and modernization. Full review on filmotrope. com
Super Reviewer
Disturbing and moving story of a minor womens' lib moment...one that protects young girls from circumcision in a great movie about this unfortunate practice.
A very unelegant subject is dealt in this movie elegantly... director Ousmane Sembene brings a story where the practice of female circumcision is everyday issue in a small village in Burkina Faso in such a way that the 2 h 4 min fly why we are drawn into the magic of his work. A movie which is a must for every lover of African cinematography.
[font=Century Gothic]"Shake Hands with the Devil" is a documentary about Romeo Dallaire, who was the commander of the United Nations forces in 1994 in Rwanda as he tried unsuccessfully to prevent the genocide with an underfunded and undermanned mission. Dallaire, whose hands were tied, still acted in the behavior and manner of a professional soldier while saving lives. Afterwards, he suffered mental anguish, by wondering if there was anything more he could have done. The lesson of the movie is that a life is worth saving no matter where they live and that we all have a responsibility to stop this.(And it may be happening again in the Darfur region of Sudan...) [/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Shake Hands with the Devil" traces the origins of this genocide back to before 1960 when Rwanda was a colonial possession of Belgium and how those colonialist and racist attitudes fueled the racist hatred. Plus, it explains that this could have been stopped, not only by a better commitment to United Nations forces but also simply by the world's powers taking a stand.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Shake Hands with the Devil" is an emotionally, powerful documentary. This is absolutely necessary viewing.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=red]"Moolaade" is a movie from Africa directed by Ousmene Sembene. Six young girls escape to avoid Purification(or to be much less delicate - genital mutilation). Four wind up going to Colle because they have heard that she prohibited her daughter from undergoing the ceremony, even though this was frowned upon by the village elders and might affect her daughter adversely. Colle invokes Moolaade(protection) for the girls. Colle has her reasons for being against the ceremony of Purification. She suffered through the ceremony. Her first two babies were born dead; the third lived but it was a messy affair.[/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000][/color][/font] [font=Century Gothic][color=#ff0000]"Moolaade" is an intelligent, thoughtful movie about gender roles set in an African village. The only major point against this movie is that it ended on a particularly false note.[/color][/font]
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