Sankofa was released in 1993 by the film company and starred the beautiful oyafunmike ogunlano, playing the role of mona, an american model that gets a reality check about her peoples past. The film sankofa is an akan word that means, one must return to the past in order to move forward. Niki wilkes the critical reception of the 1993 film sankofa, especially from those with an academic interest in the field of slave narrative studies, has made it a significant member of slavery film canon. Filming for the movie took place in five different countries, including germany and the united states. He is crossappointed with the institute of african studies, the institute for comparative studies in literature, art and culture, and the curatorial studies program at carleton university, where. Sankofa the only authorized dvd film directed by haile gerima, mypheduh films, inc. Sankofa is a film that deals with slavery in a way that i am not sure any hollywood production ever has. Sankofa essay lindsey duff bws 151 section b professor adrian gaskins resistance to the injustice of rights how is slavery defined is it the labor and. Sankofa, an akan term that means to return to the past and move forward, became emblematic of black empowerment and the embrace of africanity. Sankofa with haile gerima and aboubakar sanogo youtube. To teach a film study class on slavery without including sankofa would be like teaching a nineteenthcentury british literature class. A model oyafunmike ogunlano on a photo shoot in ghana encounters an old mystic kofi ghanaba who transports her into the past, where she becomes a. Haile gerimas cinematic rendering of this is perhaps one of his greatest filmmaking achievements. The 1993 film sankofa, directed by haile gerima, is about the transatlantic slave trade and the african diaspora from the perspective of those who were enslaved and dispersed through the world.
To optimize your experience with your screen reading software, please use our website, which has the same tickets as our fandango. Adetokunbo borishade and her quest to teach inner city african american youth about african culture and their heritage. The films title is a west african term meaning to reclaim the past in order to go forward, and sankofa stumbles only in its depiction of the present. Powerful, moving and highly acclaimed, director haile gerimas sankofa is a masterpiece of cinema that has had a transformative impact on audiences since its release in 1993. Three boldly personal visions of black history in a great. Armasarul salbatic 1993 film narat in limba romana youtube. In the ghanaian language, akan, the term sankofa means to return to your past and reclaim it. The film opens with shifting scenes of a drummer in white ceremonial ash or clay, a black female model named mona working a photo shoot on the beach, and ends with a statue of a bronze bird looking backwards behind itself. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing sankofa near you. In the beginning of the film, there is an africanamerican model taking pictures on a beach. Sankofa the only authorized dvd film by haile gerima mypheduh films, inc. This black history film tells the supernatural tale of a black american model who, while on a photoshoot in africa, reconnects with her roots in the most improbable yet powerful way. The symbol and name were used in the 1993 film sankofa by haile gerima, as well as in the graphic title of.
Sankofa is a film that twists the typical perspective of slavery by challenging africanamerican and societal views. The film follows mona, an african american model on a fashion shoot in ghana who undergoes a journey back in time and place to a slave plantation in north america where she becomes shola, a house slave. The word sankofa stresses the importance of one not drifting too far away from ones past in order to progress in the future. Sankofa 1993 plot summary 1 a selfabsorbed black american fashion model on a photo shoot in africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the west indies where she experiences firsthand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and rebellion as she becomes a member of. Sankofa regarder des films avec soustitres francais gratuitement. The film is a story about an africanamerican womans awakening to the bitter realities of her peoples collective past. The sankofa program reaches out through reading and theater.
Mona oyanfunmike ogunlano is on a photoshoot at cape coast castle in ghana, which served as a slave castle during the slave trade in africa. Sankofa a good film directed by haile gerima, mypheduh. In his welldocument film, sankofa, haile gerima presents he story trails mona, a current american classical on a film sprout in ghana. Apr 08, 1994 the film s title is a west african term meaning to reclaim the past in order to go forward, and sankofa stumbles only in its depiction of the present. Sankofa essay lindsey duff bws 151 section b professor. While on the beach taking pictures, mona meets the mystical sankofa. Written, directed and produced by ethiopianborn filmmaker haile gerima, sankofa is a powerful film about maafathe african holocaust. Lindsey duff bws 151 section b professor adrian gaskins resistance to the injustice of rights how is slavery defined. Sankofa is an event used by saint louis university to honor africanamerican student graduates and students who graduate with degrees in african american studies. A critical analysis of the film sankofa read a free essay. Sankofa depicts the appropriation of violence by its victimsand the movie itself is an act of history, a bearing of witness, and a reminder and reinforcement of dignity. Sankofa essay example topics and well written essays. Sankofa is a 1993 burkinese drama film directed by haile gerima centered on the atlantic slave trade. Three boldly personal visions of black history in a great new.
Overview of sankofa, 1993, directed by haile gerima, with roger doctor, stanley michelson, alexandra duah, at turner classic movies. As she runs away, the film returns to the present and mona walks. Free and full movie henry fonda hd spaghetti western duration. She contains a conference at elmina castle that she does not distinguish was historically utilized for atlantic slave trades.
African folks have lived through complete discrimination and abasement during the times of slavery. As i headed over to the apex museum in downtown atlanta to watch a movie called sankofa 1993, written and directed by haile gerima from ethiopa, i didnt really know what to expect. Considered one of the most important contributions to cinema, the film derives its name from the important africana cultural concept sankofa. In haile gerimas film, sankofa, he portrays a story of identity and rediscovery of the past and ancestry through timetravel in which mona, an africanamerican model, possesses the body of a houseslave named shola. The film sankofa by haile gerima which was shot in 1993 displays the process and practice of discrimination of africans. Cast and crew credits for sankofa, 1993, directed by haile gerima, with kofi ghanaba, oyafunmike ogunlano, alexandra duah, at turner classic movies. Embarrassingly enough, the museum was a place i didnt even know existed, after having lived for four. Check a local public library or a university library. An iconic film for the african diaspora and a key work in the oeuvre of african. Gerima used slavery to change the perspective of the past within the africanamerican community. The truth about mobile phone and wireless radiation dr devra davis duration.
The symbol and name were used in the 1993 film sankofa by haile gerima, as well as in the graphic title of the film 500 years later by owen alik shahadah. Sankofa 1993 dvd black history film black then and. Haile gerima director of the movie sankofa with cast kofi ghanaba, oyafunmike ogunlano, alexandra duah. The word sankofa derives its meaning from the ghanaian akan language which means to go back, look for, and gain wisdom, power and hope, according to dr. Sankofa 1993 a model oyafunmike ogunlano on a photo shoot in ghana encounters an old mystic kofi ghanaba who transports her into the past, where she becomes a slave. Very disappointing and very deceptive and unfair practice. This empowering film tells a story of slavery and of the african diaspora from the perspective of the enslaved, challenging the romanticizing of slavery prevalent in american culture. A critical analysis of the film sankofa read a free. Watch sankofa 1993 full movie online free on coolmoviezone. Cast in credits order verified as complete kofi ghanaba. Sankofa 1993 dvd black history film black then and now. This empowering film tells a story of slavery and of the african diaspora from the perspective of the enslaved, challenging the romanticizing of slavery prevalent in. Sankofa, the 1993 film by haile gerima, depicts slaves resistance in various methods. The movie opens with a model at work on a photo shoot on the coast of ghana.
May 02, 2019 in haile gerimas 1993 film sankofa, the element of fantasy gets a metaphysical twist. The theme of sankofa centers on the importance of going back to the past in order to understand the present. Haile gerimas american masterpiece has had a transformative impact on audiences. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Released in 1993, sankofa is a film written, directed, and produced by howard university professor haile gerima. Sankofa 1993 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Oyafunmike ogunlano and alexandra duah sankofa may 1993 sankofa is an akan word meaning roughly, we must go back and reclaim our past in order to move forward.
The storyline features oyafunmike ogunlano, kofi ghanaba, mutabaruka, alexandra duah, and afemo omilami. This was, for the record, also the most successful independent film in 1993 as gerima 4walled and selfscreened the movie himself in d. The silver brumby 1993 full movie hd family movie duration. The movie starts off at the cape coast castle in ghana with sankofa kofi ghanaba, playing the drums and communicating with spirits, transporting mona. In haile gerimas 1993 film sankofa, the element of fantasy gets a metaphysical twist. Film complet sankofa film complet streaming en francais.
Gerimas film showed the importance of not having people of african descent drift far away from their african roots. The film was appreciated is by black folk everywhere, but just getting it shown in small theaters and unconventional venues required a struggle of heroic proportions. In the film, sankofa is depicted by a bird and the chants and drumming of a divine drummer. It was a detailed account and so realistically done it was only shown in select movie theater back in 1993. Instead i was sold a boring video that told what the word sankof a meant. We may vividly see what tortures they underwent and what sufferings they. Written and directed by haile gerima, the movie was released in 1993 and starred multiple prominent black actors and actresses.
1247 1345 693 1196 1175 122 744 729 102 1287 1199 672 597 376 1234 139 720 111 155 1114 1269 1175 1110 458 189 236 370 527 530 68 137 96