Unit Aim
This unit will provide an historic overview of films and filmmaking in Africa. The unit will explore films and filmmaking from the early pioneers, travelling through the colonial era, to post-independence Africa and the current day. Students will explore how African film makers have expressed their African heritage and identity and portrayed important issues through the medium of cinema.
Unit Content
1 Understand the history of film in Africa
- The early greats, e.g. Egyptian cinema e.g. the Golden Age: 1940’s - !960’s, the impact of nationalisation; Tunisia e.g. first African film makers
- The colonial era e.g. representation by western filmmakers, colonial propaganda, the French, Portuguese and British colonies
- Post-Colonial Growth e.g. film making as a voice, film making as a political tool, creation of FESPACO and growth of African film festivals, founding of Pan African Federation of Filmmakers, 1975 Palme d’Or winner, rise of regional studios e.g. Nollywood, Riverwood
- Trends, challenges and opportunities for growth e.g. trends e.g. the ‘digital revolution’, challenges e.g. piracy and intellectual property theft, poor film and digital infrastructure, growth e.g. increased local audiences, Chinese audiences, selection of appropriate strategic growth model e.g. Nollywood, Auteur, Service, Festival, Africa Movie Academy Awards, access, UNESCO report on African Film Industry
- Film history e.g. International Federation of Film Archives, National Archive services
2 Understand the influences on African film
- Perception of Africa in popular western films e.g. ‘otherness’ dynamics of power, African as an untamed wilderness, Africa as a dream/nightmare
- Influence of Hollywood e.g. financial power, creation of infrastructure e.g. cinemas, marketing methods, dominance in film and filmmaking
- Growth of African filmmaking centres e.g. outputs, numbers employed, contribution to GDP, domestic gross earnings.
3 Carry out a review of African films
- Early African films and filmmakers e.g. Silent Films - 1900’s to 1930’s, Early Black & White Films - 1930’s to 1950’s, Technicolor Films - 1960’s to 1970’s,
- Contemporary African films and filmmakers e.g. Modern Age Films - 1980’s to present
- Regional cinemas e.g. South African, Zimbabwean, East African, Nigerian, Ghanaian
