91�ȱ�

Director Ousmane Sembene is widely regarded as being a key player in bringing African cinema to an international audience, and his latest film Moolaadé tackles a particularly controversial subject - the practice of female circumcision which is widespread throughout the continent. By depicting one woman's struggle to protect others from the knife, 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.

The film tells the story of Collé, who after losing two daughters in childbirth due to her own botched circumcision, has refused to allow her surviving daughter, Amasatou, to be cut. So when four girls escape the circumcision ceremony, she is only too eager to provide them with moolaadé (protection). The menfolk of the village resent her interference in what they see as the law of Islam, and matters are further complicated when plans for Amasatou's marriage are halted when it's discovered she hasn't been under the knife.

"A FILM YOU'LL NOT EASILY FORGET"

Sembene uses Collé's story as a way to explore the conflict between traditional values and the influence of modern ideas which infiltrate the isolated village from the outside world via radios and the occasional TV. At times, the story almost grinds to a halt. But this gentle pace throws the brutality of the subject matter into sharp relief, making the nightmare of Collé's own mutilation all the more shocking - and making Moolaadé a film you'll not easily forget.

In Bambara and French with English subtitles.