By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.8 cats
Director: Ousmane Sembene
Starring: Mame Ndoumbe | Mariama Balde | Ndiagne Dia | Venus Seye
Country: senegal
Year: 2001
Running time: 90
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0276951
Michael says: “I enjoyed FAAT KINE quite a bit. Veteran African director Ousmane Sembene has been making films since the ’60’s. With FAAT KINE he draws a lively portrait of an independent, single woman with two grown children, and their struggles with gender equality, politics, race and old ways vs. modern ways. Venus Seye is a joy as the title character. Outspoken, smart, unapologetic and fully realized, Faat Kine is the type of strong woman any film would do well to feature.
“It’s always fun to watch a movie from a culture that is very unfamiliar. I know nothing about present day Senegal, but it was fascinating to watch the relationships between the men and women; Christians and Muslims; old and young; wealth and poor; and how they view the world. Lots of honest ribald humor, plus the women in this film are allowed to be three-dimensional, strong, capable, seuxal beings, without sacrificing their femininity or their maternal instincts.” 4 cats
Ellen says: “This film tells the story of a Senegalese woman who has raised her children on her own and is an independent business-woman. Meanwhile, she, and her similarly situated female friends, struggle with the difficulties of some of the African traditions surrounding male/female relationships. The lead actress was wonderful to watch and the cultural angle (never get an opportunity to see much of that part of the world) was fascinating.” 4 cats
Stephen says: “I was the third of the Chlotrudis trio at the Brattle today, and also ended up liking this film a lot. I have to confess that, even though I’ve been interested in African politics and culture since the great independence wave kicked off in the late 1950s, I’ve never been able (or tried very hard…) to develop a taste for African cinema. Mostly it seems to me to be too disjointed, and rambling, and mysteriously stylized, particularly in the acting. This is the 3rd Sembene film I’ve seen (MANDABI
and BLACK GIRL being the others), and it developed in pretty much the same way. But it really does come together in its climax, and also made me feel rushes of emotion at some points that I’m not really able to explain, even to myself. The theater was sparsely populated at the show we were at (noon on Saturday), so I hope a lot of you take our urging to heart and check this film out before it leaves tomorrow.” 3 1/2 cats