Early Ousmane Sembène Film Series: Xala
Xala (Ousmane Sembène, 1975, DCP, 123 mins)
In a fiery critique of the new African bourgeoisie, a corrupt local bigshot falls prey to an inconvenient xala (curse) on his wedding night. “The jokes and details are delightful, yet there’s real anger behind them, and it bursts spectacularly into view in the concluding frames” (Geoff Andrew). In Wolof and French with English subtitles. DCP from Janus Films.