Le franc
The recurrent cycle Noir.e.s à la caméra allows us to discover works directed or produced by African or Afrodescendant filmmakers throughout the history of cinema.
"Lamb" is the Wolof name of Senegalese traditional wrestling - a highly popular national sport reminiscent of Greco-Roman wrestling but with specific, very strict rules. The combatants train on the beach. Restored in 2K in 2018 in partnership with Orange Studio and La Cinémathèque Afrique in collaboration with PSV Films.
Marigo is a musician. Ever since his landlady confiscated his instrument, a congoma, in lieu of his rent arrears, his dreams have revolved round getting it back. He manages to get hold of a national lottery ticket. To keep it safe until the draw, he glues it to his door and covers it with a poster of one of his childhood idols. On the night of the draw, Marigo cannot believe his luck: the winning number is the one on his ticket! He has visions of himself as a millionaire with a thousand congomas, an orchestra, a private aeroplane. The only snag is, the ticket is stuck to the door. Marigo prises the door from its hinges and carries it to the lottery office. Restored in 2K in 2018 by Eclair in partnership with Waka Films (Silvia Voser) and La Cinémathèque Afrique.
Djibril Diop Mambéty
Djibril Diop Mambéty was a Senegalese actor, screenwriter, and film director, born in Colobane, near Dakar. He is considered one of the most influential African filmmakers of his generation. At just 17, Mambéty founded Senegal's first café-théâtre. Shortly afterward, the director of the French Cultural Centre in Dakar lent him equipment and a cameraman to create his first short films, Contras’ City and Badou Boy. In 1973, he directed his groundbreaking debut feature, Touki bouki, and a follow-up, Hyènes (1992), a tale of a humiliated woman seeking revenge. Together, these two films form a diptych exploring themes of power and madness. In 1995, Mambéty began to work on a trilogy titled Histoires de petites gens. He completed two parts: Le franc (1995), which won Best Short Film at the Milan African Film Festival, and La petite vendeuse de soleil (1999). He tragically passed away from lung cancer in 1998 while editing this final installment. He was the subject of the 2008 documentary Mambéty For Ever and is the uncle of actress and filmmaker Mati Diop.
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