Set in a small village in West Africa, Sembène’s final film centres on a woman who shelters girls seeking her protection (Moolaadé) after running away from the traditional female circumcision ceremony.

The woman’s action precipitates a major confrontation within the village community, between women and men, and between progress and tradition. The narrative is clearly and unambiguously structured around the women’s point of view, which chimes with Sembène’s long-standing concern with female empowerment as an essential requirement for the progressive development of African society. Avoiding didacticism, Sembène’s handling of this sensitive subject is both perceptive and moving.

Screening as part of the Ousmane Sembène: The Father of African Cinema season.