Cinema is often viewed as the language of the masses. Few understood this as well as the legendary auteur Ousmane Sembène. Often dubbed the “father of African film,” Sembène actually much preferred expressing himself through the written word of his novels, but he also understood that literature was a luxury for the educated and colonialist who he was trying to speak against. To reach the people that needed to hear his message, he had to return to the oral tradition that could circumvent the illiteracy that was commonplace. His debut feature film Black Girl in 1966 tackled the impact of European imperialism on the cultural identity of an African woman in France. For his follow-up Mandabi, he wanted to go deeper into these issues as he brought such oppression into Africa itself to explore how citizens were being subjugated by this occupation. Rather than use the French language as he did in his first film, Sembène instead made the first feature film to be presented in an African language, specifically the widely spoken tongue of Wolof. The result was something groundbreaking in its form, blistering in its political viewpoints, and both hilariously absurdist and heartbreaking in its ceaselessly entertaining narrative.
As the old axiom goes, money is the root of all evil. Or is it that money makes the world go round? Whatever the case may be, it can at least be agreed upon that money has a way of shifting how people interact with one another. This is especially true when dealing with individuals who do not typically have a lot of it. Ibrahima Dieng (Makuredia Guey) is the unemployed Senegalese patriarch of a family consisting of two attentive wives (Yunus Ndiaye and Isseu Niang) and seven hungry children. Ibrahima is the type of man who puts forward his best self to maintain the respect of his peers, all the while barely scraping by and adding on to their ever-growing debt. When the postman delivers a correspondence from his nephew Abdou who has been working in Paris as a street sweeper, he also delivers a money order of a substantial size intended for Ibrahima to cash. This sudden influx of funds could not come at a better time, as many of their debts around town are reaching the point they have to be repaid. Yet, what seems like a gift from God meant to ease his suffering sets him on a quixotic journey filled with never ending bureaucracy and opportunistic individuals.
Sembène does not set out to make a case for the malevolent nature of money. Rather, he uses this story to reveal the hidden inequalities of the social structure. The French may have viewed their colonialism as a way of bringing some dignity to this unrefined culture, but even when arguing with the best intentions there are dire consequences. One of the key issues that Ibrahima faces throughout the entirety of Mandabi is his illiteracy and how that alienates him from his own freedom. Before even attempting to cash his money order, he has to pay a local to read the letter from his nephew so he can have all of the pertinent information. From here, what should be as simple as going to the post office and having the money order cashed turns into an endless bureaucratic nightmare. Without an ID card, he can not cash his check. In order to get an ID card, he will need to procure a birth certificate. In order to receive a birth certificate… and so on and so forth. The stakes at hand are larger than just whether or not Ibrahima will ever be able to secure the money, but it speaks to the larger issue of if an uneducated man like himself can even have a place in the rapidly developing world.
Mandabi was made specifically for people just like Ibrahima to be able to see the effects of the French colonization on the most vulnerable of citizens. Yet it is important to note that it is not only the French who have a spotlight on them. The bourgeoisie class native to the country made of intellectuals and administrators are just as opportunistic as the colonizers as they use their knowledge and power to manipulate those of the lower class to their advantage. Throughout this whole experience, Ibrahima is shown to be an incredibly passive figure who accepts his misfortune as it comes – as an inevitability. Sembène noted that too many people in his country adopted such attitudes, and the absurdity of the situation was something he wanted to fight back against. The film certainly makes this point in a really effective manner, as every interaction with his neighbors or with the powers that be put him on a little less stable ground. The situation is so ridiculous that you cannot help but laugh, but it is also frustrating in its helplessness. Ibrahima believes in the good of humanity and doing right by people that need it, but his experience with this money order causes him to shift his core viewpoints of humanity. Sembène provides an unvarnished look at this moment in African culture that is as elucidating and compelling as any movie you will see.
Video Quality
Mandabi comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1 derived from a 4K restoration of a 35mm interpositive. The presentation is simply gorgeous throughout most of the runtime, providing a huge step up from any previous incarnation of the film. Instances of print damage have all but been eradicated, and overall clarity and detail is stunning considering the source material. There are the occasional subtle stray moments of lines or nicks in the print, but nothing that is overly problematic. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation. The picture can run a bit soft in long shots, but colors are well saturated in a visually splendid way. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with very little in the way of crush. This new presentation is very impressive on all levels, which should please fans of the film.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a remastered LPCM 1.0 monoaural track that accurately preserves the artistic intention of the film. The memorable music in the feature sounds quite good throughout the duration of the story, despite the occasional bit of harshness due to source limitations. The music does a good job of not overwhelming competing sounds and maintaining a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Environmental sounds such as the chatter from the village or automobiles in the urban areas are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly problematic instances of age-related wear and tear. The Criterion Collection has given this film the perfectly preserved, faithful audio presentation it deserves.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of Manabi includes a fold-out booklet featuring the essay “Paper Trail” by scholar and writer Tiana Reid, in which she gives rich historical context for the film along with a thoughtful analysis of the plot. The movie is very effective in getting its point across, but these insights help clarify some details that may have been overlooked by Western audience members. This booklet also contains an interview with director Ousmane Sembène conducted by film critic Guy Hennebelle in 1969 in which Sembène thoughtfully explains why he made certain decisions in the course of making Mandabi. Also included is the full 63-page novella The Money Order written by Sembène, which differs from the film in some key respects. All of these works provide a great amount of context and insight into the film that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Introduction – Aboubakar Sanogo: A thirty-minute conversation with Film and African Studies scholar Aboubakar Sanogo in which he discusses Mandabi in the larger context of the career of Ousmane Sembène. Sanogo offers invaluable insight into how this film connects with his other features such as Black Girl along with how Sembène was trying to use cinema as a way to emancipate his people in a global sense.
- Boubacar Boris Diop and Marie Angèlique Savané: A twenty-minute discussion between novelist, journalist and screenwriter Boubacar Boris Diop and sociologist and feminist activist Marie Angèlique Savané recorded in Dakar, Senegal, in October 2020. The two discuss the way in which Sembène tackled the political establishment and the importance of Mandabi upon its original release in Africa. Not only did the film explore subjects important to the citizens, but the simple fact that there was a movie featuring the African experience was a huge revelation for many.
- Tauw: A rarely seen 27-minute 1970 short film from Sembène based on one of his own short stories is provided here. This film focuses on a young man’s struggle to find employment in Dakar, and the divide between the old ways and the new ones of the youth at this time. Sembène also plays around with dream sequences at one point. This is quite entertaining and worth seeking out.
- Praise Song: A 15-minute collection of unused material from the 2015 documentary Sembène! from filmmakers Jason Silverman and Samba Gadjigo, which explored the life and career of the acclaimed filmmaker. This piece includes interviews from musician Youssou N’Dour, activist and author Angela Davis, author Ngügï wa Thiong’o, filmmaker Clarence Delgado, and filmmaker and scholar Manthia Diawara. There are some really worthwhile insights into Mandabi and Sembène as a person.
Final Thoughts
Mandabi is not only a landmark film in African cinema, but it is a precisely structured tale that speaks to individuals worldwide. Ousmane Sembène has an incredible way of getting to the heart of important issues through films that are equal parts thoughtful and entertaining. The Criterion Collection has released a Blu-Ray that sports a truly stellar A/V presentation and a plethora of special features both on-disc and packaged within. If you are looking to get into African cinema, this is a film that is easy to love. Highly Recommended
Mandabi is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
