2 - The Cinema, a Place of Tension in Colonial Africa: Film Censorship in French West Africa
Corresponding Author(s) : Odile Goerg
Afrika Zamani,
No. 15-16 (2008): Afrika Zamani: An Annual Journal of African History
Abstract
Although cinema quickly became an important leisure activity in colonial Africa, its development and impact have not been studied in regard to French colonies. After analysing the context in which movies were watched, mainly in the most important cities, this paper moves on to study the government’s attitude to- wards this new and potentially subversive activity. Censorship regulations were passed from the mid-1930s on, and censorship boards were organised, respon- sible for allowing or forbidding the screening of movies.
The study considers the motives for censorship and its actual implementa- tion, the reactions of the audience and official responses (including closures), sometimes decided on the spot. Foreign movies, be they Egyptian, Hindu or American, sometimes allowed movies-goers to express not only their enthusi- asm, but also their feelings towards colonial authorities. Movies theaters became then a site of tension, especially in late colonialism.
Although this paper focusses primarily on French colonies, its comparative dimension makes it an important contribution to the study of cinema-going in Africa.
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- Ambler, Charles, ‘Popular Films and Colonial Audiences: The Movies in Northern Rhodesia’, American Historical Review, pp. 81-105, vol. 106, no.1, 2001:85.
- Balandier, Georges, ‘La situation coloniale. Approche théorique’, Cahiers internationaux de sociologie, Vol. 11, 1951:44-79.
- Burns, James, 2002, Flickering Shadows. Cinema and Identity in Colonial Zimbabwe. Athens: Ohio University Press.
- Burns, James, 2006, ‘The African Bioscope—Movie-House Culture in British Colonial Africa’ pp 65-80, Afrique & Histoire, no.5.
- Léglise Paul, 1969, Histoire de la politique du cinéma français, tome 1, La troisième république, Paris, Pierre Lherminier Editeur.
- Lacolley, Albert, 1945-46, Le cinéma dans les territoires d’Outre Mer, ENFOM dissertation.
- Ramirez Francis and Christian Rolot, 1985, Histoire du cinéma au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi, Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren.
- Thioub, Ibrahima, 2005, ‘Savoirs interdits en contexte colonial : la politique culturelle de la France en Afrique de l’Ouest’, pp 75-97 in C. Chanson-Jabeur et Odile Goerg (eds) “Mama Africa”. Hommage à Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch, L’Harmattan.
- Trelis, Lionel, 2001, La censure cinématographique en France, maîtrise, IEP, Lyon.
- Villiers, Roland, 1930, Le cinéma et ses merveilles, Librairie Bernardin-Bechet, Paris.
References
Ambler, Charles, ‘Popular Films and Colonial Audiences: The Movies in Northern Rhodesia’, American Historical Review, pp. 81-105, vol. 106, no.1, 2001:85.
Balandier, Georges, ‘La situation coloniale. Approche théorique’, Cahiers internationaux de sociologie, Vol. 11, 1951:44-79.
Burns, James, 2002, Flickering Shadows. Cinema and Identity in Colonial Zimbabwe. Athens: Ohio University Press.
Burns, James, 2006, ‘The African Bioscope—Movie-House Culture in British Colonial Africa’ pp 65-80, Afrique & Histoire, no.5.
Léglise Paul, 1969, Histoire de la politique du cinéma français, tome 1, La troisième république, Paris, Pierre Lherminier Editeur.
Lacolley, Albert, 1945-46, Le cinéma dans les territoires d’Outre Mer, ENFOM dissertation.
Ramirez Francis and Christian Rolot, 1985, Histoire du cinéma au Zaïre, au Rwanda et au Burundi, Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren.
Thioub, Ibrahima, 2005, ‘Savoirs interdits en contexte colonial : la politique culturelle de la France en Afrique de l’Ouest’, pp 75-97 in C. Chanson-Jabeur et Odile Goerg (eds) “Mama Africa”. Hommage à Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch, L’Harmattan.
Trelis, Lionel, 2001, La censure cinématographique en France, maîtrise, IEP, Lyon.
Villiers, Roland, 1930, Le cinéma et ses merveilles, Librairie Bernardin-Bechet, Paris.