Xala

It was in 1963 that seeds of filmmaking were sown in Ousmane Sembène's mind when he finished a short course on cinema in Moscow. For a long time his contribution to the field of art and culture was known through his films. However, it must be noted that his contribution to the field of literature has been equally outstanding. Senegalse film "Xala" is based on one of his own books. Watching this film, one is constantly drawn to the conclusion that justice has been done to both works of art. As a director, Sembène made full use of all minor as well as major incidents described in his book to depict a nation where some corrupt as well as influential politicians are shown to make merry while ignoring the plight of ordinary, poor Senegalese people who find it difficult to come out of 'vicious circle' of poverty. Apart from his scathing assault on rampant corruption which unnerved Senegalese people immediately after their country's independence from France, Sembène directed all his anger at two principal scourges : cultural alienation and economic impotence. Although "Xala" has been classified as a comedy by many film critics, its political message cannot be overlooked. It is the reading of this message which would enable us to comprehend why the fortunes of some African countries were used by their leaders to further their own cause.

Sembene was once again the failing of government in Senegal and even most of Africa. This time after native Africans come to power.

The juxtaposition of regular, hard-working, citizens with the spoiled, corrupt, and prejudice (to their own citizens) government officials packs a heavy message. And unlike most, Sembene simply does not photograph the regular citizens for the simple juxtaposition, he keeps on them, showing you their true problems, and showing you their sacrifice.

All the while, hilarity ensues the corrupt government officials as hijinks after hijinks. The biggest problem being El Hadji's Xala ... he can't get it up for his young third wife.

Truly an interesting, intelligent, and worthwhile cinematic experience. And even if that doesn't seem to to interest you, watch it for the laughter ... there's plenty of it.

So far in my life, I've only seen two Senegalese movies: "Hyenas" and "Xala". The latter offers a satirical look at corruption.

The plot goes like this: following Senegal's independence from France, a crooked official - he makes sure that France still controls the country's resources - uses the country's money to get married for the third time. That's when poetic justice kicks in; he gets stricken with a curse called "xala", rendering him impotent.

If absolutely nothing else, this movie is a very impressive look at a culture that we in the west rarely get to see (and specifically, we get to hear Wolof spoken). Are the events portrayed cause for cynicism? Hard to say. But I recommend the movie either way.

I love international films and have already seen many African films, so my not being in love with "Xala" has nothing to do with its roots. The bottom line is that while the story is very interesting, the story is so incredibly slow and poorly constructed that it loses much of its punch. It's really a shame, as basic story idea is great.

The film begins with a cute scene where the white colonial powers are replaced by black ones--and you see that there really is no change. Instead of a white kleptocracy*, there is now a black one--either way, the people of a fledgling African republic are screwed. The main character in the rest of the film is Mr. Hadji. Hadji is a minister in the new government and is going to celebrate his new wealth by marrying for the 3rd time--even though, as it turns out, he is over-stretching his finances. Sure, he IS rich by African standards but the money soon disappears--leaving him not only metaphorically impotent but literally so! This is a great metaphor for hypocrisy and greed in post-colonial Africa.

So why wasn't I bowled over by the film? Well, the biggest problem was the pacing. While the film runs over two hours, it could easily have been done in 75 minutes and the leaden pace is a serious problem. Additionally, the film, as it's captioned now, is a seriously flawed picture as the captions are, at times, almost impossible to read. White captions don't work well here and too many times I struggled to read them. Overall, an interesting curio from a historical sense, but a film that would be very difficult viewing for the average person.

*A kleptocracy is a government typified by rampant corruption and stealing and the good of the people is irrelevant.

The beginning scene of Ousmane Sembene's film Xala is a tragicomic metaphor for the euphoria of the African independence movement, which was followed quickly by the installation of puppet governments controlled by ex-colonial powers. Sembene's courageous and open indictment of profiteering African businessmen and politicians is the backdrop for a moral tale of greed, betrayal, and punishment. I found the storyline gripping, never boring, and I even felt compassion for the victim of the xala despite his obvious shortcomings and former cockiness. While the cautionary tale is didactic in the style of fables and traditional African tales, the viewer apprehends the complexities of life in a climate of pervasive corruption. The characters make their way through a melting pot of African traditions, magic realism, animism, and Islam - all peppered with powerful vestiges from Africa's colonial heritage. Each character tries to survive and thrive in his or her own unique way. Xala provides the viewer with a multitude of perspectives, simultaneously condemning those who sell Africa to her highest bidders, while promoting forgiveness and redemption.