Sankofa

1993
2h 5m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

A self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and p... Read allA self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and re... Read allA self-absorbed Black American fashion model on a photo shoot in Africa is spiritually transported back to a plantation in the West Indies where she experiences first-hand the physical and psychic horrors of chattel slavery, and eventually the redemptive power of community and rebellion as she becomes a member of a freedom-seeking Maroon colony.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

877

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Photos4

User reviews20

7.0877

Featured reviews

10jazni

Superb

This movie is so complex. Never before had an African writer/director ventured into such unknown territory. This movie is incredible! A black fashion model, who is posing for a fashion shoot amidst the beautiful scenery of Africa, is transported back in time through an African slave trade castle. Great cinematography and artistic creativity. This movie is not only entertainment, it is an experience!

endo_zen

Great story and message, poor execution.

i have to say first that i have the complete and utmost respect for this film and the message it conveys. i am writing a large paper about it for my english class and i have put much thought into the story and characters. yet as much as i love

what this film does for showing viewers a real and raw account, i cannot help but notice that this film is, for lack of any other word...cheap. i feel that with a better budget haile gerima could have wokred wonders. however, sadly, the fact still remains that the acting is mediocre at best, the music is horrid and the editing is amatuer. i feel bad about putting these things into writing, however when i critique a film, i cannot ignore the quality of aspects of the film because of it's great social importance. i would like to see more from gerima in the future.

10ulygraves

Spirit of the dead, rise up.

As an African-American male this film really hit home for me. It upsets me that there aren't more films like this from the perspective of the oppressed. I can't believe I didn't hear of this film until recently, the same as I never heard of great Africans and people of African descent like Dr. Cheikh Anta Diop, Dr. John Henrick Clarke, Dr. Amos Wilson, Dr. Chancellor Williams, Dr. Carter G. Woodson and many others like them until recently. This film shows how life today among blacks strongly resembles the life of slaves on the plantation. We think we are free but our minds are stuck in self hatred. I recommend this movie to people of all races and backgrounds, very eye-opening and educational. 10 times better than any Roots or Amistad or Color Purple that was made by people not of African descent

10kswright1

This move is Beautiful!!

The first time I heard of this movie was in College. I then purchased myself a copy. This movie is Amazing, Probably the truest, realest movie regarding Slavery. It told of the horrors and abuse African people who were brought to this country endured.. I believe this is a must see for everyone regardless of races..The strength alone of the people, to deal with what they faced and to still rise above that is absolutely Incredible. It is a shame that this movie got no recognition in the US . I guess it would cause people to deal with the reality of the horrific brutality human beings faced during this darkest era in American History.

10liselotte

African American history from African American perspective

Hailes Sankofa is the first and best movie about slavery ever made. Forget Amistad go see this movie if you can find it. The director of this movie could not get funding for this movie as the content was considered 'too controversial'. He made the movie outside of Hollywood and this resulted in a honest view on the history of slavery. This movie had bad distribution and no advertisement but it sold out at the box offices in America. The movie is named after the bird Sankofa. This bird is always looking back to where it came from. This massage is important throughout the movie; for a better understanding of the present and the future you need to know where you came from and how history has treated you.

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Trivia
"Sankofa" is an Akan word that means that we must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward; so we understand why and how we came to be who we are today.