RUN, RUN! THE OLD WORLD IS BEHIND YOU: AFRICAN CINEMA | MED HONDO | film lecture 3
A screening and discussion of Med Hondo's 1970 film Soleil Ô, with Professor Dr. Brigitta Kuster of Humboldt University, Berlin.
Doors open at 16.45 with a 17.00 sharp start.
Free tickets available at the link above.
“We must change the humiliating relation between dominating and dominated, between masters and slaves.
What Is Cinema For Us? (1979), Med Hondo.
This lecture is all about watching, experiencing and discussing one extraordinary, radical film: Soleil Ô. It was made by Med Hondo, the great pioneer of African cinema whose films were recently rediscovered and are appreciated anew.
We are very lucky to be joined by Brigitta Kuster. Brigitta edited several books on and by Med Hondo and will provide us with contextualisation, engage in the discussion and answer questions.
We will start with a short introduction on Med Hondo’s views on filmmaking, watch the film and follow-up with the discussion. Prompted by themes and questions we will share our interpretations and deepen our understanding.
Soleil Ô (1970), 1 hr, 38 mins
A deeply political debut film by late Mauritian director Med Hondo, which earned him the Golden Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival in 1970. Soleil Ô was also the inaugural restoration of the African Film Heritage Project (AFHP), a partnership project between the Pan African Federation of Filmmakers (FEPACI) (of which Med Hondo was an eminent member), Martin Scorsese’s The Film Foundation, and UNESCO to restore fifty African films of historical, cultural and artistic significance.
Synopsis: A native of Mauritania is delighted when he is chosen to work in Paris. However, he is disappointed when he sees racial inequity as blacks are relegated to manual labor while less skilled whites are given preferential treatment.
Med Hondo
Med Hondo (1935 – 2019) was a Mauritanian-born French director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Considered a founding father of African cinema, he is known for his controversial films dealing with issues such as race relations and colonization.
See you at this fascinating event!
