A little late on my new thoughts. But, better late than never.

The second time I watched Moolaade, I was afforded the opportunity to pay more attention to aesthetics and film technique. I think the first time I watched this movie I was so taken by the content and themes that I didn't pay as much attention to the look movie as I did the dialogue, major plot points, and characters. I found then, and still do, that many of the characters were very personable and well-developed, and I was most drawn to Mercenaire and Hadjatou this time around. I also liked Amasatou more during this second viewing. She fluctuates between supporting and rejecting her own past.

Several scenes still affected me this time around, and I find the most disturbing scene to occur during the first purification session when one of the young girls can't pee. Sembene uses this rythmic voice-over of her moaning that makes my skin crawl and makes me desire to rip the tv out of its socket and toss it out the window. It grates and culminates in a short scram in the background that almost seems anti-climactic. That scene gets to me. I also almost cried during the whipping scene and noticed that Amath does cry. Afterwards Hadjatou cracks a little "Be sure to pray for us" joke the following day which lightens the mood a bit, but I ended up feeling very empathetic for Cire. I also get upset during the sex scene when Colle bites her finger so hard, and when the youngest girl (who is protected) gets lured from the haven by her mother in the flashback of the whipping.

I noticed that the flashback scene was colored differently, which worked well, and that Sembene makes great use of the visual correlation between the anthill and the mosque. He often has rows of people weaving throughout them in a sort of visual analogy of two religious traditions merging. The Salinada spend the most time walking between these two features in their bright red costumes which reminded me of blood flowing through them. I don't think that was Semebene's intention, but it looked like that a little bit to me.

I loved the rich colors of this movie, and noticed that the camera moved a lot more than I remembered. Especially around the daily task of preparing grain and food within the interior of the shelter/homes. The village itself felt very intimate to me, and I could get a good grasp of the space. I also liked how Semebene leaves the village to take some shots of the surrounding landscape with brightly-colored lines of people always weaving through it.

Still a fantastic movie on second viewing, and Sembene manages to take a deeply problematic contemporary issue and avoid condescension (sp?) or despair.

Finally got around to watching it, and well, I'll let dear old Margo Channing sum it up for me: "I hate men."

That's all for now...I'll bring the coherence later.

It'll be interesting to hear your thoughts about the movie, Snack. Can't wait. Its odd, but between Mercenaire, Cire, and Doucoure on one side, the fluctuating feelings of Amasatou, and the many women who supported 'purification' (including the mother who lured her child into breaking the Moolaade), I didn't feel like there was a particularly clean split between men/women and proponents/opponents of FGM.

So this is the so-called movie that the club is based on . I know nothing about it but then again I always check my brain in the door

Yeah, I realized those obvious exceptions to the male/female roles in the situation, but my horribly biased self still likes to place all of the blame on the men. I even sympathized with the women who executed the excisions and supported the tradition, as their acts were completely understandable in a culture that dominates them so thoroughly. Looking at FGM through a wider scope than the film, it is clearly a practice initialized by unchecked masculinity. It's simply not a gender-blind issue in any sense. The three men who eventually sided with Colle were made clear to not represent the typical attitude held within the village.
...and then there's the whole radio thing.

Hey guys! We get to change colors on Sunday, I hear. Who wants to have their screenname color changed for a few days? Also, I guess pink and yellow are the two colors right now that most people like. Anyone have a preference or another suggestion?

Also, for the blitz, even if its short, a cut and past, or just voting a grade, can anyone who hasn't posted in the critics thread (who wouldn't mind doing so) post there? *ahemRodSnackJonahem*

i want a colored name.

i feel like it's the thing to do these days.

omg my orange suggestion actually made the cut.

i want my orange as well. also, i think after the Moolaade phase is gone, the independent/foriegn film club needs its colours.

The orange is hot. I want in!

Orange rocks. That's what people tell me at least. Want it.

Ok. I will get you guys color asap! But snack, can you pretty please post a review in the critics forum first? I am old-hat at this after three years of running the international film festival. I have one care, and one care alone...getting people to watch the movie, If they like it or not doesn't matter. In fact, I wish there were people that didn't like it because it might lead to some interesting conversation. Though, its virtually impossible to dislike this movie, which is why both Jon and I nagged people (for two years!) to watch it.

Yea, next time, pick a movie that's more controversial. I'd love to hate something that dolce loves for the sake of change. In fact, I might very well decide to hate Moolaade.

Pretty hard to hate a movie that is opposed to FGM but isn't a heavy handed piece of Hollywood crap like anything Paul Haggis ever did on 'deep' subjects. I have to admit part of my desire to propagate this movie is political, but the other part is what Jon has said all along: the characters are energetic and fantastic, and its actually a well done movie.

Oh, a chance to shit on Paul Haggis!

No, and I agree. There can be films that are warm and just plain entertaining to watch and then films that can make a really strong statement, but rarely are there ones that do both. This deserves the attention you and Jon have given it, I think.

You're running a festival? Which one?

Yes, I will tonight!

heh.

they spelled the name of the movie wrong.

i'll post my review in the critic's forum...soon!

dolce hosted three of our international film festivals here. i think lecter is trying to do it this year. they were, at the time, a pretty big success, i'd say.

Year 1:
Asian Horror Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=518
Canadian Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=247
Chinese Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=305
Down Under Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=408
French Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=528
Italian Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=146
Italian Horror Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=290
Spanish Film Festival Thread: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151

Year 2:
Australian Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12700
Canadian Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12864
French Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12829
Indian Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12943
Italian Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12566
Modern Asian Horror Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12605
Spanish Language Film Festival Thread: viewtopic.php?t=12849

Year 3:
Australian Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24302
French Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24161
Irish Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24330
Italian Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24031
Japanese Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24114
Scandinavian Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24183
Spanish Language Film Festival: http://www.worldofkj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24054

Ohhhhhh, that... I though it was some big flashy festival in real cinemas and all that stuff.

i want another festival!

on wednesday, i will be ready to watch Moolaade.

Actually, I think it's been three years now since I first saw it. Crazee.

And I'm lovin' the colors. Go Cult of Moolaade!

dolce, I think it is utterly impossible to dislike this movie. It isn't like Disney-kiddie empowerment that you can easily dismiss or critique. This is some good, mature, observant stuff.

Most of Paul Haggis "lessons" are belly-achingly funny, in a very, very sad way.

I know. Would Jon and I ever spend three years recommending people to watch a movie we thought they wouldn't find spectacular? I like your summation a lot, especially as someone who can never be so effectively descriptive without being overly verbose. Its a mix between observation and anticipation; what is and what could be. I really love it, and clearly found the characters and storytelling to be fairly layered all the while maintaining an enthusiastic outlook on the potential for drastic (and feminist) change in the future.

I guess I'll join this club then!