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| Title: | The cinema, a place of tension in colonial Africa: film censorship in French West Africa |
| Author: | Goerg, Odile |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Periodical: | Afrika Zamani: revue annuelle d'histoire africaine = Annual Journal of African History (ISSN 0850-3079) |
| Issue: | 15-16 |
| Pages: | 27-43 |
| Language: | English |
| Notes: | biblio. refs. |
| Geographic terms: | West Africa French West Africa Africa |
| Subjects: | cinema censorship colonial policy History, Archaeology Motion pictures--Censorship Motion pictures--History imperialism |
| Abstract: | Although cinema became an important leisure activity in colonial Africa during the interwar period, its development and impact in French West Africa has not been studied. After analysing the context in which movies were watched, mainly in the cities, this paper examines the colonial government's attitude towards this new and potentially subversive activity. Censorship regulations were passed from the mid-1930s onwards and censorship boards were established, which were responsible for allowing or forbidding the screening of movies. The study considers the motives for censorship and its actual implementation, 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 movie-goers to express not only their enthusiasm, but also their feelings towards colonial authorities. Movie theatres became a site of tension, especially in the later colonial period. Bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. in English and French. [Journal abstract, edited] |