Borom Sarret (1962)

Original title

Borom sarret

Directed by

Ousmane Sembène

Genre

drama film

Country

Senegal

Runtime

18 min

Rated

14

Rating

6.9 of 10 from 63 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A cart driver tries to earn a living in Dakar. His day shows how poverty and bureaucracy affect ordinary people after independence.

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What happens

Borom Sarret or The Wagoner (French: Le Charretier) is a 1963 film by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène, the first film over which he had full control. It is often called the first film (or first narrative film) made in Africa by an African; the first "professional" African film; or the first such film to be shown widely outside of Africa. However, this is disputed, with some other films, such as Song of Khartoum, Sarzan, and Mouramani having arguably been produced earlier. Thus, some authors refer to it as "among the first" films made in Africa by an African filmmaker. Borom Sarret is 18 minutes long and tells a story about a cart driver in Dakar. The film illustrates the poverty in Africa, showing that independence has not solved the problems of its people. It was shown as part of the Cannes Classics section of the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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