City and Socio-cultural Situation of Contemporary Man in African Films

Abstract

The phenomenon of urban violence among young people in need of direction, nostalgic, affected by lack of employment, is a major concern of filmmakers who display it in their works. A precise target which allows us to treat and problematize this phenomenon in African cities (which have become dangerous) on four supports including: Twist in Bamako by Robert Guédiguian, Bakmatoire by Grâce Tengo, Le Mandat by O.Sembene, and Samba Traoré by Idrissa Ouédraogo. As they show, because of stillborn independence, failed dictatorships or democracies and endemic unemployment, the development of safe cities advocating living together has proven to be utopian. This led to an escalation of violence. In the African city now managed by the natives in the aftermath of independence in Twist, this violence takes several forms: exclusion from the political party, arrest and incarceration of the strikers, rejection of the paternalistic figure of the colonist and identification with the figure of the double identity by the Twist dance. Rival gangs organize themselves into armed bands in Bakmatoire to pillage, rape, assault and racketeer from populations. The street becomes the place of exposure to all dangers. And scenes of fraud and corruption are legion in Dakar in Le Mandat , thus depriving the illiterate of receiving his money. When the thieves organized themselves and robbed a gas station in the city of Ouagadougou, they were shot as they fled by the military. One hit, dies and the other, on the run, takes the loot. A whole isotopia of urban violence is readable in the works. These film texts therefore show the excesses of a sick society and the metaphor of permanent danger. Cinematographic language is tainted with every possible disaster. It is the place par excellence of mimesis and catharsis. Which allows the viewer to identify, wonder and question themselves.