And So Angels Die...I cannot say I was a fan of this one either. I'm not exactly sure what it is about them, perhaps it is just because of how it was filmed, but I just do not like them very much. I understand that they could not be filmed with the best technology because of 1) the time (Black Girl) and 2) the cost of production (And So Angels Die) but I wish the stories had been better developed. It is pretty simple to see that both films are however, making commentary on the relationship between Senegal and France. As another student mentioned, I too was confused why French was being spoken in Senegal as I did not know that it was under French rule for quite some time. While I did not particularly enjoy these films, I do think it is important to pick up on what they comment on.
In both films there is a clear idea of freedom and what it means to not truly be free; in Black Girl, Diouna cannot escape this slave-like life and in And So Angels Die, Mory cannot seem to escape the wishes of his father and the loneliness he feels back in France. I do not know much about African culture, so I do not think I can really say that it challenged my beliefs because I didn't really have any. I think both films tried to get across the same point that Senegal is not as free from French influence as it would like to be. I also don't really think they are made for either side; both sides can watch it and I feel that they will both walk away with the same impression. Of course, that impression will be either positive or negative depending on the viewer.
As far as women's experiences go, I think Black Girl shows that women want to work to help their families, but also that wealthy women are...well...bitches (pardon the language). But that being said, I also think it makes women look like they are always expecting something. Diouna expects to do only the job she signed up for and nothing else and her mistress expects someone to always do her bidding. Now, in And So Angels Die, I think the message is that women are more just objects. Love means nothing if a family cannot get something out of a marriage. Unfortunately that seems like a common theme across cultures besides African.
I did not like the film either. I feel like it is because we are just not used to these kinds of films. In "And So Angels Die", the characters were not introduced enough and it was confusing to tell what story went with which person. There is definitely a clear vision of freedom in both films, and I commented on that as well. I also believe that in some cultures, love means nothing- it is all about the money or bloodline.
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