Just like with American Hollywood films
who don't necessarily expose or have a political agenda, they still
reveal a lot even with what they don't talk about. I think Mwese did
what African cinema needed by making the films less political and
more relateable for an African audience. It was ingenious to cast a
popular musician, Papa Wemba into a working class man role. By being
ordinary, he is given people someone they can relate to and look up
to. I was surprised that the article said that the dwarf was a
'lonely and unhappy person' because it certainly is not depicted that
way. He seems to be awarded certain sexual privileges by the
apartment owner woman, and he is constantly saying that “life is
rosey.” The article also mentioned that the lyrics in the film are
often about hard work instead of relying on African governmental
help, but the main character isn't someone I thought of as a hard
worker. He often went from job to job getting fired or just leaving
and doing as he pleases because it wasn't his true passion. To me,
this meant that life is as rosey as you make it, and that it didn't
really have a lot to do with success or money. Kibibi goes to school
to be a secretary and has 100 word per minute typing which is very
good, but even without a job she is still happy when she is going on
adventures with her new sister wife and with Papa Wemba. Most of the
characters in the film had the most happy lives when their social
lives and love lives were enriched, which I think is a universal
theme for any audience. The silliness in it was all universal, and
that is why I enjoyed this film very much. As usual, one of the main
things I have trouble getting over as an American is the less
explicit verbal communication between these characters from another
setting. I wish that before Papa Wemba attempted suicide that he
would have written Kibibi a note explaining why and how he got the
diamond star earring instead of just assuming she would never listen.
He got to win her heart when she wasn't very interested at first, so
I think he could get her to listen again.
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI am really interested in your reading of the little person in the film; I, too, thought that he didn't seem all that unhappy. But, he is, it seems at least modeled after the classic character who puts on a happy face, when really he feels incredibly unhappy. But maybe this is a stereotype placed on little people in general and someone who knows more about disability studies could read through all of this and set us all straight! I went to school with Peter Dinklage, and he plays interesting characters, but one of the best roles I think he's had is in The Station Agent. Have you seen this film?
Spring
I agree with you wholeheartedly about the little person in the film. At no point did I think that he was depressed or unhappy in any way. After all, most of the time he was laughing or smiling and he was the originator of the "life is rosey" saying. I would think if he was unhappy they would have at least referenced it once in the film. I just find it a little perplexing.
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