Mandabi
1968 Senegalese feature film by Osmane Sembène
title: "Mandabi" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1968-films", "1968-drama-films", "films-directed-by-ousmane-sembène", "films-set-in-senegal", "1960s-french-language-films", "senegalese-drama-films", "wolof-language-films", "french-multilingual-films", "1968-multilingual-films"] description: "1968 Senegalese feature film by Osmane Sembène" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandabi" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary 1968 Senegalese feature film by Osmane Sembène ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox film"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Mandabi |
| image | Mandabi poster (French).jpg |
| caption | French poster |
| director | Ousmane Sembène |
| producer | Ousmane Sembène |
| writer | Ousmane Sembène |
| starring | Makhourédia Guèye |
| Ynousse N'Diaye | |
| Isseu Niang | |
| cinematography | Paul Soulignac |
| editing | Gilou Kikoïne |
| Max Saldinger | |
| released | |
| runtime | 92 minutes |
| country | France |
| Senegal | |
| language | Wolof |
| French | |
| :: |
| name = Mandabi |image=Mandabi poster (French).jpg |caption=French poster | director = Ousmane Sembène | producer = Ousmane Sembène | writer = Ousmane Sembène | starring = Makhourédia Guèye Ynousse N'Diaye Isseu Niang | cinematography = Paul Soulignac | editing = Gilou Kikoïne Max Saldinger | distributor = | released = |runtime= 92 minutes | country = France Senegal | language = Wolof French Mandabi (French: Le Mandat, "The Money Order") is a 1968 film written and directed by Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembène. The film is based on Sembène's novel The Money-Order and is the director's first film in his native Wolof language. Since most of the Senegalese population at the time did not understand French, Sembène wanted to create cinema for Wolof speakers. This is believed to be the first full-length African language film from West Africa.
Plot
An unemployed Senegalese Muslim, Ibrahima Dieng, lives with his two wives and seven children in Dakar. His nephew, Abdou, sends him a money order from Paris worth 25,000 francs, which he has saved from working as a street sweeper. Ibrahima is to keep some of the money for himself, save a portion for his nephew, and give a portion to his sister.
However, Ibrahima faces numerous difficulties trying to obtain the money order. Not having an ID, Ibrahima must go through several levels of Senegalese bureaucracy to try to get one, only to fail after spending money he does not have. Meanwhile, neighbors come over asking for money and Ibrahima is further indebted. In the end, he is swindled by Mbaye, his unscrupulous nephew, who promised to cash the money order for him, but steals the money, saying that he was pickpocketed. The film leaves Ibrahima in debt. The film explores themes of neocolonialism, religion, corruption, and relationships in Senegalese society.
Remastered print
After the film had not been accessible to cinema audiences for years, it was remastered in 4K resolution and presented at the 2019 Lumière Festival in Lyon, France. In June 2021, this remastered version was shown in cinemas in the United Kingdom. The Criterion Collection soon released the film on Blu-ray and DVD.
Accolades
- 29th Venice International Film Festival 1968: Special Jury Prize
- Soviet Directors Prize from the 1968 Tashkent Film Festival of African and Asian Cinema
References
References
- Pfaff, Francoise. (1993). "The Uniqueness of Ousmane Sembène's Cinema". Contributions in Black Studies: A Journal of African and Afro-American Studies.
- Aftab, Kaleem. (9 June 2021). "Mandabi review: Wolof masterwork ripe for rediscovery".
- "Mandabi".
- Gadjigo, Samba. (April 11, 2007). "Ousmane Sembène: une conscience africaine : genèse d'un destin hors du commun". Homnisphères.
- (April 11, 1995). "Hommage à Patrick G. Ilboudo". Regard.
- (April 11, 1972). "Dossiers du cinéma: Cinéastes". Casterman.
- (1987). "World Film Directors Volume II: 1945-1985". [[H. W. Wilson Company.
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