Unfortunately for political activist Pierre Henri Thioune, everything does go wrong for his funeral in Senegalese drama Guelwaar. His body gets mixed up with a Muslim man’s, his family’s reunion turns awry, and his stance against dependence on foreign aid stirs rumors of assassination. But it’s a fitting way for writer-director Ousmane Sembène to lay out his own political beliefs towards how Senegal should move forward, as he juxtaposes them with all the conflicts that occur as a result of Guelwaar’s passing. After all, every funeral is made to gather loved ones and commemorate the life that was lost. What better way is there to commemorate the life of a politician, if not to engage with the beliefs that they fought for?
"Sembne, with a tense restraint, evokes a dependent country that maintains its dignity through nationalist pomp and local pride, and portrays one long-suffering family that bears Senegal's burdens in microcosm."
— Richard Brody
Burial of a Christian political activist in a Muslim cemetary forces a conflict imbued with religious fervor.
Venice
1 win
