Genre and Social Consciousness in West African Cinema

          When people search for political films or films that comment on culture they typically seek out dramas and or art house films. Why are art house films and foreign films typically the bastion of academics and intellectuals? It seems counterintuitive to use something esoteric to highlight an issue or cause social change. One of the great things about visual storytelling and movies in particular are their accessibility as both an art form and communication tool. Aside from the oral tradition for the majority of human history consuming forms of storytelling like theatre and the written word was the privilege of the wealthy and elite. Today storytelling especially visual storytelling is consumed by the masses. Despite not being highly literate people today are more sophisticated consumers of story and narrative than ever before. For film theorist West African cinema is fertile ground to explore this intersection.

          Despite melodrama and comedy being considered “B” genres they are important genres both as art and cultural/political influence. The accessibility of cinema makes it an ideal to disseminating information to the masses. This is one of the reasons that German and Italian fascists were film enthusiasts.  Nollywood also unfairly faces a similar stigma as the comedy and melodrama genres. “Academic criticism has often ignored, condescended to, or denounced the videos because they did not seem politically serious.” (Haynes 2006). Coincidently melodrama and comedy are prominent genres in Nollywood cinema.

          Melodrama is a word that is used often in American vernacular but similar to the term found footage melodrama’s pop usage is often different from its academic definition. For the purposes of this paper is melodrama is a narrative work characterized by extravagant theatricality and by the predominance of plot and physical action over characterization. TV has a long history in Nigeria. Melodrama and comedy have a long history in television most commonly sitcoms and soap operas. Nigeria also has a long history of Spanish language soap operas called telenovelas. This history makes comedy and melodrama ideal genres for the Nigerian film industry.

          Using genres that are widely consumed by and associated with television is important to Nollywood’s appeal. Nollywood films are produced with home viewing in mind. Nollywood films are typically distributed via home viewing mediums like VHS, DVD, and VCD.  Despite Nollywood not having a wide theatrical release in the major West African movie theatre chains it remains an influential movement in West African cinema. “… advances in the industry of motion picture making could only be measured by the control over the means of production that a filmmaker secured, not by a film’s financial triumph.” (Genova 2013). Nollywood capitalizing on the home video market and direct to market distribution helped lead to an African owned movie industry. Before Nollywood much of West Africa’s film industry was dependent on overseas financing largely from Western Europe and North America. This reflected the neo colonialism that arose in post colonial West Africa. Nollywood being an African owned film industry with African filmmakers and African actors gives Nollywood an important role to play in decolonization.

          Not all West African Cinema is a Nollywood film but Nollywood films are West African cinema. Two large distinctions in West African cinema are African art house films verses Nollywood. Both can be political but the two differ greatly in esthetics, distribution, and cinematic grammar. Nollywood has a DIY esthetic utilizing video in its infancy before moving onto digital formats with better resolution and overall visual quality. Nollywood films also have a unique cinematic grammar ignoring things like continuity editing. Narratively Nollywood again breaks from convention. Films have longer run times then the average feature length motion picture produced in the west. In addition plot points will often be repeated. The repetition is important because Nollywood films are produced with home consumption in mind and take into account the viewer maybe doing household chores. Nollywood films are distributed mainly direct to video and African art house cinema is typically distributed via the festival circuit and screened in art house theatres in Europe and America.

          Despite African art house cinema often having overt political statements these films are rarely screened in Africa. For this very practical reason Nollywood films are a much more effective way of reaching African audiences. Despite this fact Nollywood’s esthetics and cinematic grammar are often used to be dismissive and reductionist towards Nollywood these are some of the factors that make Nollywood film’s more accessible in both viewership and production.

          Nollywood is not just a regional movie industry. Nollywood’s output makes it one of the largest movie industries in the world and similar to other large movie industries like Hollywood and Daliwood Nollywood exports a large volume of product. This export of a West African art form produced and distributed by Africans is influential in the pan African movement. Both during colonialism and post colonialism Africa has experienced a Diaspora. Africans and African culture spans the globe to places like the U.K., France, The Caribbean, The United States, and Canada to name but a few. The Nollywood film The Messenger (2013) is a comedy that can have a political reading of both the text and subtext of the film. In The Messenger (2013) everyone speaks Igbo even white Londoners and traditional Nigerian food and beer is prevalent. Instead of the colonial gaze depicting Africa we now have the Nigerian gaze depicting London. Themes associated with the pan Africa movement, colonialism, and the Diaspora is prevalent in the accessible and enjoyable comedy.

          In many ways Nollywood clashes with the ethos of third cinema. Third cinema is a cinematic movement that essentially states colonialism and neo colonialism are such critical issues that filmmakers need to ignore any commercial or mass appeal considerations in lieu of communicating serious political messages. In principle I agree with third cinema however in practical application Nollywood is a much more effective tool for communicating to mass audiences. The old adage sung by Marry Poppins is still true, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.” (Andrews 1964). 

          Aside from the inaccessibility of African art films to the African masses in terms of consumption it is even less accessible in terms of the means of production due to the high costs related to equipment and materials necessary to make feature length films with traditional Hollywood production values. “The videos established themselves as an essential medium through which Nigeria represented itself to itself during the 1990’s…” (Haynes 2006). VHS & digital technology has played a huge role democratizing the craft of filmmaking & cinema culture globally and nowhere has the impact been as great as Nollywood.

          VHS and digital technology have caused great changes in both filmmaking and consumption of cinema in the twenty first century. It has made visual storytelling a much more accessible art form in terms of consumption and production. VHS is much cheaper then film stock and does not need to be processed before it can be edited. Also, VHS is much cheaper and easier to dub then 35mm film. This fact combined with the long history and popularity of television in Nigeria made this an ideal way to disseminate movies. These video movies were rarely if ever screened in Nigeria in the mainstream movie theatres. The screens in those theatres screened mostly foreign blockbuster films. This led to the rise of the video parlor. In Nollywood Africans are not only the filmmakers and talent they now control distribution and exhibition as well.

          If one’s goal is decolonization it is important to control the means of production and distribution. For years countries rich with natural resources saw the majority of its citizens live in poverty. That is because the general populace had no ownership in production or distribution there by not sharing in the win fall of profits when these raw materials were processed and exported. Nollywood as opposed to African art films are far more effective in combating colonization and promoting decolonization. African art films may have powerful messages but they often times receive funding from European and North American investors and production companies. This relationship helps perpetuate neo colonialism despite often times the best of intentions of both the filmmaker and investors.

          An important part of decolonization that art and pop culture play a role in is self representation. “Nigerian video films are the leading form of Nigerian popular culture.” (Haynes 2006). Africans controlling how stories about Africa and Africans are portrayed impact cultural perception. Films like Osufia in London (2003) are African films that do not have the colonial gaze while also entertaining mainstream audiences with its comedy that is both broad and accessible while also being political.

          Osufia in London (2003) is a comedy that appears to be a classic fish out of water story and is certainly not an African art film but that doesn’t mean it is not a political film. The political aspect of this story is instead of the audience laughing at Osufia for being a stranger in a strange land and ignorant of the customs the British are exposed and lampooned for both their greed and absurdity. Osufia is triumphant despite being underestimated by those who seek to defraud him.

          The Messenger (2013), Moolaade (2004), Ceddo (1977), Osufia in London (2003), Maami (2011) are all valid works of art despite some being African art films and others being Nollywood films or some being comedies and other melodramas. Separating films by “high” art and “low” art is reductionist and causes an incomplete study of film theory. Nollywood as a movement has many unique qualities such as its DIY esthetic and ignoring modern contemporary cinematic grammar. However in light of the issues stemming from colonization and neocolonialism Nollywood’s contributions to the craft of filmmaking are not as important as its ability to reach the average person. A film industry where Africans own, produce, perform in, distribute, and exhibit their own motion pictures is important in an area of the world victimized by colonialism and neocolonialism. Nollywood illustrates the triumph of independent film culture in Nigeria as both a powerful art form for expression but a vehicle for political and social change.

Works Cited

Mary Poppins. Directed by Robert Stevenson. Performed by Julie Andrews. 1964.

The Messenger. Directed by Obi Emelonye. 2013.

Genova, James E. Cinema And Development In West Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2013.

Haynes, Jonathan. "Political Critique In Nigerian Video Films." African Affairs, 2006: 511-533.

Maami. Directed by Tunde Kelani. 2011.

Osuofia In London. Directed by Kingsley Ogoro. 2003.

Ceddo. Directed by Ousmane Sembene. 1977.

Moolaade. Directed by Ousmane Sembene. 2004.

Fox’s Mighty Marvel Merc with a Mouth Is a Crowd Pleaser

      Deadpool (2016) is great fun. The reaction of theatre goers after the screening I attended the evening it premiered might have been more positive and enthusiastic then what I experienced at the conclusion of the Star Wars marathon after The Force Awakens (2015) was screened. The jokes that are both visual and verbal and come at a machine gun pace. Think Airplane (1980) for a point of reference for the volume and pace of the jokes. If one joke doesn’t land don’t worry another one is coming seconds later.

      Fox’s Deadpool (2016) being meta irreverent action comedy is another step in unlocking the potential of the superhero film genre. Superhero films can be a canvas for a wide breadth of stories and genres. Both Marvel Studios and Fox have produced highly successful super hero period films and Warner Bros. will join them when they release Wonder Woman. Marvel Studios up to this point has been the most eclectic in their cinematic adaptations making a space opera, a heist movie, and spy thriller while Warner Brothers can’t figure out how to bring any of their other properties other then Batman and Superman to the silver screen. Fox has taken a cue from Marvel and has started to dig a little deeper into their toy box. This is why comic books as source material for feature films are not reaching a saturation point. Comic book movies like the western has the potential to last for decades because it is a genre that allows a filmmaker to tell a wide variety of stories.

      X-Men enthusiasts will revel in some of the great fan service moments in Deadpool (2016). The X-Men’s Blackbird makes an appearance and is the most faithful depictions we have seen in cinema thus far. Negasonic Teenage Warhead eventually rock’s the 90’s era yellow and blue X-Men training uniform. We have come a long way since X-Men (2000) where yellow spandex was a punch line and in 2016 it is a reality. In a post Avengers (2012) world faithful adaptations of costumes is a must no matter how garish. Deadpool’s costume is very faithful to the source material and from the look of Psylocke’s costume in the X-Men: Apocalypse trailer Fox is continuing the trend of costumes true to the source material and I applaud them for it.    

      Brianna Hildebrand is the discovery of the film. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a character she creates and inhabits with poise and ease. I would love to see her teamed up with Wolverine in a future film. The ole canuckle head is often put in the role of mentoring teenage girls. The dynamic of mentoring a teenage girl while Wolverine is dealing with his own brutal animalistic nature makes for a great character study. Putting Deadpool in a position to be a mentor to Negasonic Teenage Warhead was a choice I was rooting for but never got. Alas, maybe in the sequel (Fox green lit a sequel opening weekend).        

      The several origin story flashbacks eventually slow the movie down from its breakneck pace. Despite the clunky flashbacks the film still manages to fly along dispensing jokes and action with reckless abandon. All the players are game for this manic superhero romp and the supporting cast do a good job of being the straight men and woman to Deadpool’s madcap insanity. Hopefully Deadpool’s success critically and financially will lead Fox to go deeper into their comic book toy box. Fox’s possession of X-men and Fantastic Four intellectual property gives them a very strong and deep bench of charecters.

      The advances made in CGI and motion capture technology allows storytellers to bring any character to the big screen regardless of how outrageous the power or character design might be. The eyes on Deadpool’s mask come alive utilizing CGI. This detail helps the character emote while in a costume that covers his entire face. I hope the animators working on the latest iteration of Spiderman take notice and use a similar effect on Spiderman’s costume. The web slinger’s eyes on his mask operate very similar to Deadpool’s in the source material and the CGI animators translated it brilliantly to the big screen in Deadpool (2016). Every time I saw Negasonic Teenage Warhead use her power I couldn’t help think it was a test run for the depiction of Cannonball’s powers in future films (fingers crossed).

      Deadpool (2016) reinforces the notion that the most interesting super hero films are the ones that blend and bend genres. Deadpool (2016) boasts machine gun paced action and comedy combined with the production value of a summer blockbuster. The Merc with a Mouth gets a faithful cinematic adaptation that will appeal to both comedy and action genre fans alike. 

A review of Brother (1997)

            Brother (1997) is a Russian crime thriller that depicts a country at a crossroads after the fall of the Soviet Union. The film is set in early ninties St. Petersburg, a young man named Danila Bagrov played by the late Sergei Bodrov Jr. has recently been released from military service and returns to his mother’s home. Danila is from an area with little prospects so his mother sends him to St. Petersburg to stay with his older brother. Once Danila reaches St. Petersburg the film truly begins. It turns out Danila’s brother is a hit man for the thriving Russian mafia and he can put Danila’s military skills to good use. Brother (1997) combines western Hollywood crime, thriller, and noir tropes with themes that are specific to the post Soviet Russian experience.

            An important contextual historic fact is the Soviet film system heavily censored depictions of criminal acts in films produced in the Soviet Union. A film that depicts violent criminal acts was a novelty when Brother (1997) was produced.  The theme of western 
influence is portrayed several times in Brother (1997) two striking examples of the filmmaker commenting on western influences are instances of product placement. One of the films last scenes is an interior shot inside a McDonalds. Inside the McDonalds Danila has a final meeting with Kat. Normally in Russian literature in cinema the character of Kat would fulfill the archetype of the hooker with a heart of gold. Kat instead is tainted by western culture and is indifferent to Danila’s imminent departure from St. Petersburg. The other scene I found very striking in regards to the theme of western influence is the opening scene where Danila comes across a film production and is captivated.  In this scene we already have our first taste of western product placement where a bottle of 7up is depicted prominently in frame. Western values have already tainted Russian art. This idea is particularly interesting in s film that borrows so heavily from the west where the crime/thriller is a long established genre and the archetype of the anti-hero is long established.

            Some very Russian tropes are used in Brother (1997). The character of Kat would traditionally be the “hooker with the heart of gold” only she has been tainted by western values. During Danila’s final meeting with her she is indifferent to his leaving St. Petersburg more enthralled with her McDonalds cherry pie. Kat is not without manners and is truly grateful when he gifts her with a handful of cash as he leaves the McDonalds. Another trope found in the film that is seen in many soviet era films is the strong man or hero rising from the common folk to help his fellow man. We see this trope in early Russian films like Battleship Potempkin (1925) or Destiny of a Man (1959).

            Two films that share genre and thematic similarities with Brother (1997) are Death Wish (1974) and The Godfather (1972).  Thematically the idea of a weak and impotent society needing someone with the strength and will to take matters in his own hands are not only in Death Wish (1974) but many of the same story telling devices are used in both films to convey this theme. In both films the protagonist must protect the weak like the elderly and woman from the street crime that terrorizes them. The Godfather (1972) is an immigrant tale about family. At first blush Brother (1997) may not appear to deal with immigration but I believe the transition from the Soviet Union to the Russian Federation to be a type of immigration story. The citizens of Russia are changing regimes and shifting countries without taking a step or packing their bags. Much like Vito Corleone Danila must take the law into his own hands and commit crimes to make a livelihood for his family in an unfamiliar land and then later on much like Michael Corleone he must take the law into his own hands and commit crimes to protect his family.

            Two unfortunate specters attached to this film are the premature deaths of the star and director.  Sergei Bodrov Jr. who eventually began directing and producing in addition to his acting was killed in 2002 at the tragically young age of 30. While shooting his second film an ice block from the Djimara Mountain caused a rock/mud slide killing Sergei. The director of Brother (1997) Aleksei Oktyabrinovich died at the age of 54 in 2013 of a heart attack. During his career Oktyabrinovich directed sixteen films including the sequel to Brother (1997).  

            Russian cinema does not have a long tradition of the crime/thriller like Italian, American, or Japanese cinema. Brother (1997) is one of the most interesting things in cinema, a well established genre reinterpreted through the lens of a different culture. Aleksei Oktyabrinovich takes an established genre and elevates it much like Sergio Leone reinterpreted and elevated the western when it was considered a dead genre. Aleksei Oktyabrinovich combines western tropes and genres with Russian themes and issues like nationalism and national identity. Oktyabrinovich uses the crime thriller genre much like many film makers use science fiction. The action and tension of the film allows the filmmaker to couch heady topics like national identity in post Soviet Russia in a very accessible and palatable form.