"Afrique 50" was actually the first movie by a young French filmmaker in his early 20s. René Vautier probably did not go on to become one of the most famous French directors of the second half of the 20th century, but possibly one of the most influential. This 17-minute black-and-white movie is a loud statement against French colonization in the Ivory Coast or against colonization in general. He openly criticizes the way the colonialists exploit the cheap African workforce in order to satisfy their need for greed and profit. It depicts the inhuman conditions under which Ivorians have to do their work every single day. I thought this was a pretty moving and informative short film and I applaud Vautier for the courage to make this film. He died in January this year, 65 years after this film was made and I am sure there are other interesting pieces in his body of work. As for "Afrique 50", I recommend it. Make sure you have subtitles if you aren't fluent in French. Vautier's narration is very fast.
2 Reviews
Afrique 50 is considered to be the first French anti-colonial film - and it was banned for the next 40 years
politfilm10 January 2020
René Vautier went to West Africa to make a documentary for the French League of Schooling, but when he arrived there he was appalled by the colonial exploitation, brutal crimes of the French army and poverty people lived in. Although upon his return to the country, the police seized the filmed material, he managed to preserve enough footage to release this short film in 1950. Afrique 50 is considered to be the first French anti-colonial film. The film was immediately seized, the author tried on thirteen counts and sentenced to one year in prison, and the film was banned for the next 40 years.
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