Abstract
In the film, Le Franc -by the iconoclastic Senegalese filmmaker Djibril Diop Mambety, Mambety uses the French government's 50% devaluation of the West African Franc (CFA) in 1994, and the resulting hardships as the basis for a whimsical commentary on using the lottery for survival.
The hero of this tale is Marigo, a penniless musician living in a shanty town, relentlessly harassed by his formidable landlady. He survives only through dreams of playing his congoma (a kind of guitar) which has been confiscated in lieu of back rent. But winning the lottery changes his life. Played with slapstick gusto by the gangly, rubber-legged Dieye Ma Dieye, Marigo is both comic and poignant, a Senegalese Charlie Chaplin.
Mambety had a genius for constructing allegories or fables that represent abstract economic concepts through everyday human dramas. Newsweek commented that Mambety’s work is “rich with symbolism and spirituality” which uses film to project a vital image of his native continent.”
The hero of this tale is Marigo, a penniless musician living in a shanty town, relentlessly harassed by his formidable landlady. He survives only through dreams of playing his congoma (a kind of guitar) which has been confiscated in lieu of back rent. But winning the lottery changes his life. Played with slapstick gusto by the gangly, rubber-legged Dieye Ma Dieye, Marigo is both comic and poignant, a Senegalese Charlie Chaplin.
Mambety had a genius for constructing allegories or fables that represent abstract economic concepts through everyday human dramas. Newsweek commented that Mambety’s work is “rich with symbolism and spirituality” which uses film to project a vital image of his native continent.”
Collection
Subject
Contributors
Diop Mambety, Djibril (director), Oriach, Stephan (director of Photography), Diop Mambety, Djibril (producer), Cissokho, Isso (composer), Massamba Dieye, Madieye (composer), Ndiaye, Monssa (composer), Waka Films (producer), Scolopendra Productions (producer), Maag Daan (Firm) (collaborator), Cephéide Productions (collaborator), California Newsreel (Firm) (distributor)
Duration
00:46:00 (HH:MM:SS)
Language:
English
Target or Intended Audience
adult/continuing education, higher education, high school (grades 10-12), college
Copyright Holder
| Name | California Newsreel |
| Role | distributor |
| Telephone | 415-284-7800 |
| Address | 500 Third Street, Suite #505, San Francisco, CA 94107-1875 |
| [email protected] |
Copyright Date
1994-01-01
Rights Declaration:
This video is protected by copyright. You are free to view it but not download or remix it. Please contact the licensing institution for further information about how you may use this video.
Persistent/Share URL
https://54098.surd9.group/show.php?pid=njcore:33636
Basic LTI parameter
pid=njcore:33636
PID
njcore:33636
Metadata