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Presenting and (mis)representing history in fiction film: Sembe`ne's Camp de Thiaroye and Attenborough's Cry Freedom

2003; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 16; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1369681032000169267

1469-9346

Njeri Ngugi,

South African History and Culture

This article will explore what happens when it is the director who calls on historical fact in the production of fiction film. I will argue that in taking on the dual role of director and historian, Ousmane Sembe`ne in Camp de Thiaroye and Richard Attenborough in Cry Freedom ‘control’ history, that is, they depict their vision of a particular set of historical facts – in the hope of persuading their audience that this is the ‘true’ or ‘correct’ representation of what occurred. Sembe`ne tells us, ‘I control the entire film process and I feel completely responsible for it’ (Pfaff 1984: 78). The selection of film as the medium through which to depict a story has several implications which shall be examined in some detail and it is in the product of this selection and representation that the ideology of the directors may be discerned as it is they who select which facts to present and the light in which they shall be cast.