2003/06/01 by Njeri Ngugi · 6 citations
Arts and Humanities · Economics, Econometrics and Finance · Social Sciences · #Aesthetics #Art #Art history #Artificial intelligence #Cinema and Media Studies #Computer science #Control (management) #History #Ideology #Law #Media studies #Political science #Product (mathematics) #Representation (politics) #Selection (genetic algorithm) #Set (abstract data type) #Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism #Sociology #South African History and Culture
paper · doi:10.1080/1369681032000169267
published in Journal of African Cultural Studies 16(1), 57-68 (Taylor & Francis)
openalex publication_date 2003/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
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.