The Menil Collection The Menil Collection

The West African Film Festival of Houston and the Menil Collection copresent a double feature screening celebrating Senegalese cinema:

6:30 p.m.: Afrykas and the Magic Box (2022, 60 minutes) by Isabel Rivero-Vilá

7:30 p.m.: Mandabi (1968, 91 minutes) by Ousmane Sembène

Afrykas and the Magic Box is a recent film by the Spanish director Isabel Rivero-Vilá. A documentary on filmmaking in Senegal, the film features the testimonies of Dakar locals on cinema. The interviews highlight the importance of the mother figure in Senegalese society and the education of future generations.

Mandabi, the first movie ever made in the Wolof language, was a major step for the trailblazing Senegalese author and filmmaker Ousmane Sembène in realizing a cinema by, about, and for Africans. One of his most funny and indignant films, Mandabi depicts a society scarred by colonialism and plagued by corruption, greed, and poverty.

The program is presented as part of the 2023 West African Film Festival. You can find more information about the festival here.

This program takes place outdoors on the museum’s front lawn, located at 1533 Sul Ross Street. Please bring your own picnic blankets or lawn chairs; seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional information regarding accessibility and parking can be found here. In the event of inclement weather, the event will take place inside the museum building.

As always, Menil programs are free and open to all.