Sambizanga (1972)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Domingos (Domingos de Oliveira) is a member of an African liberation movement, arrested by the Portuguese secret police, after bloody events in Angola. He does not betray his companions, but is beaten to death in prison, and not knowing he is dead, his wife goes from a prison station to another, trying in vain to know where he is.
- Actors:
- Domingos de Oliveira, Elisa Andrade, Jean M'Vondo, Dino Abelino, Benoît Moutsila, Talagongo, Lopes Rodrigues, Henriette Meya, Manuel Videira
- Directors:
- Sarah Maldoror
- Producers:
- Jean Velter
- Voiced By:
- Ana Wilson
- Narrated By:
- Ana Wilson
- Writers:
- Claude Agostini, Sarah Maldoror, Maurice Pons, Luandino Vieira, Mário de Andrade
- Genres:
- Drama
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Reviews (1) of Sambizanga
Made to Measure - Sambizanga review by griggs
Sarah Maldoror made this in 1972 and it usually gets filed under "essential viewing" for being the first African feature directed by a woman, which is true but makes it sound like homework. Ten minutes in, I'd forgotten the label entirely. What gets you is the detail — a fishhook getting baited, a baby refusing to sleep, someone just getting on with the washing, filmed like it all matters as much as the politics.
The plot's simple. Domingos gets taken by the Portuguese secret police, and his wife Maria spends the film walking from prison to prison with their baby on her back, looking for him. Elisa Andrade barely raises her voice and still carries the whole thing on posture alone.
There's a tailor-made speech about class trumping colour — a bit made to measure as thesis statements go, but it lands even harder wrapped inside everything around it. And for what it's worth, he's right.
Slow going at times, but it earns the patience. I expect I will be thinking about Maria for days to come.